Large Dog Breeds: The Rottweiler

The Rottweiler was registered by the American Kennel Club in 1935 and is classified in the working dog group. This breed has been renowned historically for its ability to guard, protect and herd. Unfortunately, the Rottweiler dog breed in recent years has developed the reputation of being aggressive and prone to violence. A large, strong dog, the Rottweiler can certainly be a formidable opponent. Its ancestry may help explain how it developed its good and bad reputation.

The Rottweiler has an illustrious though unconfirmed history. The breed is thought have descended from Roman mastiff dogs almost two thousand years ago. These dogs were a viable part of the conquering Roman army. They were used to herd cattle to feed the army and also as watchdogs. By 700 A.D., the Romans had been ousted from the city of "das Rote Wil" (the red tile) but ancestors of their dogs remained and were used as beasts of burden and for herding in the city, which later became Rottweil, Germany.

The inherent intelligence and strength of the breed allow these dogs to be trained in many tasks and the Roman army utilized Rottweilers in conquering Europe. The protective nature of the breed can manifest itself in aggression if Rottweilers are not trained from an early age. Some owners take advantage of that aggression or mistreat dogs so that these tendencies come out.

Other personality traits include loyalty to family but aloofness with strangers, intelligence, work ethic and self-assuredness. All of these traits assist the Rottweiler dog in performing the tasks it does best such as herding, protecting, tracking, competing, and performing police and military work.

Besides having specific breed standard personality traits such as self-assuredness, loyalty, courageousness, strong work ethic and trainability, the Rottweiler dog has unique physical traits. Rottweilers must have a short black coat with distinctive brown markings on specific areas of the face, muzzle, paws and legs. Rottweilers are muscular with broad chests and heads, they have a scissor bite, or lower incisors that touch the inside of the upper incisors and they have docked tails to create a more streamlined appearance.

There is no guarantee that a mistreated Rottweiler dog won't become aggressive in the future. Even if the dog has been rescued and re-socialized by a rescue center, the potential for violence will always be there. It is normally recommended that potential dog owners check into adopting or fostering rescued purebreds from shelters rather than buying purebred puppies. However, this is not a good option with the Rottweiler dog because of its size and potential for aggressive behavior if it feels threatened.

When buying a purebred Rottweiler, it is a good idea for the buyer to visit the kennel and see how puppies are raised. If Rottweilers receive love and training from an early age they will have a good foundation for the buyer to build upon. Researching breeders to make sure they are ethical is also important.

Breeders should also be willing to provide advice, Rottweiler information, and training tips and will have buyer sign a contract to give the dog back to the breeder if the buyer cannot keep the dog

About the Author

Sharon Davies is an avid lover of the Rottweiler and owns a popular website that can teach you how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Rottweiler. Among other topics at this website, you can also learn all about Rottweiler temperament plus a whole lot more.