All Dog Breeds >>Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is a comparatively large dog breed with a robust, powerful appearance that signifies strength and agility. They are substantial and compact, with a body that is just slightly longer than it is tall. Their deep chest is spacious, wide, and reaches to the elbow. Chest depth of this breed is roughly 50% of the dog's height. They have oval, well-sprung ribs and a prominent, defined forechest. Their moderately long neck is strong, well-muscled, and slightly arched. Their back is firm, straight, and extends in a straight line from the withers to the croup. Tails of this breed are customarily docked. The breed's shoulder blades are well laid back and long, and the legs are straight, far-set, and heavily boned. Their thickly padded feet are round, compact, and feature a set of well-arched toes. The angulations of the forequarters and hindquarters are balanced. The Rottweiler's head is medium in length, broad between the ears, and the forehead line is moderately arched. They have a pronounced stop and a tapered muzzle with a straight bridge. Their broad jaws feature a complete set of teeth that close in a scissors bite. Eyes of this breed are medium-sized, almond-shaped, and moderately deep-set. The preferred eye color is dark brown. The Rottweiler's medium-length outer coat is straight, dense, flat, and coarse. An undercoat is present on the dog's thighs and neck, but the thickness of this undercoat will vary according to climate. The coat is shortest around the face, head, ears, and legs. The coat color for this breed is black with markings of rust or mahogany. Female Rottweilers have a smaller frame and lighter build than their male counterparts, but they do not appear weak and their bodies do not lack substance or structure.
Character
The Rottweiler is even-tempered, brave, and loyal. Because of their strong protective instincts, they will defend their family fiercely. While they have a reliable, stable temperament, they are naturally strong fighters. They are confident, serious, and calm. Firm, careful training is vital for this breed. With proper training, the Rottweiler is a loyal, loving companion, but improper training and socialization can result in an overly powerful and aggressive dog. This breed requires a dominant owner. To be truly happy, they need a good deal of human interaction and companionship. They sometimes have a tendency to be aggressive towards other dogs. If properly trained and socialized, this breed is very good with children. While they are leery of strangers, they are very welcoming towards friends and relatives of their family.
This breed is very balanced, tranquil, obedient, brave and easily trained. It may only defend itself of its' master when under attack. It can be used for herding or trained for self defense. They are very gentle and are happy to live with sheep outdoors.
Weight
85 – 130 pounds
Male: 95-130 pounds Female: 85-115 pounds
General Health
Like many other large dog breeds, the Rottweiler is prone to hip dysplasia. Other health concerns include ACL damage and entropion. This breed has a propensity to overheat. They typically live for 10 to 12 years.
They are known to have heart problems, eye diseases, thyroid problems, cancer, OCD, HD, and allergies.
History
While the exact origin of the Rottweiler is unknown, it's highly likely that the breed is a descendant of the Italian Mastiff. It was initially bred in the German town of Rottweil. Throughout the Middle Ages, they were heavily utilized as a herding and guard dog. They nearly became extinct in the 1800's, but the population made a comeback in the early part of the twentieth century after dedicated efforts were made by the enthusiastic breeders of Stuttgart. The Rottweiler has a number of natural talents including herding, tracking, watching, guarding, carting, police work, competitive obedience, and schutzhund.
They where used as herding dogs 1900 years ago by the Roman army.
Maintenance
The smooth, glossy coat of the Rottweiler is easy to groom and care for. It should be brushed with a firm bristle brush and shampooed only as necessary. This breed is an average shedder.
Ideal Environment
The Rottweiler is content to live in a small household or apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. They are a comparatively inactive breed indoors, and they are satisfied with a small-sized yard. This breed needs a good deal of daily physical activity. They enjoy retrieving, running, and swimming, and they can never be given too much work to do.
Rottweiler Training
The Rottweiler is the most intelligent and easiest to train of all dog breeds! He learns new commands quicker than any other breed, which makes him very easy to train.