The Rottweiler is a breed of antiquity with roots that go back to ancient Roman army dogs. Long before the MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) or refrigeration, large armies would bring along their own living food sources to feed the hungry soldiers while on an excursion. Large, durable Mastiff-type dogs were employed to drive, herd, and protect livestock. The dogs would be left behind as the armies continued and the food source dwindled. As the empire fanned out, they covered much of Europe. Around A.D. 74, the main passage over the Alps was Gotthard’s Pass, which led into modern-day southern Germany. Due to this likely route, these dogs are believed to have influenced many Swiss mountain breeds, such as the Swiss mountain and cattle dogs. Once over the Alps, the armies infiltrated the German town of Rottweil. Many of these dogs were left and utilized by the Roman army and locals for the next 200 years. The town of Rottweil became known as the European cattle epicenter and remained so over the next 1800 years. The large dogs assisted cattle herdsmen and butchers there and became known as the Rottweil Metzgerhunds, or “butcher’s dogs.” They were employed to guard, herd, and drive cattle and pull carts of meat and milk to market. To ensure the safety of their earnings upon the dogs’ return, the butchers would tie the money around their dogs’ necks if someone tried to rob them.
Over time, long after the Roman armies left, progress began to change the European cattle industry. As the train robbed the Rottweiler’s ancestors of their primary purpose, their numbers began to decline. In fact, the numbers dwindled so dramatically that only one Rottweiler was entered into the 1882 Heilbronn dog show. It wasn’t until World War I that the breed’s numbers and demand returned. The need for strong, intelligent working dogs for the police and military led to the revival of the Rottweil dogs. The Rottweiler, like his ancestors, found himself serving his country once more as a messenger, draft dog, guard dog, and ambulatory dog through the First and Second World Wars.
Despite his service and utility, it wasn’t until 1914 that the first Rottweiler club, the Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (DRK), was established. In 1921, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (ADRK) was formed by several other organizations. Today, the ADRK is recognized as the officiating club of the German Rottweiler breed.
The Rottweiler dog has become an international favorite. His popularity peaked in the mid-1990s, and the breed remains one of the most popular and easily recognized dog breeds today. The modern Rottweilers are still used as guard dogs but also as police and therapy dogs. Today, the breed is renowned worldwide for its intelligence and trainability.
Breed Characteristics
Head: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderately large in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is heavily boned with powerful muscle throughout, giving the head and face height, depth, and breadth. The temporal muscles are powerfully-developed, giving the topskull height and a broad, flattened plane when viewed from the front. The zygomatic arches are broad and well-developed. The topskull is as long (from occiput to stop) as it is wide (measured from one side to the other right in front of the ears). The topskull is arched in profile, with the brow and stop being well-developed. A clean, dry head without excess wrinkles is preferred; slight wrinkling when the dog is alert is permissible. The occipital bone is well-developed but not obvious.
Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond in shape, and medium to dark brown in color. Their eyes may be slightly obliquely set. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never rounded or bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Medium in size, set high and wide apart on the corners of the skull, with the base level with the plane of the skull when at attention. They are drop, or pendant (not pendulous), and triangular in shape, with a broad base and rounded tip. The inner edge and tip should lie as close to the head as possible. They should not extend beyond the mid-cheek area. The ears are never long, overly large, fly away, rose, or semi-pricked.
Muzzle: The muzzle is full, deep, and broad. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight. Upper and lower jaws have good bone substance, appear strong and well-developed, and never appear snipey or weak.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well-opened.
Neck: Relatively thick to denote strength and power. Sufficient length allows for a proud head carriage and is powerfully muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers slightly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but never overly prominent.
Body: Compact, solid, powerful, agile, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Feet: Oval to round, compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup but as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. When in repose, the tail may be carried low (never tucked) in a neutral position. When moving, it should be carried slightly above the level of the topline. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked short. Natural tails are of a medium length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. Natural tails may be straight, gently curved, sabered, or sickled. Docked tails are cut short to one vertebra.
Movement: The Rottweiler breed’s movement is powerful, effortless, and efficient. It should indicate endurance and agility. Excessive roll or clumsy action is to be heavily penalized. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the center line of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament: The Rottweiler is a devoted companion and working dog. The breed is generally known to be even-tempered, watchful, and extremely intelligent. This makes Rottweilers great family dogs, useful in nearly any task. They are keenly watchful of their family and property. However, any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
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Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 3: Molossoids and Mastiffs Breeds
Proportions: Off-square with the length of the body, measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being just slightly greater than the height at the withers. The ideal body length-to-height proportion is 9:10, with the body length not exceeding the height by more than 15 percent. The body is athletic, powerful, solid, and well-put-together, with powerful muscle on solid bone. Males should appear masculine, being more substantial in size and mass, while females should appear more feminine and slightly less substantial. Neither should lack overall type. The weight of a male or female is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderately large in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is heavily boned with powerful muscle throughout, giving the head and face height, depth, and breadth. The temporal muscles are powerfully-developed, giving the topskull height and a broad, flattened plane when viewed from the front. The zygomatic arches are broad and well-developed. The topskull is as long (from occiput to stop) as it is wide (measured from one side to the other right in front of the ears). The topskull is arched in profile, with the brow and stop being well-developed. A clean, dry head without excess wrinkles is preferred; slight wrinkling when the dog is alert is permissible. The occipital bone is well-developed but not obvious.
Expression: The expression is alert, composed, watchful, and self-confident.
Stop: The stop is well-developed and definite.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 3:2, with the topskull being somewhat longer than the muzzle. The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is convergent.
Muzzle: The muzzle is full, deep, and broad. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight. Upper and lower jaws have good bone substance, appear strong and well-developed, and never appear snipey or weak.
Lips or Flews: The lips are clean and fit tightly over the teeth and jaws. They should be darkly pigmented black. The corners of the lips should be tight and closed, never loose. They should never appear overly pendulous or excessive in size. They should never extend below the plane of the lower jaw.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well-opened.
Cheeks: The cheeks are powerfully muscled, never appearing smooth, flat, or chiseled.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level, scissor, or reverse-scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Gums should be darkly pigmented grey, blue, or black. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized.
Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond in shape, and medium to dark brown in color. Their eyes may be slightly obliquely set. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never rounded or bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Medium in size, set high and wide apart on the corners of the skull, with the base level with the plane of the skull when at attention. They are drop, or pendant (not pendulous), and triangular in shape, with a broad base and rounded tip. The inner edge and tip should lie as close to the head as possible. They should not extend beyond the mid-cheek area. The ears are never long, overly large, fly away, rose, or semi-pricked.
Body and Tail
General Description: Compact, solid, powerful, agile, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Neck: Relatively thick to denote strength and power. Sufficient length allows for a proud head carriage and is powerfully muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers slightly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but never overly prominent.
Topline: Straight, level, or gently (almost imperceptibly) sloped from slightly prominent withers to croup. The back is broad, strongly muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, level, slightly arched, and supportive. The back is never long, swayed, or roached.
Croup: Broad and gently sloped. Never steep, flat, or level with the topline.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present, or the underline may run parallel to the topline. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup but as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. When in repose, the tail may be carried low (never tucked) in a neutral position. When moving, it should be carried slightly above the level of the topline. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked short. Natural tails are of a medium length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. Natural tails may be straight, gently curved, sabered, or sickled. Docked tails are cut short to one vertebra.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. Shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: Elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of solid bone, and parallel to one another. Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length, strong, sturdy, of solid bone, and well-muscled. Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another. Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round, compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The Rottweiler comes in two coat varieties: smooth and long coats.
Smooth-coat variety: Medium-length, dense, coarse, flat outer coat with a soft, dense undercoat. Somewhat longer in the rear of the hindlegs.
Long-coat variety: The coat is short on the face, forehead, and front of the forelimbs and hindlimbs. The coat is longer on the neck, ears, rear of the front limbs and hindlimbs, feet, and tail, forming well-developed fringe and furnishings. The coat should never appear abundantly thick, abundantly long, or silky.
Coat Color or Pattern: Jet black with rich, clearly defined red, rust, or tan points. Tan points are defined as the lower portion of the muzzle, the under jaw and part of the upper throat, two triangle-shaped patches on the chest, the lower limbs (and sometimes up the inside of the upper limbs), under the tail, around the base of the tail, as well as pips above the eyes and cheek spots as well.
Movement
The Rottweiler breed’s movement is powerful, effortless, and efficient. It should indicate endurance and agility. Excessive roll or clumsy action is to be heavily penalized. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the center line of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Rottweiler is a devoted companion and working dog. The breed is generally known to be even-tempered, watchful, and extremely intelligent. This makes Rottweilers great family dogs, useful in nearly any task. They are keenly watchful of their family and property. However, any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
Proportions: Off-square with the length of the body, measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being just slightly greater than the height at the withers. The ideal body length-to-height proportion is 9:10, with the body length not exceeding the height by more than 15 percent. The body is athletic, powerful, solid, and well-put-together, with powerful muscle on solid bone. Males should appear masculine, being more substantial in size and mass, while females should appear more feminine and slightly less substantial. Neither should lack overall type. The weight of a male or female is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderately large in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is heavily boned with powerful muscle throughout, giving the head and face height, depth, and breadth. The temporal muscles are powerfully-developed, giving the topskull height and a broad, flattened plane when viewed from the front. The zygomatic arches are broad and well-developed. The topskull is as long (from occiput to stop) as it is wide (measured from one side to the other right in front of the ears). The topskull is arched in profile, with the brow and stop being well-developed. A clean, dry head without excess wrinkles is preferred; slight wrinkling when the dog is alert is permissible. The occipital bone is well-developed but not obvious.
Expression: The expression is alert, composed, watchful, and self-confident.
Stop: The stop is well-developed and definite.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 3:2, with the topskull being somewhat longer than the muzzle. The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is convergent.
Muzzle: The muzzle is full, deep, and broad. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight. Upper and lower jaws have good bone substance, appear strong and well-developed, and never appear snipey or weak.
Lips or Flews: The lips are clean and fit tightly over the teeth and jaws. They should be darkly pigmented black. The corners of the lips should be tight and closed, never loose. They should never appear overly pendulous or excessive in size. They should never extend below the plane of the lower jaw.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well-opened.
Cheeks: The cheeks are powerfully muscled, never appearing smooth, flat, or chiseled.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level, scissor, or reverse-scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Gums should be darkly pigmented grey, blue, or black. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized.
Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond in shape, and medium to dark brown in color. Their eyes may be slightly obliquely set. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never rounded or bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Medium in size, set high and wide apart on the corners of the skull, with the base level with the plane of the skull when at attention. They are drop, or pendant (not pendulous), and triangular in shape, with a broad base and rounded tip. The inner edge and tip should lie as close to the head as possible. They should not extend beyond the mid-cheek area. The ears are never long, overly large, fly away, rose, or semi-pricked.
Body and Tail
General Description: Compact, solid, powerful, agile, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Neck: Relatively thick to denote strength and power. Sufficient length allows for a proud head carriage and is powerfully muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers slightly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but never overly prominent.
Topline: Straight, level, or gently (almost imperceptibly) sloped from slightly prominent withers to croup. The back is broad, strongly muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, level, slightly arched, and supportive. The back is never long, swayed, or roached.
Croup: Broad and gently sloped. Never steep, flat, or level with the topline.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present, or the underline may run parallel to the topline. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup but as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. When in repose, the tail may be carried low (never tucked) in a neutral position. When moving, it should be carried slightly above the level of the topline. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked short. Natural tails are of a medium length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. Natural tails may be straight, gently curved, sabered, or sickled. Docked tails are cut short to one vertebra.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. Shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: Elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of solid bone, and parallel to one another. Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length, strong, sturdy, of solid bone, and well-muscled. Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another. Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round, compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The Rottweiler comes in two coat varieties: smooth and long coats.
Smooth-coat variety: Medium-length, dense, coarse, flat outer coat with a soft, dense undercoat. Somewhat longer in the rear of the hindlegs.
Long-coat variety: The coat is short on the face, forehead, and front of the forelimbs and hindlimbs. The coat is longer on the neck, ears, rear of the front limbs and hindlimbs, feet, and tail, forming well-developed fringe and furnishings. The coat should never appear abundantly thick, abundantly long, or silky.
Coat Color or Pattern: Jet black with rich, clearly defined red, rust, or tan points. Tan points are defined as the lower portion of the muzzle, the under jaw and part of the upper throat, two triangle-shaped patches on the chest, the lower limbs (and sometimes up the inside of the upper limbs), under the tail, around the base of the tail, as well as pips above the eyes and cheek spots as well.
Movement
The Rottweiler breed’s movement is powerful, effortless, and efficient. It should indicate endurance and agility. Excessive roll or clumsy action is to be heavily penalized. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the center line of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Rottweiler is a devoted companion and working dog. The breed is generally known to be even-tempered, watchful, and extremely intelligent. This makes Rottweilers great family dogs, useful in nearly any task. They are keenly watchful of their family and property. However, any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
Dog Fact #3
Zeus, a late Great Dane who lived in Otsego, Michigan, until his death in 2014, holds the title of world’s tallest dog. Standing on his hindlegs, he measured 7’4” in height and weighed 155 pounds.
