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ROTTWEILER Country
of origin: Germany Specific Breed Suitability: The
Rottweiler is believed to be among the most ancient of breeds. His origin stems
from Roman times, in which era he performed the duties of guard and drover dog.
When the Roman Legions traversed the Alps, the dogs accompanied them protecting
the soldiers and driving the herds. Settling in the area of Rottweil, the Roman
Army dogs came into contact with dogs native to the area. The natural result was
an interbreeding of the two. The principle
duties of these hybrids remained the guarding and driving of the herds, the
defense of their masters and the master’s property. As there was a large
concentration of the dogs in the vicinity of the old German Empire City of
Rottweil, the dog acquired the name ROTTWEILER ‑ butcher's dog. The butcher's
bred this type of dog solely for their working ability and their personal use.
With the passage of time, an outstanding guarding and drover dog as well as cart
dog was the result. In addition, with the dawn of the 20th Century, when the
Police were soliciting service dogs, the Rottweiler was tested. It was readily
recognized that the dog was admirably suited to this type of duty. As a result,
in 1910 the Rottweiler was officially recognized as a Police Dog. The objective in the breeding of Rottweilers is to produce a powerful yet vigorous dog, black with rust (mahogany), clearly defined markings, which despite its substance is stamped with an air of nobility and is capable of fulfilling the role of companion, guard and working dog. |