virtually extinct by about 1900 due to the industrialization of Europe and the declining need for droving dogs. However, Rottie enthusiasts in Stuttgart, Germany, set out to revive the breed before it was lost and, by World War I, there were again enough Rotties to utilize as guard and police dogs. Thanks to these dedicated Rottie enthusiasts, the Rottweiler is once again a noble dog that enjoys great popularity and serves many purposes other than that of a wonderful companion, including search and rescue, herding, police dog, guarding, tracking, and military dog.
Appearance
Details: The Rottie is a muscular dog, medium-large in size and with a powerful, athletic appearance. The very build of the Rottie suggests power, agility and endurance. Their features are far more muscular than lean. The head is broad with a rounded forehead; eyes are dark and should display dedication and good intentions; the muzzle has a scissors bite; nose is black; ears are triangular in shape and carried forward on the head; the inside of the mouth is dark-colored and lips should be black.
Average height and weight (mature size and weight): 22-27 inches, 80-135 pounds
Color / coat variations: Rottweilers are black with well-defined tan, rust, or dark brown markings on the eyebrows (a dot above each), muzzle, top of the neck, chest, insides and fronts of the legs, and paws. The markings are the same pattern as a Doberman. There is a defective hair gene that causes some Rottweilers to have a light red coloring.
Their coat is a short-medium length that is “hard” to the touch, coarse, dense and thick.
Care
Lifespan: 8-12 years
Litter size: 4-10 puppies
Grooming and shedding: Rottweilers are a rather heavy shedder but this shedding is easy to manage by brushing them several times a week with a firm bristled brush or giving them a fun, vigorous massage with a damp towel. Bathe them whenever necessary, but use a quality shampoo that will not dry the skin.
Food habits: Your Rottweiler will require a nutritious, well-balanced diet to meet the needs of this energetic, large breed, maintain his coat, prevent premature aging or health issues, and keep him in the correct weight range appropriate for his height and bone structure as Rotties do tend toward obesity. Get assistance from your Veterinarian, if necessary, to determine the right amount of food given your Rottweiler's living conditions, environment, age, physical demands, and general health.
The Rottweiler can be extremely food aggressive. Work with her from puppyhood in this regard and always closely monitor her if she’s eating while children are present.
Climate and environment: Adapts to most climates. A home with a fenced yard is essential. Rottweilers do well in a kennel, but should not be left alone all day long in the yard. The best owner for this breed would be a dog-experienced owner living in a rural or suburban home, though they do well in an apartment if given sufficient outdoor exercise.
Temperament
Behavioral aspects: The Rottie is a calm, courageous and devoted breed with a reliable temperament where family members are concerned; however, he is very protective and will defend his family and territory with ferocity. With proper training and consistent handling techniques, they are loving and rewarding companions. The Rottie must have owners who can handle their size and strength. Because of this size and strength, training should begin young, while the dog is still a puppy. Diligent care, including not allowing any rough play, must be taken to ensure that your Rottie does not become vicious. Rotties require extensive socialization and the companionship of their family to be happy. They are very territorial and are ideal for protection, but must be properly trained in areas of protection.
Rottweilers are brave, hardworking, calm and affectionate dogs (with their family), but they are also a very determined dog even to the point of being stubborn. They are superior watch/guard dogs and are very suspicious of strangers, so they should never be fenced in an area that receives walk-by traffic. Rotties have a naturally dominant nature. They require daily mental challenges and frequent exercise. Before getting a Rottweiler pup, check with your City Ordinances as they are banned in some areas and check with your Homeowners Association. It is very important to check with your homeowner/renter insurance Agent as some policies specifically disallow Rottweiler ownership due to the amount of people who are uncomfortable around Rottweilers and the high rate of lawsuits due to any actual or perceived misbehavior of this breed.
With children: When the Rottweiler is trained with firmness and consistently, it will be a good playmate for the children but any play around small children should be well supervised.
With other dogs and animals: With consistent exposure to, and socialization toward, other pets while it is a puppy, your Rottweiler will accept cats and other household pets provided the exposure was all positive exposure. It should stay in the forefront of the mind of any Rottweiler owners that Rotties have strong instincts to chase and will seize cats and other fleeing creatures. The Rottweiler is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.
Training and learning rate: The Rottie is rated low on learning rate, obedience and problem solving; accordingly, training the Rottweiler can be a challenge, but they are trainable if they have a firm handler who understands proper training and who utilizes patient, kind and consistent training techniques. With this proper training and firm handling, the Rottie makes a very competent guard dog; however, this working dog has a naturally dominant nature and requires an owner with the dedication to continue training and correction well into (and sometimes, throughout) their adulthood. Extensive exposure as a puppy to friendly people will ensure your Rottweiler learns the difference between someone acting normally and someone acting abnormally. A failure to ensure this extensive and early socialization will, many times, result in either a fearful (defensive) Rottweiler or, worse, one who is not hesitant to bite.
It is important to never play rough with your Rottie, even when he’s a puppy, and to not allow anyone else, including your children to do so either. What may now be an adorable roly-poly puppy will one day be a large, powerful, energetic dog and allowing rough play will not teach him to calm down.
Activity Level
Agility: The Rottweiler is very agile and agility training is a wonderful way to keep his attention and deflect boredom. They do well in competitive obedience, schutzhund, and tracking.
Affinity to water: Many Rotties enjoy a kiddie pool in their backyard to cool off in; many will dig in water bowl to splash water on their chests to cool off. Most Rotties love to swim and it is great exercise for them.
How noisy are they: Rottweilers seldom bark except under conditions of strangers and strange animals being nearby, which will kick in their natural guarding abilities and cause them to bark in warning. A well-trained and mentally stimulated Rottie is not known to be a nuisance barker.
Exercise: Because of their tendency to become obese, as well as their need to burn that excess energy, exercise is a vital part of your Rottie’s day. Don’t over exercise your Rottie puppy with rough sports that have the potential to damage or over-stress soft bones that are still growing, ligaments and joints. However, because of the necessity of minimizing exercise until they are fully mature, the young Rottie is likely to be full of energy and they are certainly awkward. A great method of combating this energetic awkwardness is to use the time for bonding with and training your Rotie.
It is the adult Rottie that needs more exercise. Avoid exercising them strenuously in hot and/or humid weather to avoid overheating and make sure your Rottie has access to drinking water during any activity, even if you have to carry a bottle of water with you for that purpose.
Health issues: Rottweilers tend to overeat which can lead to health issues such as obesity and heart disease. Overweight Rotties will live far shorter lives than a lean, muscular, well-exercised Rottie. Common health issues include a proneness to hip and elbow dysplasia, susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament damage, narrowing of the slit between the eyelids (known as “entropion”), kidney problems, cancer, and bone and joint diseases.
Rottweiler puppies are more prone to parvovirus than any other breed. It is crucial to make certain your puppy is not taken anywhere outside your home, other than to the Vet, and that her feet do not touch any ground outdoors, including your own yard, until they have been fully immunized. Remember, parvovirus lives in the ground for at least two (2) years and is one of the most easily caught fatal diseases of puppyhood.
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