Rottweiler Dog Breed
Aliases: German Rottweiler, Mertzerhund.
Description
Rottweilers are black in base coat color with clearly defined tan or mahogany markings on the cheeks, muzzle, chest, legs, and eyebrows. They have a strong, powerful and muscular body. The head is broad and has a rounded forehead. The eyes are warm, dark brown and an almond shape. Ears lie flat to the head and are triangular in shape. The neck is muscular and powerful without any loose skin, sloping parallel with the back. The chest is broad and deep, reaching to elbow, with well pronounced fore chest. Back is straight and strong. Loins are squat, deep and well muscled. An adult Rottweiler should have a slight tuck up. Legs are long and well muscled. Feet are straight with compact well arched toes. The pads of the Rottie are thick and well padded. Nails are black and strong. The inside of the mouth is black, but the toungue is pink. Rotties have a scissor bite. The tail of a Rottie is usually docked at the first joint in Countries where this practice is still accepted, and it should lay parallel with the back.
Coat Description
Rottweilers have an outer coat and an under coat. The outer coat is of medium length, lays flat, straight (a wavy coat is a fault), and is coarse in texture. The under coat should be seen on the neck and the thighs.
Coat color should be black with tan/rust or mahogany markings. Any other base color other than black is not accepted. There should be distinctive markings over each eye, on the cheeks, throat, the forelegs down to the toes, on the inside of the rear legs and on the under tail. Any white on the coat is also considered a fault.
History
Rottweilers originated from Rottweil, Germany.
They are believed to be descendants of the drover dogs used by the Roman Empire. Rotties accompanied the ancient Romans on their quest to conquer Europe, guarding the herd and camps. The Romans ended up in what is now Southern Germany and the city of Rottweil. The Rottweiler was used to herd the cattle to and from the markets in town. Cattle dealers and butchers especially favored this breed of dog and they started breeding programs to make the ideal dog, one that excelled in herding, guarding, loyalty and strength. Butchers used them to guard their meat and shops and cattle drivers used them for herding their stock and keeping them safe. In honor of the great dogs that were bred from the town Rottweil, the breed became known as the Rottweiler. Originally bred for herding pig and cattle, they also excelled in guarding against highwaymen intending to rob and murder their owners on their journeys.
The last century put up railways and a ban on cattle driving dogs was implemented. Because of this, Rottweilers were almost forgotten because there was not much use for them. In 1905, there was only one known female Rottweiler in Rottweil, Germany. Butchers and farmers still kept this breed, probably for its protection and this was the main reason the breed survived and once their ability in police work was discovered, breeding programs to keep the Rottweiler breed going started.
Temperament
The Rottweiler is a very alert, loyal and loving companion. They are calm, and self confident. Rotties are quick to learn and easy to please. Family is very important to the Rottie and they are very social within the home. Children will be loved and adults will be respected, with the right training. Being very loyal a Rottie will fight to protect their family with all they have. Rotties are strong and possess a high pain tolerance. Proper socialization from puppy hood and firm handling is a must to ensure that the dog does not assume leadership of the family. Also beware of possessiveness with food and toys. To avoid this, pet the dog while it is eating and get it used to people handling its food and toys.
Mental stimulation is a must because these dogs can become bored quite easily and this can lead to destructiveness, health problems and aggressiveness. Rottweilers are friendly but do have a natural tendency towards dominance. Aggressiveness is not a characteristic of properly bred Rottweiler, but can be brought out in the breed without proper training and socialization. Males tend to be aggressive with other males, altering the dog if only a pet is suggested. As a rule, they don\'t bark unnecessarily and are great guard dogs, alerting when there is danger of something out of the ordinary. Rotties are active, happy and obedient, only wanting to please their master. Harsh words and actions will hurt Rotties feelings and are not needed to train them, as they are very quick to learn.
Thyroid Disease - Medium Risk
The Rottweiler ranks #55 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. While this is not a high risk breed, there is still a good chance of disease transmission through breeding. Therefore, all dogs intended for breeding should be tested first.
| Rank Among Breeds |
Number of Dogs Tested |
Percent of Dogs With Disease |
| #55 |
6,337 |
7.7% |
You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here
Other Health Problems
Rottweilers are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, a malformation of the joints which can lead to crippling and a bone and cartilage problem called OCD. This can be prevented by properly exercising the dog and making sure that as a puppy, they don't suffer any joint stress. You can do this by limiting access to stairs, not allowing jumping and not over running the dog. A simple walk and play time each day will be enough exercise for a puppy. Also ask the breeder if the dam and sire were tested for health problems, as most of the problems Rottweilers experience are hereditary. They can also develop panosteitis, an intermittent lameness cause by varying bone density in young dogs.
Eye problems are also a health issue with Rotties and are inherited. Like all barrel chested dogs, Rotties are susceptible to bloat. Bloat can be prevented by limiting the amount of food fed at one feeding. Spreading out the daily food amount throughout the day is best advised. Also limiting excessive exercise after eating can prevent this condition from forming.
