The Rottweiler is a breed which has a long history as a working dog, going all the way back to the era of the Roman Empire, when the ancestors of the breed were used as shepherds. The people of central Europe, especially Germany continued to use the breed as a guard and herd dog; but the breed was actually on the verge of extinction in the late 19^th century until an official Rottweiler club was founded which was dedicated to popularizing the breed.

The Rottweilers are now officially recognized by the American Kennel Club as a working breed. As they always have, these dogs work as police dogs, guard dogs and of course, they still help herd cattle and other livestock along with being an increasingly popular family pet. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that the breed is catching on as a pet, since they have all of the traits most people want from a pet dog: they are loving, loyal and protective of their families.

Physical Traits

Rottweilers are medium to large sized dogs with a powerful presence. These are muscular dogs with a compact build which are ample proof of their strength. Despite these characteristics, they are agile dogs which are surprisingly fast runners. Both male and female dogs share the same build, but males tend to be slightly larger and heavier than their female counterparts.

The breed is characterized by their almond shaped eyes, smooth foreheads, broad noses and black lips. These are traits which are especially important for show dogs of this breed, but there will be slight variations in the appearance of dogs bred as pets or as working dogs.

Rottweilers have coarse, dense outer coats of medium length, generally black with rust or deep brown markings, though there are also straw colored Rottweilers who have no markings. The criteria for show dogs are of course different than for dogs intended to be pets, so if you’re looking for a family pet rather than a show dog, then you can choose a dog of any color you like.

The dogs have a trotting gait which bespeaks confidence. If you see a Rottweiler walking slowly, it may be ill and should be taken to the veterinarian for a checkup.

Behavioral Traits

As long as they are properly socialized and trained, these are one of the very best behaved and pleasant breeds to be around. Rottweilers tend to be calm, confident and loving pets. However, they do not always make new friends easily, especially with other animals. Proper socialization starting at a young age can largely overcome this trait, however – and once a Rottweiler is your friend, it’s your friend for life. Intelligent, loyal and hard working dogs, Rottweilers can adapt to almost any situation and make just as great of a pet as they do a working animal.

The breed has a bad reputation which is entirely undeserved and comes largely from people who are not familiar with Rottweilers. Once you have one of your own, you’ll understand just how wonderful a pet Rottweiler can be.