Rottweiler Dog Breed

Below are the details and characteristics of the rottweiler dog breed.

Rottweilers are considered a large to giant dog breed with males weighing as much as 130 pounds and being as tall as 27 inches from ground to shoulder. They are heavily muscled and strong which makes them ideal for pulling carts and intimidating potential intruders.

The breed is confident and calm. They are suspicious of new people and unexpected situations and likes to observe people before deciding to make friends. Rotties are smart and have a very strong protective instinct, although they should never become aggressive without probable cause. The breed can be stubborn, but are easy to train using the right methods including positive reinforcement. Rottweilers are good with children, especially those who they were raised with, but need to be supervised since the dog's size can easily knock over a small child. The breed gets along with pets they were raised with, but can be wary towards stranger dogs.

Rottweiler's coats are fairly easy to maintain. Their coat requires a weekly brushing and will need to be bathed as needed to keep their coat clean and odor free. They are people dogs and need to live with their owners (not away from them alone). Not all rotts have the same energy level. Some rotties are lazy couch potatoes, while other are very energetic. Mid energy rottweilers will need two medium length walks per day to meet their exercise requirements to prevent hyperactivity and destructive behavior.

Rottweiler history begins with the Molossus, a huge Mastiff-type dog that was originally utilized as a war dog and cattle driver as far back as the Roman era. The true origin of the Rottweiler is in southern Germany, through which Roman soldiers passed during their travels; some Romans stayed and settled there because of the region's fertile soil, and many raised cattle--so of course the Molosser dogs were of great use.

A lot of those Roman settlers built homes with red tile--and this is where the history of the "Rottweiler" breed name originates. One of the towns in the area eventually became Rottweil (or "red tile"), and it is believed this breed developed in that specific region. As centuries passed and the cattle market flourished in Rottweil, farmers used the Mastiff-type dogs for multiple purposes: the dogs would drive cattle to town to be butchered, then pull carts loaded with meat back to the cattle farms. The dogs would also protect the farmers from thieves along the way. Over time these guardian dogs became known as the Rottweiler Metzgerhund, or "Butcher's Dog of Rottweil." This interesting bit of trivia about Rottweiler origin answers the question, "Where are Rottweilers from?"

With the advent of motorized travel--first trains, then automobiles--the Rottweiler's use as a cattle driver declined almost to the point of extinction. In the early 20th century, though, a few German breed enthusiasts worked to revive the Rottweiler population, and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1931. By the late 1900s, the breed was popular worldwide as a guardian and protection dog.

As of 2020, the Rottweiler is still extremely popular, and ranks eighth on the AKC's list of 196 registered breeds.

The Rottweiler, as a Mastiff-type breed, is built for power. These large- to giant-sized dogs are muscular and athletic, and at first glance it's easy to understand why the breed is such a great guard dog!

But exactly what does a Rottweiler look like? Its head is block-shaped, with powerful jaws, almond-shaped eyes, a fairly short muzzle, and medium-sized, floppy ears (which are sometimes cropped--see below). The chest is broad and deep, the legs are long and straight, and the body is thick and packed with muscle. The tail is medium-length, thick, and curved (but is often docked--likewise, see the next paragraph).

Some owners have their Rotts undergo cosmetic procedures to enhance the dog's fierce look. Rottweiler ear cropping, while not very common, does happen. The Rottweiler ear crop, whereby part of the ear flap is surgically removed to make the ear stand erect, is actually discouraged by breed enthusiasts because it's painful for the dog and serves no practical purpose. Docking Rottweiler tails, meanwhile, is more common. A Rottweiler with tail docked sees most of the tail surgically removed during puppyhood; originally this was done to prevent injuries, but the practice no longer serves any purpose. According to veterinarians and breed experts, for the Rottweiler a long tail is best.

The Rottweiler coat is short to medium in length and lies flat against the body.

A lot of people believe that Rottweiler breeds exist in various sub-types--namely, the American Rottweiler, the German Rottweiler, and the Roman Rottweiler. In truth: while these variations exist, they're not officially recognized as such by major kennel clubs like the ADRK (Allgemeiner Deutcher Rottweiler Klub, the offical German breed organization) or the AKC. For the most part, these names exist to designate where the "breed" of Rottweiler is from (which can determine the breeding stock, and thus the dog's appearance), and they're mostly promoted for marketing purposes. In short, all Rottweiler dog "breeds" are simply Rottweilers.

That said, here's more info on the three Rottweiler types:

• American: A dog born in the U.S. Because of more diverse breeding methods, American Rotties have wider variations in size, and are often taller and have longer legs and smaller heads.
• German: Born in Germany, these dogs have better breeding lines, and are more uniform in size and temperament. This is due to the ADRK club's strict regulations on Rottweiler breeding practices.
• Roman: Regardless of country of origin, Roman Rottie is often the name given to an especially big Rottweiler. Breeders may advertise these as the "King Rottweiler" or "Giant Rottweilers." The "Roman" in the description is a nod to the breed's larger Molosser-type ancestors, which themselves originated during the Roman era.

In regards to its coat, this breed sees little variation. The typical Rottweiler has a short- to medium-length one; any Rottweiler with long hair is almost certainly a crossbreed.

And as to size, purebred Rottweilers are fairly consistent as well, averaging 25 inches in height and 105 pounds in weight. Breeders may offer a type of Rottweiler that's much different in size, like Mini Rottweilers or a Teacup Rottweiler (or even huge Rottweilers--see above). Those dogs, whether a Miniature Rottweiler or the biggest Rottweiler in the world, are either the result of unethical breeding practices or simply crossbred dogs.

Confident, intelligent, friendly, hardworking, and possibly dominant, the Rottweiler temperament is one of patience, courage, and loyalty. Because of their history as guardian dogs and cattle herders, Rottweiler temperaments make them naturally bold and assertive--though they're normally not aggressive unless conditioned to be that way. In any case, the Rottweiler personality will need some shaping, starting in puppy-hood if possible; extensive obedience training and socialization, done early and often, is a must for this breed.

If these dogs learn respect as puppies, they'll turn into well-balanced, calm, friendly adults--though their protective instincts will always remain. Regardless of the Rottweiler behavior with family members, extraordinary caution must be taken when the dog is around strange people or animals, as its instinct is to protect its people, which it will often do through confrontation unless taught otherwise.

Luckily, one of the best Rottweiler characteristics is that the breed is highly willing to please, so Rottweilers will respond well to training. It's imperative that trainers establish themselves as superior from the very beginning, too. Firm (but never harsh!), consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

And of course, the most fantastic of Rottweiler traits is that their abilities as watch- and guard dogs is unmatched. Though they're not frequent barkers, Rotties are alert and fearless, and will investigate unknown sights and sounds--and will be able to neutralize most potential threats.

Below are health issues and concerns most common in Rottweilers

Some interesting facts about the breed:

• "Hero" Rottweiler stories: One of the best Rottweiler uses is as a savior and guardian. Numerous videos, tales, and accounts can be found across the Web concerning these dogs saving kids from burning buildings, thwarting physical assaults, and other courageous acts.
• Rottweiler lockjaw...or Rottweiler jaw lock? Some people confuse a dog locking its jaws with "lockjaw," a medical condition more commonly called tetanus. In reality, no dog breed can actually lock its jaws--though breeds like the Rottie have such a strong bite that their jaws may seem as if they're locked shut!
• "Ugly Rottweiler" Christmas apparel: Some retailers sell comically hideous holiday-themed sweaters and T-shirts, complete with an "Ugly Rottweiler" logo and the breed's image on front.
• Rocky the Rottweiler: More Rottie-themed merchandise features a drawing of Rocky the Rottweiler, complete with mirrored sunglasses. The Rocky Rottweiler image can be found on mugs, T-shirts, and stickers sold at numerous Web stores.