Rottweiler

The Rottweiler originates from the Molossus dog of Roman origin. This dog was trained to fight lions and typically serve armies in campaigns. In the first century the Romans entered south Germany by crossing the Alps aiming to conquer all of Europe. Rottweilers established a town which became an administrative and a cultural center which was later named Rottwil.

Rottwill(red cottage) comes from the most famous buildings of the town who roofs were tiled in red. The town became a significant center of commerce and its name was later changed to Rottweil. Cattlemen used the roman dogs to bring herds of cattle to the market for sale and guard their money.

Butchers also used them to pull carts containing meat. By the latter half of the 18th century, the breed was close to extinction. In 1900 only one bitch was reported in the town of Rottweil. However the demand for “watch and police dogs” grew during the First World War which redeveloped an interest in preserving the breed. The dog breed became an ideal war weapon due to its intelligence and its ability to quickly execute orders.



A typical rottweiler is a commanding and influential dog with a medium to large body scale. It has a large and sizeable build which signifies power and stamina. The Rottweiler dogs have a larger body structure. Their bones that are heavier than the bitches.

Rottweiler has an arched forehead line with wide upper and lower jaws and average sized eyes colored in dark brown. Its ears are usually well apart and hang forward. Its tail is properly set close to the body and is short in length. Its outer coat is dense, of medium length and thick. The undercoat is usually present on the neck and on the thighs. The thickness of the undercoat is more dependant on the weather conditions. Rottweiler has one of the most distinct coats and noticeably black and rust color on their muzzle, legs and underbelly.

Always black with rust marks.

A dog’s standard height varies from 23 to 27 inches while a rottweiler bitch’s height varies from 21 to 25 inches.

Dogs vary between 86 to 136 while bitches vary between 80 to 101 lbs.

A healthy Rotweiler breed lives for about 10 to 12 years.



This breed is often misjudged as far as its character is concerned. A well bred Rottweiler is mellow, composed, brave and loyal to its family. It has a calm temperament. The Rottweiler breed requires thoughtful training else the owner would find himself in trouble handling its aggressive nature. If given correct training the rotts are pleasing companions. They are proven to be smart and are useful for police investigations, military and customs since years. Because of the Rotts aggressive nature and size its training should begin when it is comparatively young and small.

Rottweiler as a Pet

They can be seriously aggressive and should not be restrained in public places. During its growth phase it can be of pleasurable company to children. It loves to socialize and be in companionship to be happy. It accepts all pets positively including cats if it has interacted with them since it was young. It is well behaved with the family relatives and welcomes them. However it does not welcome strangers.