History Of 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 modern day Rottweiler was named after Rottweil, Germany where it gained support in the early 1900s. Prior to that date, Rottweilers have an uncertain lineage though the common belief is that they descended from the large Roman mastiff dog almost two thousand years ago. Even then, early forms of Rottweiler were known for their skill in protection and military service. 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.
The personality and appearance of the Rottweiler dog breed make it unique.
Surprisingly, one of the first adjectives used to describe the Rottweiler's personality is calm. The breed is known to be an excellent, relaxed family pet. In fact, a calm, courageous and confident temperament is the breed standard according to the American Kennel Club, which registered the Rottweiler in 1935. 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.

The Rottweiler's strong physical traits also define the breed. All purebred Rottweiler's have distinctive coloring with an all black short coat with brown markings in specific areas of the cheeks, muzzle, paws and legs. A strong and large dog, the Rottweiler is muscular and has a broad head and chest. Its tail is generally docked to give its body a longer, more streamlined appearance. Rottweilers are easily differentiated from other dog breeds due to their physical and personality traits.
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. Buyers should know the breed standard for Rottweiler dogs and should look for the calm temperament, specific black and tan markings and other characteristics unique to the breed. Most importantly, the buyer's household should meet the Rottweiler's social and activity needs so that dog and owner will have a healthy, happy life together.

A Rottweiler dog is known for personality traits such as loyalty, confidence and aloofness. However, when mistreated, a Rottweiler's inherent protective nature can manifest in aggressive and violent behavior. Rottweiler information and history is provided in this article. The Rottweiler dog's physical and behavioral traits are also described.