PRONUNCIATION ROTT-why-ler

DESCRIPTION   The Rottweiler has a muscular, massive, powerful body.  The head is broad with a rounded forehead/  The muzzle is well developed. The teeth meet in a scissors bite. The wide nose is black. The lips are black and inside the mouth dark. The medium sized eyes are dark and slmond-shaped. The ears are triangular, carried forward. The tail is docked or natural. Note: docking tails in illegal in every country except the US. Rear dew claws if there are any are removed. The chest is broad and deep. Teh coat is short, hard and thick. It is black with rust to mahogany markings on the cheeks and muzzle, above the eyes, and on paws and legs. A red color with brown markings also exists. There is a deficiency in teh hair gene making the coloring a lighter red.  A Rottweiler that is red with dark brown or black marking is a desqualifying color. The dog was produced to a genetic problem.

TEMPERAMENT The Rottweiler is powerful, calm, trainable, courageous, and devoted the their owner and family.  Loyal and protective, the will defend there family if needed, seemingly immune to pain. Serious, even-tempered, brave, confident and courageous, this breed needs and owner who is strong minded, calm, but firm and able to handle their massive size. A docile, natural guard dog with a laid-back, reliable temperament. They are highly intelligent and have proven their worth beyond question in police, military, and customs work over many centuries and can be trained for competitive obedience. Because of the size, training should begin when the dog is a small puppy. This breed needs  a lot of leadership and socialization. When a Rottweiler receives proper and consistent leadership and training. it will be a good playmate for children. It will accept cats, other dogs, and other household pets, as long as the dog has been socialized well. Friends and realtives of the family are normally enthusiastically welcomed. Strangers to whom the dog senses bad intentions from can get no further than the sidewalk.

HEIGHT & WEIGHT Height:  Dogs 24-27 inches (61-69 cm) Bitches 22-25 inches (56-63 cm) Weight:  Dogs 95-130 lbs.  Bitches 85-115 lbs.

HEALTH PROBLEMS This breed is susceptible to ACL damage. Prone to hip displacia. Also, prone to entropion (narrowing of the slit betweent eh eyelids). Tends to snore. Can overheat easily. Breeding should be done only after many generation of GOOD hips and NORMAL elbows. This is to prevent the problem of displaysia.

EXERCISE The Rottweiler needs plenty of exercise. You can't give these robust dogs too much work or exercise (after they are full grown); they thrive on it. They need to be taken on a daily walk or jog. Running in the woods and in open coutry makes them very happy and they have no desire to wander from you. Swimming or running beside a bicylce are perfect activities for this dog and they also LOVE retrieving a ball.

LIFE EXPECTANCY About 10 to 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 and average shedder.

ORIGIN In Germany the breed was first known as the Rottweiler Metzgerhund which translates literally as the 'butcher's dog from Rottweil', because it was utilized as a butcher's dog in the whole region around Rottweil. Rottweil is a city lying on the banks of the River Neckar in the Land of Baden-Würtenberg, between Stuttgart and Freiburg The city of Rottweil used to have a famous cattle market, where this dog was used as a cattle drover, hence its name "Rottweiler". The city itself dates back to 73 A.D. when it was founded by the Romans and baptizedArae Flaviae. The current name "Rottweil" dates from 771 and means "red villa" (rote Villa in German, and in the year 771 "Rotuvila") which probably referred to the color of the ancient Roman villas.  The cattle-dealers swept the country around Rottweil, buying cattle and driving them to market. Their dogs not only had to possess excellent driving abilities, but they also had to be intimidating to protect their owner  from thieves and bandits that infested the region. The dogs were so trusted that it was common practice to attach the moneybags required for trade  to the collars of the dogs and it was said that the neck of a Rottweiler was safer than any bank vault.  With the arrival of the industrial revolution in the 19th century, the breed had declined so much that by the end of the 1800's it was almost extinct. In 1882, only one Rottweiler was entered at the dog show in Heilbron in Germany. Cattle were now being moved by rail rather than along country roads, and the Rottwiler gradually became obsolete. Then, with the outbreak of World War I, it found an important new role as a military service dog in the German army.  In 1901 a combined Rottweiler-Leonberger Club was founded in Stuttgart, probably due to the vicinity of the Leonberger's home town to Rottweil more than to the breeds likeness.  The Rottweiler's enormous strength, its intelligence, and its ability to take orders proved during the War opened a new blossoming career as a guard dog after the war, and the Rottweiler's numbers began to rise again. The Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (ADRK) was founded in 1921 with a registry of about 3400 dogs. In the 1930's Rottweilers were exported to both Britain and the United States. The breed was officially recognized by the AKC in 1935 and in 1936 Rottweilers were exhibited in Britain at Crufts. It was not until 1966 that the breed was recognized by the Kennel Club in London, though.

GROUP Mastiff, Working

RECOGNITION CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR, DRA, CRC, DRK, IRK, NAPR