Personality and History of Rottweilers

Personality

Rottweiler’s have a reputation for being viscous attack dogs, but despite what television and movies may say, this is not their true nature. Rotties are incredibly loyal, which makes them superb watchdogs, and they will protect their family fearlessly – but to be viscous, they must be trained that way. When properly trained, socialized and exercised from puppyhood, Rotties are even tempered and dignified companions. They do not buddy up to just any newcomer, but rather take their time to decide who is worthy of their time and affection. With their families they are affectionate and playful, and most Rottweiler owners note that their dogs seem to not know how large they are, wanting to cuddle up on the couch or the bed. For experienced dog owners who have the time to commit to a large breed, the Rottweiler is a true blue friend.

Activity Requirements

Rottweilers need moderate exercise to maintain health, happiness and an even temperament. They are far too large for apartment life and are much better suited for the suburbs. Rotties should be walked several times a day, and allowed to have an hour or so of running time, as well. It is important for your Rottie to burn off as much energy as possible during the day, as a bored Rottweiler will chew and can destroy your living room in no time flat. In the summer months, a Rottweiler's exercise should be limited, however, as their black coats make them prone to overheating.

Rottweilers are not the most agile dogs in the world, but they do appreciate the extra time and exercise involved in agility activities. Rottweilers were originally used to drive cattle and haul carts, and they enjoy having a “job” to do. Agility requires them to think and obey, this giving them a “job.” If you can't do agility, walking your Rottie with a backpack can help make him feel as though he is “working” and also provides a more extensive workout.

Trainability

 Rotties can be a handful to train, and novice dog owners can sometimes become overwhelmed by the task. This large breed often exhibits dominance and assumes he is the one in charge of the house. Rules and boundaries must be enforced with 100% consistency – if you give a Rottweiler an inch, he will take a mile (and then some).

Training should be conducted confidence and firmness, but never harshness. A Rottweiler needs to respect you in order to accept leadership from you, and his response to anger and physical punishment is t disregard you as the leader and assume the role himself. Training should begin early, before any bad habits can develop. Socialization should also be conducted early and often. Rotties are naturally wary of strangers, so they must learn that guests are welcome into his home.

Behavioral Traits

Well bred Rotties can be a joy to live with and are never aggressive toward strangers, no matter how wary they may be. Indiscriminate breeding of this popular dog, however, has caused many Rotties to be born with unstable blood lines. It is important that potential owners conduct extensive research on a breeder before adopting. Aggression is not a natural Rottweiler tendency, and any breeder who claims otherwise should be avoided.

Rottweilers love to chew, and if not properly exercised or given enough of his own interesting bones to chew, he will become bored and turn to household items. Their jaws are tremendously strong and Rotties can make quick work of furniture.

History

Although a versatile breed used in recent times for many purposes, the Rottweiler is one of the oldest of herding breeds. A multi-faceted herding and stock protection dog, it is capable of working all kinds of livestock under a variety of conditions.

The breed's history likely dates to the Roman Empire. It is likely that the Rottweiler is a descendant of ancient Roman drover dogs, a mastiff-type dog that was a dependable, rugged dog with great intelligence and guarding instincts. During their quest to conquer Europe, the Roman legion traveled in large numbers across the continent. The non-existence of refrigeration meant the soldiers had to bring herds of cattle with them on their excursions for food. These drover dogs were not only used to keep the herds of cattle together, but to guard the supply stock at night. Around 74 A.D. the Roman army traveled across the Alps and into the southern part of modern day Germany. For the next two centuries the Roman drover dogs were continually utilized in herding and driving cattle for trade even after the Romans were driven out of the area by the Swabians.

A town in this region was eventually given the name Rottweil. It became an important trade center and the descendants of the Roman cattle dogs proved their worth by driving the cattle to market and protecting the cattle from robbers and wild animals. The dogs are said to have been used by traveling butchers at markets during the Middle Ages to guard money pouches tied around their necks.] The dogs eventually came to be called Rottweiler Metzgerhunds, or butcher dogs. As railroads became the primary method for moving stock to market, the need for the breed declined, as did the number of Rottweilers. The number of Rottweilers diminished so severely that by 1882 in a dog show in Heilbronn, there was only one very poor representative of the breed.

The buildup to World War I saw a great demand for police dogs, and that led to a revival of interest in the Rottweiler. During the First and Second World Wars, Rottweilers were put into service in various roles, including as messenger, ambulance, draught, and guard dogs.

The Deutscher Rottweiler-Klub (DRK, German Rottweiler Club), the first Rottweiler club in Germany, was founded on 13 January 1914, and followed by the creation of the Süddeutscher Rottweiler-Klub (SDRK, South German Rottweiler Club) on 27 April 1915 and eventually became the IRK (International Rottweiler Club). The DRK counted around 500 Rottweilers, and the SDRK 3000 Rottweilers. The goals of the two clubs were different. The DRK aimed to produce working dogs and did not emphasis the morphology of the Rottweiler.

The various German Rottweiler Clubs amalgamated to form the Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (ADRK, General German Rottweiler Club) in 1921. This was officially recorded in the register of clubs and associations at the district court of Stuttgart on 27 January 1924. The ADRK is recognized worldwide as the home club of the Rottweiler.

In 1931 the Rottweiler was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. In 1936, Rottweilers were exhibited in Britain at Crufts. In 1966, a separate register was opened for the breed. In fact, in the mid-1990s, the popularity of the Rottweiler reached an all-time high with it being the most registered dog by the American Kennel Club. In 2013, the American Kennel Club ranked the Rottweiler as the 9th most popular pure-breed in the United States.