What is a Rottweiler?

Answer 1

The Rottweiler may have descended from the Italian Mastiff (which is now the Neapolitan Mastiff). It was a herding dog in the Middle Ages. The dog, as we know it today, was bred in the German town of Rottweil in Wurttemberg.

The Rottweiler has been used for tracking, herding, watchdog duties, carting, police work, competitive obedience, and schutzhund.

The 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. He has a broad head with a rounded forehead and a well-developed muzzle. His dark eyes can be friendly or daring. His triangular ears are carried forward. One of the things people find frightening about the Rottweiler is the amount of black - over his body and even inside his mouth. The tail is docked and dewclaws are normally removed. Extremely well-developed musculature is obvious in the jaws, shoulders and hips.

Known for their fierce fighting capabilities when defending their family and property, the Rottweiler is normally a calm, happy, confident dog who loves his family and friends. They love companionship and relish socialization exercises.

However, if not out of stock that has a nice personality and if not socialized and obedience trained at a young age, Rotties can be hard to handle, aggressive, and unreliable. Having been bred for centuries for guard work, the Rottweiler can easily turn aggressive. Their size and strength will make them impossible to hold on leash should they decide to go some place or be aggressive, so obedience to commands is essential.

They can be aggressive with other dogs and should be kept on leashes in public places. When the Rottweiler is consistently brought up and trained, it will be a good playmate for children. It will accept cats and other household pets as long as the dog has had a positive experience with them while it was young. Friends and relatives of the family are normally enthusiastically welcomed. Strangers can get no further than the sidewalk.

Most people are afraid of a Rottweiler, but that is not the correct reaction to have toward them as it puts them on alert. Proper introductions by the owner will put a correctly trained Rottie at ease and pave the way for a long and happy relationship.