To be considered German you have to be born in Germany, right?
The same goes for this breed.
The German Rottweiler is bred and born in Germany.
Rottweiler Metzgerhund is what they were known as in Germany, which meant the Rottweil butchers dog. They are named after Rottweil, a town in southwest Germany located between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alps.
The dogs were used for herding and driving cattle and were also used by traveling butchers. The Rottweiler would protect the butchers money in pouches that were tied around their necks, no one was brave enough to try and steal the money that way!
Source Author- Donautalbahner Permission-Creative Commons 3.0
In Germany, the first Rottweiler club was founded on January 13, 1914. They called themselves the Deutscher Rottweiler-Klub (DRK, German Rottweiler Club).
By April 27, 1915 another Rottweiler club was created called the Süddeutscher Rottweiler-Klub (SDRK, South German Rottweiler Club), and in 1921 the two clubs joined together and called themselves the ADRK which stands for Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub.
Today the German Rottweiler is one of the most popular breeds in the world!
For a Rottweiler to be considered “German”, the dog must have parents who are registered with the Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (ADRK) and getting your dog registered with them can be a bit tricky.
The ADRK follows extremely strict rules to ensure a consistent healthy breed. Before a Rottweiler is even allowed to breed, he or she must be judged on how well their physical appearance looks and their temperament.
The Rottweiler must have a well maintained diet with good muscular structure.
They must also pass tests proving to have no genetic diseases such as Cataracts, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Hip or Elbow Dysplasia Panosteitis, Aortic Stenosis, or Von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD). If these requirements are not met, unfortunately the dog will not be registered.
“The ADRK defines and promotes the Rottweiler Breed Standard and enforces theses standards through strict breeding protocols.”
Temperament
The temperament of the German Rottweiler is calm, devoted and good-natured. Just like all dogs, they need the proper training.
They are known for being confident, fearless, and having excellent obedience skills. They respond very well to commands that even the police forces use them!
For this breed to strive, they need to be socialized early in life, with people and other animals. They love attention!
Typically, these dogs are easy to train, but the Rottweiler can also be a stubborn one, which can lead to some difficulties when training.
It’s good to start your training as soon as possible. It is usually recommended that you start training between 6 weeks of age and 6 months.
Teaching them commands such as sit, paw, and stay should be the easiest.
It’s easier to train while using positive reinforcement (rewarding for good behavior).
You can use treats or toys as encouragement but don’t feed them to many as they are known prone to obesity!
Training also needs to be an every day activity or they won’t remember the things you’ve taught them.
Living with a German Rottweiler
German Rottweilers, along with American Rottweilers are known droolers.
They are fairly easy to live with as long as they are house trained.
Since they have such short coats, brushing is kept to a minimal. Once a week for a quick brushing and you should be good to go! Rottweilers are very protective of their families.
German Rottweilers are usually not recommended for first time dog owners as they need lots of training and exercise, but don’t let that scare you away from owning one, they are wonderful companions!
If you have other pets, it’s good to introduce your Rotty at a young age, that way there won’t be any territorial or aggressive issues.
Since Rottweilers were bred as a working dog, they love to be kept busy.
If left alone with nothing to do they can start to develop bad habits such has constant barking, digging and chewing. Chew toys, sticks, and bones are a great option!
A common problem with Rotties is that they can develop separation anxiety if you leave them alone for to long.
They love to go for car rides so don’t be afraid to bring them along with you wherever you go! Rottweilers also tend to think that they are a lot smaller than they really are and will also try to cuddle up on your lap.
Did you know that the German Rottweiler is actually a sensitive breed?
Throughout the years many television shows and movies have used Rottweilers in the filming industry, having roles as being an aggressive dog, but that is simply not the case.
They are so loving towards their family members that they would do anything to protect them.
Rottweilers are one of the most loyal breeds in the whole world.