The rottweiler is a strong, robust and athletic dog. Medium to large in size, and with an appearance that does not hide his great power, the rottweiler inspires enormous admiration among his supporters and an almost mythical fear among those who do not know him. There is no doubt that the mere presence of these dogs commands respect and it is easy to get scared by such a powerful dog. Not in vain was the breed chosen to embody the "dog of the devil" in the film series "The Prophecy."
However, those who have had the opportunity to get to know the Rottweiler thoroughly know that behind that strong and occasionally frightening appearance, a properly socialized Rottweiler can be a faithful, loyal and tremendously affectionate friend. In this tab on our site we will review with you all the characteristics of the rottweiler so that you know what character it has and how it should be cared for. Keep reading:
Rottweiler history
The breed has its formal origin in the Rottweil region of Germany However, its history dates back to the time of the Roman Empire. At that time, the ancestors of today's Rottweiler were used as protection dogs and to drive cattle.
When the Romans arrived in the Rottweil region, their dogs interbred with native dogs. The result of these crosses gave rise to the "Rottweil butcher's dog", which was used to help local butchers during the slaughter of cattle. These dogs were in charge of controlling the most aggressive bulls and cows, facilitating the activity of the butchers. Due to their bravery, they were also used to protect properties. Over time, the breed's ability to perform other functions was recognized and its popularity began to flourish.
Rottweiler Characteristics
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the Rottweiler is its broad, medium-length head with a powerful muzzle that should be neither short nor long in relation to the skull. The scissor bite reaches its full power thanks to the strong and wide jaws of this dog. The height at the withers is 61 to 68 centimeters for males, and 56 to 63 centimeters for females. Approximate weight is 50 kilograms for males, and 42 kilograms for females.
The medium-sized dark brown eyes give the dog a expression of security and trust that is not easy to appreciate in other races. In contrast, the rottweiler's dangling, triangular ears are not particularly conspicuous and are easily ignored by the common observer. However, being close to the head and facing forward, they give the skull a wider appearance than real.
The rottweiler's body is powerful and stocky, but not quite coarse or fat. On the contrary, this is an athletic and agile dog, capable of overcoming the most difficult work tests. The strong and straight back is continued with a short, strong and deep loin. The chest, meanwhile, is broad and deep and has a well-developed forechest. Thanks to this robust body, the Rottweiler is capable of knocking down an adult without having to bite.
In the past it was required to amputate the tail of these dogs, for "aesthetic" purposes. Today, and fortunately for dogs, the International Cinological Federation (FCI) standard requires the entire tailUnfortunately, other organizations continue to accept docked tails at their shows.
Rottweiler colors
When talking about the appearance of the Rottweiler, one cannot fail to mention the double coat of these dogs, the external hair being hard and medium in length. The black and tan color of this coat helps define the image of the rottweiler.
The puppy rottweiler
Rottweiler dogs are very energetic, and this vitality will increase as the puppy grows. Therefore, it is very important to play with them at least 2 times a day while they are puppies. Once your dog has all the vaccinations and can go outside, daily walks will be required, which will increase in intensity as the puppy grows.
On the other hand, it is also very important to socialize our rottweiler since he is a puppy so that he becomes a sociable, balanced dog and happy. For more information, you can consult this other article on Caring for a rottweiler puppy.
Rottweiler Character
Attentive, obedient, calm, brave, safe, trustworthy and loyal to his people. This is how the typical character of the Rottweiler can be described. Of course, keep in mind that not all "rotties" have that character.
This is how the Rottweiler has stood out in the past, and continues to do so today, as one of the most versatile and intelligent breedsHis flexibility and emotional stability allow him to adapt well to different activities, so he can be trained for the protection of his family, obedience, police dog, therapy dog and assistance dog. He can also be trained as a search and rescue dog.
In addition to the activities mentioned, the Rottweiler does very well in dog sports and obedience competitions. But the character of the rottweiler also has its disadvantages. Despite being very confident dogs, rotties can be very reactive. For this reason, it is very important to socialize them from puppies so that they get along with people, dogs and other animals. Basic obedience training is a must with such a dog.
This breed is one of those that has fallen into the category of "potentially dangerous dogs" in many countries. This is a pity since the rottweiler is only a dangerous dog when it is educated by irresponsible people to encourage its aggressiveness. The character of a properly socialized Rottweiler is far from being dangerous and, on the contrary, is that of a docile and friendly dog. It all depends on how the dog is trained.
Rottweiler care
The Rottweiler is an easy-care dog. To begin with, we are going to indicate that it is a dog with a coat that is very easy to care for and maintain. We will bathe him every 2 or 3 months paying attention to the accumulated dirt and we will brush him at least once a week to remove the remains of dead hair. The rest of the body areas such as teeth, nails or ears should also be cleaned weekly.
On the other hand, the Rottweiler is a dog with a tendency to gain weight so we will spend time preventing obesity in this dog by adequate doses of food, physical exercise and moderate snacks. Avoiding being overweight is essential in order not to contribute to the development of degenerative diseases such as hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis.
Exercise will be one of the pillars of rottweiler care. We are talking about a dog that loves exercising and doing all kinds of activities, so it would be ideal to think about the different sports for dogs. His intelligence also allows us to work on more complex activities such as Agility. It is very important to correctly meet their needs to prevent problems such as anxiety or stress.
Rottweiler Education
The Rottweiler is a dog with imposing physical characteristics as well as an intelligent and skilled companion. For that reason, training is very important in this breed. A dog with these qualities cannot suffer from lack of educationbecause it could very negatively affect his adult life
To begin with, in puppy training, we will focus primarily on socialization: the process in which we introduce the Rottweiler to other dogs, pets, people, and objects. This is a very important part of the training of the rottweiler since without proper socialization we can suffer a reactive, fearful and insecure dog in the future. Developing a good socialization process will allow you to be with all kinds of people and in all kinds of environments without problem. It will also be important to enrich and stimulate him mentally during his younger stage.
On the other hand, and as he begins to grow, the young Rottweiler should begin to learn more things. In our article on rottweiler training we discussed the importance of obedience. We must remember that it is a dog of great size and physical strength, so knowing how to orient and guide the animal will be very important if we want a happy life at its side. The foundation of all your education will be positive reinforcement.
Rottweiler He alth
To finish with the Rottweiler dog, we will highlight that it is usually a relatively he althy dog, with a life expectancy of around10 years old The most common diseases in this breed are usually hip dysplasia or cancer, although regular visits to the vet can quickly detect their appearance.
It will be very important to strictly follow the deworming and vaccination schedule to avoid any possible viral, bacterial or parasitic infection. The set of good care and optimal he alth will make our rottweiler dog he althy, long-lived and athletic.
Where to adopt a rottweiler dog?
If you have fallen in love with this beautiful breed and don't know where to find Rottweilers for adoption, our advice is to ask at the protectors and animal associationsof your area in case they have any specimen for adoption. Another option is to find out if there is an organization dedicated to rescuing and adopting the Rottweiler breed in your area, such as the Facebook page "Adopta Rottweiler España ", which was created to find a home for a Rottweiler dog and which today is dedicated to spreading cases of Rottweilers for adoption.
