The
Rottweiler has a massive, powerful body.
Muscular and athletic, it has a broad head
and rounded forehead. The muzzle is well-developed
with a scissors bite. Its eyes are dark
with an expression of goodwill and loyalty.
The ears are triangular, carried forward,
and its nose is wide and black. The lips
are black and inside the mouth it is dark-colored.
The tail is customarily docked. Often born
with rear dewclaws, these are usually removed
when the tail is docked. The coat is short,
hard and thick. It is black with brown markings
on the cheeks and muzzle, paws and legs.
A red color with brown markings also exists.
There is a deficiency in the hair gene making
the coloring a lighter red. Rottweiler bitches
often have large litters; 12 puppies are
not uncommon.
German
Rottweiler vs. American Rottweiler - some
claim there are variations of Rotties,
the German Rottweiler and the American
Rottweiler. German Rotties are said to
be shorter, stockier and have a bigger
blockier head, and American Rotties are
said to be taller and leggier without
as blocky a head. Others claim a Rottweiler
is a Rottweiler and there is no such thing
as a German Rottie. Some who have stated
this argument have said, "a German Rottweiler
is one born in Germany and an American
Rottweiler is born in America." In any
case, there are breeders breeding for
the German Rottweiler look, which goes
outside the AKC standard, while others
are breeding for the American Rottweiler
look, sticking to, or closer to, the AKC
standard.
Temperament
The
Rottie is calm, trainable, courageous, and
devoted to their owner and family. They
have a reliable temperament. Protective,
he will defend his family fiercely. These
are strong fighters that seem immune to
pain. Serious, steady and confident. Firm
and careful training is essential for
this breed, otherwise you may end up with
a very powerful and overly aggressive dog.
Yet they can, with proper handling, also
be loyal, loving and very rewarding companions.
They require owners who can handle their
massive size. The Rottie is a natural guard
dog with a mellow temperament. They are
highly intelligent and have proven their
worth beyond question in police, military,
and customs work over many centuries. Because
of their size, training should begin fairly
young - while the dog is still small, and
great care should be taken to ensure that
the dog is not made vicious. This breed
needs a lot of companionship and socialization
to be truly happy. They can be aggressive
with other dogs and should be kept on leashes
in public places. When the Rottweiler is
consistently brought up and trained, it
will be a good playmate for the children.
It will accept cats and other household
pets as long as the dog has had a positive
experience with them while it was young.
Friends and relatives of the family are
normally enthusiastically welcomed. Strangers
can get no further than the sidewalk. The
breed does well in competitive obedience,
schutzhund, and tracking.
This
breed is susceptible to ACL damage. Prone
to hip dysplasia. Tends to snore and overeat.
Also prone to entropion (narrowing of the
slit between the eyelids).
Living
Conditions
The
Rottie will do okay in an apartment if it
is sufficiently exercised. They are relatively
inactive indoors and a small yard will be
sufficient.
Exercise
The
Roman Rottweiler needs plenty of exercise.
You can't give these robust dogs too much
work or exercise; they thrive on it. They
need to be taken on a daily walk or jog.
Running in the woods and in open country
makes them very happy and they have no desire
to wander from you. Swimming or running
beside a bicycle are perfect activities
for this dog and it also loves retrieving
a ball.
Life
Expectancy
About
10-12 years.
Grooming
The
smooth, glossy coat is easy to groom. Brush
with a firm bristle brush and bathe only
when necessary. This breed is an average
shedder.
Origin
The
Rottweiler is probably descended from the
Italian Mastiff. During the Middle Ages,
it was used as a herd dog. It was bred in
the German town of Rottweil in Wurttemberg.
Practically extinct in the 1800's, the breed
population began a comeback in the early
twentieth century due to the efforts of
enthusiastic breeders centered in Stuttgart.
Some of the Rottweilers talents include:
tracking, herding, watchdogging, guarding,
police work, carting, competitive obedience,
and schutzhund.
