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Origin and Purpose:
The Rottweiler was developed from the dogs used by the Roman
legions to herd and guard the cattle brought by them to feed
their legions. The
butchers of Rottweil, Germany, developed the dogs to drive
cattle to market
and to protect their moneybags which were tied around the
dogs' necks. It was
an arduous task to drive the cattle and a strong dog with
staying power, full of
self will and physical strength was needed. In the beginning
of the 20th
century these dogs were found particularly well suited as a
police dog, a
function they still fulfill especially in Europe.
General Appearance:
The ideal Rottweiler is an above medium-sized, robust, and
powerful dog, black with clearly defined rich tan markings.
His compact build
denotes great strength, agility, and endurance. Males are
characteristically
larger, heavier boned and more masculine in appearance.
Temperament:
The Rottweiler should possess a fearless expression with a
selfassured
aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and
indiscriminate
friendships. He has a strong willingness to work. In
examining a Rottweiler,
one should bear in mind that this dog reacts with alertness
to his master and
his surroundings, and in performing his function in life,
the Rottweiler is not
expected to submit to excessive handling by strangers.
However, the judge
shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Rottweiler. A
dog shall be
judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for
examination it shrinks away
from the judge; If it fears an unexpected approach from the
rear; if it shies at
sudden or unusual noises to a marked degree. A dog that
attacks or attempts to
attack, without provocation, either the judge, or its
handler is definitely
vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other
dogs shall not be
deemed viciousness.
Size:
Dogs 24 - 27 in. (60 -68 cm). Bitches 22 - 25 in. (55-63
cm).
Proportion should always be considered rather than height
alone. The length
of the body, from the breastbone (sternum) to the rear of
edge of the pelvis
(ischium) is slightly longer than the height of the dog at
the withers, the most
desirable proportion being as 10 to 9. Depth of the chest
should be fifty per
cent of the height.
Coat and Colour:
Outer coat is straight, coarse, dense, medium length, lying
flat.
Undercoat must be present on neck and thighs. The Rottweiler
should be
exhibited in a natural condition without trimming, except to
remove whiskers,
if desired. The colour is always black with rich tan or
mahogany markings.
The borderline between the black and the colour should be
clearly defined.
The markings should be located as follows: a spot over each
eye; on cheeks;
as a strip around each side of the muzzle, but not on the
bridge of the nose; on
throat; a proportionate triangular mark on either side of
the breastbone not to
exceed 25 per cent of the forechest; on forelegs from carpus
downward to
toes; on inside of the rear legs showing down the front of
the stifle and
broadening out to front of rear legs from hock to toes but
not eliminating the
black from the back of the legs; under tail. Black penciling
markings of the
toes. The undercoat is grey or black. Quantity and location
of markings are
important. Insufficient or excessive markings should be
penalized.
Head:
Of medium length, broad between the ears; forehead line seen
in
profile is moderately arched. The length of the muzzle
should not exceed the
distance between the stop and the occiput. The skull is
preferred dry; however,
some wrinkling may occur when the dog is alert. The bridge
of the muzzle is
straight. The muzzle is broad at the base with slight
tapering towards the tip
but not snipey. The nose is broad rather than round, with
black nostrils. The
lips are always black with the corners tightly closed. The
flews should not be
to pronounced. The inner mouth pigment is dark. A pink mouth
is to be
penalized. The teeth are 42 in number (20 upper and 22
lower). They are
strong and should be correctly placed meeting in a scissors
bite- lower incisors
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touching inside the upper incisors. Eyes should be of medium
size, moderately
deep set, almond shaped with well-fitting lids. The iris
should be of uniform
colour, from medium to dark brown, the darker shade always
preferred. Ears
should be pendant, proportionately small, triangular in
shape, set well apart
and placed on the skull so as to make it appear broader when
the dog is alert.
The ear should terminate at approximately mid-cheek level.
When correctly
held, the inner edge will lie tightly against the cheek.
Neck:
Powerful, well muscled, moderately long with slight arch and
without loose skin. Forequarters: The shoulder blade should
be long and well
laid back at a 45-degree angle. The elbows are tight and
under the body. The
distance from the withers to the elbow and the elbow to the
ground is equal.
The legs are strongly developed with straight, heavy bone.
They are not set
close together. The pasterns are strong, springy and almost
perpendicular to
the ground. Feet are round, compact with well-arched toes,
turning neither in
nor out. Pads are thick and hard. Nails are short, strong
and black. Dewclaws
may be removed.
Body:
The topline is firm and level, extending in a straight line
from the
withers to the croup. The brisket should be deep, reaching
to the elbow. The
ribs are well sprung. The loins short, deep, and well
muscled. The flank
should not be tucked up. The croup is broad, of medium
length and slightly
sloping.
Hindquarters:
The angulation of the hindquarters balances that of the
forequarters. The slope of the pelvis from the horizontal is
between 20-30
degrees. The bone of the upper thigh is fairly long and the
thigh is broad and
well muscled. The stifle joint is moderately angulated. The
lower thigh is
long, powerfully muscled leading to a strong hock joint. The
metatarsus is
perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, the hind
legs are straight
and perpendicular to the ground. The feet are somewhat
longer than the front
feet, with well-arched toes turning neither in nor out.
Dewclaws must be
removed.
Tail:
The tail is normally carried in a horizontal position giving
the
appearance of an elongated topline. It is carried above the
horizontal when the
dog is excited. The tail is normally docked short close to
the body. The set of
the tail is more important than length.
Gait:
The Rottweiler is a trotter; the motion is harmonious, sure,
powerful and unhindered, with a strong forereach and a
powerful rear drive.
Front and rear legs are not thrown either in or out, as the
imprint of the hind
feet should touch that of the forefeet. In a trot, the
forequarters and
hindquarters are mutually coordinated while the back remains
firm. As speed
increases the legs will converge under the body towards the
centerline.
Faults:
The foregoing is a description of the ideal Rottweiler. Any
structural fault that detracts from the ideal must be
penalized to the extent of
the deviation. Included as faults are: pink mouths, wavy
coat, insufficient
markings, undercoat showing through outercoat. Faults
considered serious are:
lack of proportion, undersize, oversize, level bite, yellow
eyes, eyes not of
same colour, eyes unequal in size or shape, hairless
eyelids, excessively short
coat, curly or open coat, lack of undercoat, white markings
any place on dog
(a few white hairs do not constitute a marking), excessive
markings, lightcoloured
markings, up to four missing pre-molars.
Disqualifications:
Undershot, overshot, more than four missing pre-molars
and/or any
other missing tooth, long coat, any base colour other than
black, total absence
of markings.
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