Breed Info

History

Most accounts of Rottweiler history start with the Roman invasion of Germany and the crossing of the Alps by the legions in the first century AD. Statements made to support or reject this source are difficult to prove or disprove, but conclusions can be drawn from premises which have a measure of acceptability. One may say, without fear of contradiction, that the term 'Rottweiler' cannot be applied to the herding-guarding dog dogs used by Roman legionaries during the course of their stay in Germany. The Roman Influence lasted not much longer than two hundred years, and the dogs they brought with them certainly influenced the breed, whilst the settlement they built, das rote wil (which later became Rotwil and still later Rottweil), gave the breed the name by which it is known today. The romans returned to Rome in the third century AD, after their defeat by the Germanic tribe known as the Alemanni. Bazille, An early Rottweiler authority, accepted the history that the breed is a direct descendant of the Bavarois Bouvier, dating back to Roman times, supported by the roads built by early Romans. On the other hand, Hans Korn, Author of the classic Der Rottweiler, is of the opinion that the breed descended partly from this early Roman dog there from the north after the Roman invasion. A feature that emerges very clearly in the history of the dog's evolution is that no dog was confined to a particular country. When one refers to a British or German breed, the reference is only valid if applied to a definite and limited time period, A dog may have originated in a particular country, but its ancestors most probably came from outside, whilst its descendants may have emigrated to create further breeds elsewhere. The term "Pure Breed" cannot be applied to any breed except in the very limited sense demanded by the breed or canine societies, in the context of Pedigrees.

Information Taken From The Book: THE NEW ROTTWEILER For Owners, Breeders And Judges Of : Jim Pettengell

The City of Rottweil

No history of the breed would be complete without some reference to the city from which it derives its name and with which, to this day, it still retains strong associations. Five hundred years after the departure of the Romans, new conquerors, in the shape of the Franks of the holy Roman Empire, arrived and exerted considerable influence on the area. A Christian Church was built and a new settlement grew up. The site, like earlier Roma ones, was called wil (from villa) and, To distinguish it from others, it was called das Rote Wil after the red colour of the tiles and bricks unearthed from earlier Roman buildings and reused. The City of Rottweil and dogs are synonymous. Pointing out that the dog featured in numerous early forms AD 180, to stone carvings featured on a chapel tower. All of this led to increasing respect for the "Butcher's Dog," and local owners began selectively breeding them. Since they were considered far superior to others of their type to be found in that area, the name "Rottweiler" was bestowed upon them to distinguish them from the rest. This name has remained until the present day. In the study of the Rottweiler. It is useful to have some idea of its antecedents, how the dog developed and how its instincts and capacities were modified and adapted to carry out its working role. This knowledge will help us to appreciate the modern breed and see its mental and physical characteristics in true perspective. This is the basis for any interpretation of the standard, the correctness of which is necessary to every breeder, judge and student. In concluding this brief historical look at the Rottweiler, any attempt to appraise the relative contributions made at different point in time to the breed seem quite unfair and inappropriate. A superstructure is only as sound as the foundation on which it is built, and the metaphorical extension of this would be to conclude that the Romans selected the ground and cleared the way for the Renaissance drovers to lay the foundations; the Swabian Butchers built the superstructure and the finish was applied by the German Breed clubs.

Information Taken From The Book: THE NEW ROTTWEILER For Owners, Breeders And Judges Of : Jim Pettengell

Temperament

According to the FCI Standard, the Rottweiler is good-natured, placid in basic disposition, very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. Their appearance is natural and rustic, their behaviour self-assured, steady and fearless. They react to their surroundings with great alertness. The American Kennel Club says it is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in its environment. It has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making them especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog. Rottweilers are a powerful breed with well-developed genetic herding and guarding instincts. As with any breed, potentially dangerous behaviour in Rottweilers usually results from irresponsible ownership, abuse, neglect, or lack of socialisation and training. However, the exceptional strength of the Rottweiler is an additional risk factor not to be neglected. It is for this reason that breed experts declare that formal training and extensive socialisation are essential for all Rottweilers. According to the AKC, Rottweilers love their owners and may behave in a clownish manner toward family and friends, but they are also protective of their territory and do not welcome strangers until properly introduced. Obedience training and socialisation are required. A 2008 study surveying breed club members found that while Rottweilers were average in aggressiveness (bites or bite attempts) towards owners and other dogs, it indicated they tend to be more aggressive than average towards strangers. This aggression appears correlated with watchdog and territorial instincts.

Information Taken From The Book: THE NEW ROTTWEILER For Owners, Breeders And Judges Of : Jim Pettengell

Working style

A Rottweiler herding sheep. According to the American Kennel Club Rottweilers have a natural gathering style with a strong desire to control. They generally show a loose-eye and have a great amount of force while working well off the stock. They make much use of their ability to intimidate. The Rottweiler often carries the head on an even plane with the back or carries the head up but with the neck and shoulders lowered. Some females lower the entire front end slightly when using their eyes. Males also do this when working far off the stock in an open field. This is rarely seen in males when working in confined spaces such as stock yards. The Rottweiler has a reasonably good natural balance, force-barks when necessary, and when working cattle uses a very intimidating charge. There is a natural change in forcefulness when herding sheep. When working cattle it may use its body and shoulders and for this reason should be used on horned stock with caution. The Rottweiler, when working cattle, searches out the dominant animal and challenges it. Upon proving its control over that animal it settles back and tends to its work. Some growers have found that Rottweilers are especially suited to move stubborn stock that simply ignore Border Collies, Kelpies, and others. Rottweilers use their bodies to physically force the stubborn animal to do its bidding if necessary. When working with sheep the Rottweiler shows a gathering/fetching style and reams directions easily. It drives sheep with ease. In some cases Rottweilers have begun herding cattle without any experience at all. If worked on the same stock for any length of time the Rottweiler tends to develop a bond with the stock and will become quite affectionate with them as long as they do as it directs.

Information Taken From The Book: THE NEW ROTTWEILER For Owners, Breeders And Judges Of : Jim Pettengell

Health

Rottweilers are a relatively healthy, disease-free breed. As with most large breeds, hip dysplasia can be a problem. For this reason the various Rottweiler breed clubs have had x-ray testing regimes in place for many years. Osteochondritis Dissecans, a condition affecting the shoulder joints, can also be a problem due to the breed's rapid growth rate. A reputable breeder will have the hips and elbows of all breeding stock x-rayed and read by a recognised specialist, and will have paperwork to prove it. They will also have certificates that their breeding animals do not have entropion or ectropion and that they have full and complete dentition with a scissor bite. As with any breed, hereditary conditions occur in some lines. Because of recent overbreeding, cancer has become one of the leading causes of early death in Rottweilers. For unknown reasons, Rottweilers are more susceptible than other breeds to become infected with parvovirus, a highly contagious and deadly disease of puppies and young dogs. Parvovirus can be easily prevented by following a veterinarian's recommended vaccine protocol. If overfed or under exercised, Rottweilers are prone to obesity. Some of the consequences of obesity can be very serious, including arthritis, breathing difficulties, diabetes, heart failure, reproductive problems, skin disease, reduced resistance to disease and overheating caused by the thick jacket of fat under the skin. Breed surveys in the US, UK and Denmark puts the average lifespan of Rottweilers at 9 to 10 years.

Information Taken From The Book: THE NEW ROTTWEILER For Owners, Breeders And Judges Of : Jim Pettengell

Dental Anatomy of Dogs

Rottweiler Tail

As of June 1, 1998, a federal law was passed in Germany prohibiting the docking of Rottweiler tails. The basis for this law was the fact that the practice of docking and cropping was deemed to be inhumane. In order to comply with the new federal law requiring tails to be left in their natural state, the ADRK (national breed club in Gemany) revised their breed standard for the Rottweiler to reflect the required natural tail. TAIL: In natural condition, level in extension of the upper line; at ease may be hanging. Faults: Set on too high or too low. Disqualifying faults: Kink tail, ring-tail, with strong lateral deviation. The FCI translated and adopted the new breed standard and gave all FCI member countries several years to comply with the new breed standard. As more and more countries are adopting the anti-docking platform for Rottweilers in order to comply with the revised ADRK/FCI Standard, and tails are becoming more commonplace, it is very important to become familiar with both the good and bad tails out there. Below are illustrations of those tails

Rottweiler Hips

Rottweiler Eye Color

This valuable tool, the ADRK Color Chart, is used by ADRK judges worldwide to determine eye color at both shows and breed tests. It is also a valuable tool for breeders. Dark eye color is an important aspect of the appearance of the Rottweiler. The color of the eyes should always be as dark as possible, with A1 the best. It is not so much a functionality issue, since the eyes can work whether they are light or dark in color, but color is a very important 'breed type' trait. As the eye color gets lighter it softens the appearance of the gaze, diminishing the fearlessness of rottweiler expression. Ideally Rottweler breeders are seeking the darkest eye possible, however the acceptable ranges as determined by ADRK are as follows: 1A - 3A: premium breeding 1A - 4A: breeding approved 4B - 6: Forbidden to breed Another factor in striving to keep eye olor dark is it's difficulty maintaining the dark color once light eyes are introduced into the bloodline.

FCI Standards

ORIGIN: Germany UTILIZATION: Companion, service and working dog FCI CLASSIFICATION: Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer type, Molossian type, SwissMountain- and Cattle Dogs and other breeds). Section 2.1: Molossian type, Mastiff type. With working trial. BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The Rottweiler is considered to be one of the oldest dog breeds. Its origin goes back to Roman times. These dogs were kept as herder or driving dogs. They marched over the Alps with the Roman legions, protecting the humans and driving their cattle. In the region of Rottweil, these dogs met and mixed with the native dogs in a natural crossing. The main task of the Rottweiler now became the driving and guarding of the herds of cattle and the defence of their masters and their property. This breed acquired its name from the old free city of Rottweil and was known as the Rottweil butcher’s dog’. The butchers bred this type of dog purely for performance and usefulness. In due course, a first rate watch and driving dog evolved which could also be used as a draught dog. When, at the beginning of the twentieth century, various breeds were needed for police service, the Rottweiler was amongst those tested. It soon became evident that the breed was highly suitable for the tasks set by police service and therefore they were officially recognized as police dogs in 1910. Rottweiler breeders aim at a dog of abundant strength, black coated with clearly defined rich tan markings, whose powerful appearance does not lack nobility and which is exceptionally well suited to being a companion, service and working dog. GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Rottweiler is a medium to large size, stalwart dog, neither heavy nor light and neither leggy nor weedy. His correctly proportioned, compact and powerful build leads to the conclusion of great strength, agility and endurance. IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The length of the body, measured from the point of the sternum (breast-bone) to the ischiatic tuberosity, should not exceed the height at the withers by, at most, 15 %. BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT: Good-natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children, very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. His appearance is natural and rustic, his behaviour self-assured, steady and fearless. He reacts to his surroundings with great alertness. HEAD: CRANIAL REGION: Skull: Of medium length, broad between the ears. Forehead line moderately arched as seen from the side. Occipital bone well developed without being conspicuous. Stop: Well defined FACIAL REGION: Nose: Well developed, more broad than round with relatively large nostrils, always black. Muzzle: The foreface should appear neither elongated nor shortened in relation to the cranial region. Straight nasal bridge, broad at base, moderately tapered. Lips: Black, close fitting, corner of the mouth not visible, gum as dark as possible. Jaws/Teeth: Upper and lower jaw strong and broad. Strong, complete dentition (42 teeth) with scissor bite, the upper incisors closely overlapping the lower incisors. Cheeks: Zygomatic arches pronounced. Eyes: Of medium size, almond-shaped, dark brown in colour. Eyelids close fitting. Ears: Medium-sized, pendant, triangular, wide apart, set on high. With the ears laid forward close to the head, the skull appears to be broadened. NECK: Strong, of fair length, well muscled, slightly arched, clean, free from throatiness, without dewlap. BODY: Back: Straight, strong, firm. Loins: Short, strong and deep. Croup: Broad, of medium length, slightly rounded. Neither flat nor falling away. Chest: Roomy, broad and deep (approximately 50 % of the shoulder height) with well developed forechest and well sprung ribs. Belly: Flanks not tucked up. TAIL: In natural condition, level in extension of the upper line; at ease may be hanging. LIMBS: FOREQUARTERS: Seen from the front, the front legs are straight and not placed too closely to each other. The forearm, seen from the side, stands straight and vertical. The slope of the shoulder blade is about 45 degrees to the horizontal. Shoulders: Well laid back. Upper arm: Close fitting to the body. Forearm: Strongly developed and muscular. Pasterns: Slightly springy, strong, not steep. Front feet: Round, tight and well arched; pads hard; nails short, black and strong. HINDQUARTERS: Seen from behind, legs straight and not too close together. When standing free, obtuse angles are formed between the dog’s upper thigh and the hip bone, the upper thigh and the lower thigh, and the lower thigh and metatarsal. Upper thigh: Moderately long, broad and strongly muscled. Lower thigh: Long, strongly and broadly muscled, sinewy. Hocks: Sturdy, well angulated hocks; not steep. Hindfeet: Slightly longer than the front feet. Toes strong, arched, as tight as front feet. GAIT: The Rottweiler is a trotting dog. In movement the back remains firm and relatively stable. Movement harmonious, steady, full of energy and unrestricted, with good stride. SKIN: Skin on the head should be overall tight fitting. When the dog is alert, the forehead may be slightly wrinkled. COAT: Hair: The coat consists of a top coat and an undercoat. The top coat is of medium length, coarse, dense and flat. The undercoat must not show through the top coat. The hair is a little longer on the hindlegs. Colour: Black with clearly defined markings of a rich tan on the cheeks, muzzle, throat, chest and legs, as well as over both eyes and under the base of the tail. SIZE AND WEIGHT : MALES: Height: at withers is 61 - 68 cm 61 - 62 cm is small 63 - 64 cm medium height 65 - 66 cm is large (correct height) 67 - 68 cm is very large Weight: 50 kg BITCHES: Height: at withers is 56 - 63 cm 56 - 57 cm is small 58 - 59 cm medium height 60 - 61 cm is large (correct height) 62 - 63 cm very large Weight: Approximately 42 kg FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. General appearance: Light, weedy, leggy appearance. Light in bone and muscle. Head: Hound-type head. Narrow, light, too short, long or coarse head. Flat forehead (lack of stop or too little stop). Foreface: Long or pointed muzzle; split nose; Roman nose (convex nasal bridge) or dish-faced (concave nasal bridge); acquiline nose; pale or spotted nose (butterfly nose). Lips: Pendulous, pink or patchy; corner of lips visible. Jaws: Narrow lower jaw. Bite: Pincer bite. Cheeks: Strongly protruding. Eyes: Light, deep set. Also too full and round eyes; loose eyelids. Ears: Set on too low, heavy, long, slack or turned backwards. Also flying ears or ears not carried symmetricaly. Neck: Too long, thin, lacking muscle. Showing dewlap or throaty. Body: Too long, too short or too narrow. Back: Too long, weak; sway back or roach back. Croup: Too sloping, too short, too flat or too long. Chest: Flat-ribbed or barrel-shaped. Too narrow behind. Tail: Set on too high or too low. Forequarters: Narrow or crooked front legs. Steep shoulder placement. Loose or out at elbow. Too long, too short or too straight in upper arm. Weak or steep pastern. Splayed feet. Too flat or too arched toes. Deformed toes. Light coloured nails. Hindquarters: Flat thighs, hocks too close, cow hocks or barrel hocks. Joints with too little or too much angulation. Dewclaws. Skin: Wrinkles on head. Coat: Soft, too short or long. Wavy coat; lack of undercoat. Colour: Markings of incorrect colour, not clearly defined. Markings which are too spread out. ELIMINATING FAULTS: Behaviour: Anxious, shy, cowardly, gun-shy, vicious, excessively suspicious, nervous animals. General: Distinct reversal of sexual type, i.e. feminine dogs or masculine bitches. Teeth: Overshot or undershot bite, wry mouth; lack of one incisive tooth, one canine, one premolar or one molar. Eyes: Entropion, ectropion, yellow eyes, different coloured eyes. Tail: Kink tail, ring-tail, with strong lateral deviation. Hair: Definitely long or wavy coat. Colour: Dogs which do not show the typical Rottweiler colouring of black with tan markings. White markings. Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified. NB : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

AKC Standards

Working Group; AKC recognized in 1931. Ranging in size from 22 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder. Guard dog; cattle driver. © The American Kennel Club, Inc. Rottweiler Breed Standard Working Group General Appearance The ideal Rottweiler is a medium large, robust and powerful dog, black with clearly defined rust markings. His compact and substantial build denotes great strength, agility and endurance. Dogs are characteristically more massive throughout with larger frame and heavier bone than bitches. Bitches are distinctly feminine, but without weakness of substance or structure. Size, Proportion, Substance Males--24 inches to 27 inches. Bitches--22 inches to 25 inches, with preferred size being mid-range of each sex. Correct proportion is of primary importance, as long as size is within the standard's range. The length of body, from prosternum to the rearmost projection of the rump, is slightly longer than the height of the dog at the withers, the most desirable proportion of the height to length being 9 to 10. The Rottweiler is neither coarse nor shelly. Depth of chest is approximately fifty percent (50%) of the height of the dog. His bone and muscle mass must be sufficient to balance his frame, giving a compact and very powerful appearance. Serious Faults--Lack of proportion, undersized, oversized, reversal of sex characteristics (bitchy dogs, doggy bitches). Head Of medium length, broad between the ears; forehead line seen in profile is moderately arched; zygomatic arch and stop well developed with strong broad upper and lower jaws. The desired ratio of backskull to muzzle is 3 to 2. Forehead is preferred dry, however some wrinkling may occur when dog is alert. Expression is noble, alert, and self-assured. Eyes of medium size, almond shaped with well fitting lids, moderately deep-set, neither protruding nor receding. The desired color is a uniform dark brown. Serious Faults--Yellow (bird of prey) eyes, eyes of different color or size, hairless eye rim. Disqualification--Entropion. Ectropion. Ears of medium size, pendant, triangular in shape; when carried alertly the ears are level with the top of the skull and appear to broaden it. Ears are to be set well apart, hanging forward with the inner edge lying tightly against the head and terminating at approximately mid-cheek. Serious Faults--Improper carriage (creased, folded or held away from cheek/head). Muzzle--Bridge is straight, broad at base with slight tapering towards tip. The end of the muzzle is broad with well developed chin. Nose is broad rather than round and always black. Lips-Always black; corners closed; inner mouth pigment is preferred dark. Serious Faults--Total lack of mouth pigment (pink mouth). Bite and Dentition--Teeth 42 in number (20 upper, 22 lower), strong, correctly placed, meeting in a scissors bite--lower incisors touching inside of upper incisors. Serious Faults--Level bite; any missing tooth. Disqualifications--Overshot, undershot (when incisors do not touch or mesh); wry mouth; two or more missing teeth. Neck, Topline, Body Neck--Powerful, well muscled, moderately long, slightly arched and without loose skin. Topline--The back is firm and level, extending in a straight line from behind the withers to the croup. The back remains horizontal to the ground while the dog is moving or standing. Body--The chest is roomy, broad and deep, reaching to elbow, with well pronounced forechest and well sprung, oval ribs. Back is straight and strong. Loin is short, deep and well muscled. Croup is broad, of medium length and only slightly sloping. Underline of a mature Rottweiler has a slight tuck-up. Males must have two normal testicles properly descended into the scrotum. Disqualification--Unilateral cryptorchid or cryptorchid males. Tail--Tail docked short, close to body, leaving one or two tail vertebrae. The set of the tail is more important than length. Properly set, it gives an impression of elongation of topline; carried slightly above horizontal when the dog is excited or moving. Forequarters Shoulder blade is long and well laid back. Upper arm equal in length to shoulder blade, set so elbows are well under body. Distance from withers to elbow and elbow to ground is equal. Legs are strongly developed with straight, heavy bone, not set close together. Pasterns are strong, springy and almost perpendicular to the ground. Feet are round, compact with well arched toes, turning neither in nor out. Pads are thick and hard. Nails short, strong and black. Dewclaws may be removed. Hindquarters Angulation of hindquarters balances that of forequarters. Upper thigh is fairly long, very broad and well muscled. Stifle joint is well turned. Lower thigh is long, broad and powerful, with extensive muscling leading into a strong hock joint. Rear pasterns are nearly perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, hind legs are straight, strong and wide enough apart to fit with a properly built body. Feet are somewhat longer than the front feet, turning neither in nor out, equally compact with well arched toes. Pads are thick and hard. Nails short, strong, and black. Dewclaws must be removed. Coat Outer coat is straight, coarse, dense, of medium length and lying flat. Undercoat should be present on neck and thighs, but the amount is influenced by climatic conditions. Undercoat should not show through outer coat. The coat is shortest on head, ears and legs, longest on breeching. The Rottweiler is to be exhibited in the natural condition with no trimming. Fault--Wavy coat. Serious Faults--Open, excessively short, or curly coat; total lack of undercoat; any trimming that alters the length of the natural coat. Disqualification--Long coat. Color Always black with rust to mahogany markings. The demarcation between black and rust is to be clearly defined. The markings should be located as follows: a spot over each eye; on cheeks; as a strip around each side of muzzle, but not on the bridge of the nose; on throat; triangular mark on both sides of prosternum;on forelegs from carpus downward to the toes; on inside of rear legs showing down the front of the stifle and broadening out to front of rear legs from hock to toes, but not completely eliminating black from rear of pasterns; un-der tail; black penciling on toes. The undercoat is gray, tan, or black. Quantity and location of rust markings is important and should not exceed ten percent of body color. Serious Faults--Straw-colored, excessive, insufficient or sooty markings; rust marking other than described above; white marking any place on dog (a few rust or white hairs do not constitute a marking). Disqualifications--Any base color other than black; absence of all markings. Gait The Rottweiler is a trotter. His movement should be balanced, harmonious, sure, powerful and unhindered, with strong forereach and a powerful rear drive. The motion is effortless, efficient, and ground-covering. Front and rear legs are thrown neither in nor out, as the imprint of hind feet should touch that of forefeet. In a trot the forequarters and hindquarters are mutually coordinated while the back remains level, firm and relatively motionless. As speed increases the legs will converge under body towards a center line. Temperament The Rottweiler is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in his environment. He has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog. The behavior of the Rottweiler in the show ring should be controlled, willing and adaptable, trained to submit to examination of mouth, testicles, etc. An aloof or reserved dog should not be penalized, as this reflects the accepted character of the breed. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs should not be faulted. A judge shall excuse from the ring any shy Rottweiler. A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge. A dog that in the opinion of the judge menaces or threatens him/her, or exhibits any sign that it may not be safely approached or examined by the judge in the normal manner, shall be excused from the ring. A dog that in the opinion of the judge attacks any person in the ring shall be disqualified. Summary Faults - The foregoing is a description of the ideal Rottweiler. Any structural fault that detracts from the above described working dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Disqualifications Entropion, ectropion. Overshot, undershot (when incisors do not touch or mesh); wry mouth; two or more missing teeth. Unilateral cryptorchid or cryptorchid males. Long coat. Any base color other than black; absence of all markings. A dog that in the opinion of the judge attacks any person in the ring. Approved May 8, 1990 Effective June 28, 1990 AKC MEET THE BREEDS®: Rottweiler AKC Official Page Information taken from AKC PAGE FCI STANDARD FOR ROTTWEILER

CKC Standards

Origin and Purpose The Rottweiler was developed from the dogs used by the Roman legions to herd and guard the cattle brought by them to feed their legions. The butchers of Rottweil, Germany, developed the dogs to drive cattle to market and to protect their money bags which were tied around the dogs’ necks. It was an arduous task to drive the cattle and a strong dog with staying power, full of self will and physical strength was needed. In the beginning of the 20th century, these dogs were found particularly well suited as a police dog, a function they still fulfill, especially in Europe. General Appearance The ideal Rottweiler is an above medium-sized, robust, and powerful dog, black with clearly defined rich tan markings. His compact build denotes great strength, agility, and endurance. Males are characteristically larger, heavier boned and more masculine in appearance. Temperament The Rottweiler should possess a fearless expression with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. He has a strong willingness to work. In examining a Rottweiler, one should bear in mind that this dog reacts with alertness to his master and his surroundings, and in performing his function in life, the Rottweiler is not expected to submit to excessive handling by strangers. However, the judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Rottweiler. A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an unexpected approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden or unusual noises to a marked degree. A dog that attacks or attempts to attack, without provocation, either the judge, or its handler is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness. Size Dogs 24-27 inches (60-68 cm). Bitches 22-25 inches (55-63 cm). Proportion should always be considered rather than height alone. The length of the body, from the breastbone (sternum) to the rear edge of the pelvis (ischium) is slightly longer than the height of the dog at the withers, the most desirable proportion being as 10 to 9. Depth of chest should be fifty per cent of the height. Coat and Colour Outer coat is straight, coarse, dense, medium length, lying flat. Undercoat must be present on neck and thighs. The Rottweiler should be exhibited in a natural condition without trimming, except to remove whiskers, if desired. The colour is always black with rich tan to mahogany markings. The borderline between the black and the colour should be clearly defined. The markings should be located as follows: a spot over each eye; on cheeks; as a strip around each side of the muzzle, but not on the bridge of the nose; on throat; a proportionate triangular mark on either side of the breastbone not to exceed 25 per cent of the forechest; on forelegs from carpus downward to toes; on inside of rear legs showing down the front of the stifle and broadening out to front of rear legs from hock to toes but not eliminating the black from the back of the legs; under tail. Black penciling markings on the toes. The undercoat is grey or black. Quantity and location of markings are important. Insufficient or excessive markings should be penalized. Head Of medium length, broad between the ears; forehead line seen in profile is moderately arched. The cheekbones and stop are well developed. The length of the muzzle should not exceed the distance between the stop and the occiput. The skull is preferred dry; however, some wrinkling may occur when the dog is alert. The bridge of the muzzle is straight. The muzzle is broad at the base with slight tapering towards the tip but not snipey. The nose is broad rather than round, with black nostrils. The lips are always black with the corners tightly closed. The flews should not be too pronounced. The inner mouth pigment is dark. A pink mouth is to be penalized. The teeth are 42 in number (20 upper and 22 lower). They are strong and should be correctly placed meeting in a scissors bite--lower incisors touching the inside of the upper incisors. Eyes should be of medium size, moderately deep set, almond shaped with well-fitting lids. The iris should be of uniform colour, from medium to dark brown, the darker shade always preferred. Ears should be pendant, proportionately small, triangular in shape, set well apart and placed on skull so as to make it appear broader when the dog is alert. The ear should terminate at approximately mid-cheek level. When correctly held, the inner edge will lie tightly against the cheek. Neck Powerful, well muscled, moderately long with slight arch and without loose skin Forequarters The shoulder blade should be long and well laid back at a 45 degree angle. The elbows are tight and under the body. The distance from the withers to the elbow and the elbow to the ground is equal. The legs are strongly developed with straight, heavy bone. They are not set close together. The pasterns are strong, springy and almost perpendicular to the ground. Feet are round, compact with well arched toes, turning neither in nor out. Pads are thick and hard. Nails are short, strong and black. Dewclaws may be removed. Body The topline is firm and level, extending in a straight line from the withers to the croup. The brisket should be deep, reaching to the elbow. The chest is roomy and broad with a well-developed forechest. The ribs are well sprung. The loins short, deep, and well muscled. The flank should not be tucked up. The croup is broad, of medium length and slightly sloping. Hindquarters The angulation of the hindquarters balances that of the forequarters. The slope of the pelvis from the horizontal is between 20-30 degrees. The bone of the upper thigh is fairly long and the thigh is broad and well muscled. The stifle joint is moderately angulated. The lower thigh is long, powerfully muscled, leading to a strong hock joint. The metatarsus is perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, the hind legs are straight and perpendicular to the ground. The feet are somewhat longer than the front feet, with well arched toes turning neither in nor out. Dewclaws must be removed. Tail The tail is normally carried in a horizontal position giving the appearance of an elongated topline. It is carried above the horizontal when the dog is excited. The tail is normally docked short close to the body. If left in natural condition, tail is level in extension of the topline; at ease may be handing. A kinked tail or a ring is undesirableThe set of the tail is more important than length. Gait The Rottweiler is a trotter; the motion is harmonious, sure, powerful and unhindered, with a strong fore-reach and a powerful rear drive. Front and rear legs are not thrown either in or out, as the imprint of the hind feet should touch that of the forefeet. In a trot, the forequarters and hindquarters are mutually coordinated while the back remains firm. As speed increases the legs will converge under the body towards the centre line. Faults The foregoing is a description of the ideal Rottweiler. Any structural fault that detracts from the ideal must be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Included as faults are: pink mouth, wavy coat, insufficient markings, undercoat showing through outercoat. Faults considered serious are: lack of proportion, undersize, oversize, level bite, yellow eyes, eyes not of same colour, eyes unequal in size or shape, hairless eyelids, excessively short coat, curly or open coat, lack of undercoat, white markings any place on dog (a few white hairs do not constitute a marking), excessive markings, light-coloured markings. Disqualifications Overshot, undership or wry bite, any missing tooth. Long coat, any base colour other than black, total absence of markings.