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| American vs German Rottweilers First and foremost our breed’s history specifically states that Rottweilers where originated/founded from the town of Rottweil, Germany. Our Rottweilers, AS A BREED, have come from Germany, no matter where they live now. And all Rottweilers have somewhere in their pedigree, dogs that were German bred, if you can trace it back far enough. Wherever in a dog’s pedigree it states when that particular dog of origin was bred, is the correct answer! For instance, you may notice that a great-great-great grandfather was a German bred dog, but the rest in the pedigree are American and Canadian bred! Or you may notice that the sire of the litter is from Germany, but the dam is from Holland. Whatever country a litter is born in, that is the proper birthplace, even if one parent is from Africa and the other UK, but the litter was born in South America. Does heavy (stocky), compact, and robust descriptions mean due to weight or are the dogs really stocky? Is the dog correctly balanced or short in leg and body? Of course, if too long in leg and body, the dog wouldn’t appear to be stocky, but more like a Doberman to most. If your reasoning is do to weight or improper proportions, then these dogs aren’t correctly bred. They would be more known as unbalanced in body. Also, fat, overweight, clumsy, excessive in size without proper muscle tone, strength, and endurance. According to the standards, the Rottweiler is medium-large (medium being ideal), a robust, balanced, and powerful dog, neither gross nor slight nor spindly with correct proportion being 9 to 10. There compact and substantial build denotes great strength, ability, and endurance. Males are more massive throughout with larger frame and heavier bone than bitches. Underline of a mature Rottweiler has a slight tuck up (meaning no flabby tummy). Does this stockiness include proper rib spring, girth of chest/rib cage area, an extended properly dropped forechest (prosternum or more commonly known breast bone), and strong muscled hindquarters? According to the standard, the chest is roomy, broad, and deep, reaching to the elbow with well pronounced forechest and well sprung oval ribs. Loin is short, deep, and well muscled. Croup is broad, medium in length. If stocky, is the dog currently being road worked, play hard, and/or worked to create good muscle mass? Also, what about those prey drives? Most people who have pets in the U.S. have housedogs that are lazy and lie on beds. Sleeping is their favorite past time, next to eating out of a constantly filled food dish with high in fat/protein kibble that is left out all day. Does anyone consider that exercise and feed has a huge factor in possibly having a stocky vs. a less stocky dog? The well-known professional dog handlers and exhibitors are knowledgeable with showing dogs and do all they can to get the dogs physically fit for the AKC ring, with our rushed and mostly city-living society in America, we do the best we can, with what we have at the time! However, some people just don’t have time or the room to maintain their dogs like they should. This could cause a dog to be visually unappealing to most, instead of appearing robust and strong, even though it may be actually correct according to the breed’s standards! Speaking about living arrangements, as most live in the city, you will see dogs go on walks, go to pet stores, go for a car-ride, meet other dogs, etc. They are socialized and usually know most any surrounding. Because of this, prey drives can seem to be downsized in most American dogs, because there is no need for it. However, you place that same dog out in field with a rabbit and watch what they’ll do! Instinct sets in and you now have a great deal of prey drive. Most breeders in Germany are known for having kennel dogs, not housedogs, that aren’t normally socialized in the manner American dogs are. They are also known for having dogs that work in the field - and probably train almost everyday - for their working titles. Usually these working titles include some form of protection work. For those who say dogs in Germany have higher prey drives. German trainers are some of the most experienced in the dog sport of Schutzhund, since they are the original creators of it for our breed. They know which dogs to use for training and breeding for certain drives. All dogs must be tested and rated accordingly for their prey drive before being bred. Using only kennel dogs (which can be used as a training tool) with high prey drives and being bred just for the sport, can introduce dogs that are not meant for certain types of people. However, I do know that dogs with correct breed temperament and proper raising can lead to wonderful pets, including great therapy dogs, no matter where the dog was born or what type of dog sport they participate in! Just because the dogs may seem to have more prey drive doesn’t mean they are German bred. There are other countries that test, raise, and breed in the same manner for the sport of Schutzhund, including Americans. On another note, sometimes breeders are misleading when placing puppies into homes. Especially those who say they want to participate in the sport of Schutzhund and have experience in the breed, but are usually first-time or inexperienced dog owners. Unfortunately the puppies’ personalities don’t always match up with the new owners! Also, for those Germans who do show dogs for conformation are judged according to muscle tone and fitness, more so then American type judging. Most of us show dog people in the states know that if your going to a German-style show, you better take your running shoes and go with a dog who is physically fit to perform! There are many American breeders who do show and breed for German-style showing and working titles. Some breeders try to perform at both levels. I know many breeders who have done German style shows and receive high ratings on their critiques with their American bred dogs over German bred imports under respected FCI judges. Maybe it’s because the dog for that day/show is correct to the standard and the judge isn’t looking at the birthplace? How about age factors, size, fades, genetics, white hairs, history of the breed, etc.? An older mature dog should be correct within the standard for size. According to the standards: AKC specs. for dogs 24-27 inches; or ADRK specs. 61-68cms, ideal size 65-66cms. AKC specs. for bitches 22-25 inches; or ADRK specs. 56-63cms, ideal size 60-61cms. Notice that ADRK specifications indicate the ideal size describes a medium dog in height! Weight is not mentioned in AKC, however, ADRK states: Weight - Males about 50 kilos and Bitches about 42 kilos. If you’re in the breed long enough and know many of the dogs’ pedigree lineages, you can get a feel for certain traits. Some lines have slower maturing dogs then others and may not peak until 4-5 years of age. Others seem to almost peak overnight, but as they become older, they develop joint/arthritis problems, among other health issues. Size doesn’t only depend on genetics, but also environment, exercise, proper upbringing, and nutrition. It is common knowledge that if you breed a so-called stocky dog to a stocky bitch, 50% of the litter will more then likely be stocky, no matter what birthplace it comes from. This includes most characteristics of a dog’s genetic make-up. However, with most breeders, they try to improve their litters because they don’t have the so-called stocky dog or bitch. So they use certain traits or (fades) that another dog has, to make up for their dogs less then desirable traits, to try and better the breed. This is what we call selective breeding. However, if too many of the same dogs were bred, with too much of one type of characteristic or (fade), eventually all the puppies will change over time. They will become way to large according to our breed’s standards. This is true in all animal husbandry. It is also true that in today’s culture most people want what is in, what everyone else has, and what is known to sell for that given day! Sad, but true… Looking back at the older Rottweiler pictures in breed books, people don’t realize how much the dogs have really changed over the years. I have pictures of hunds with long thin extended muzzles, long tall (leggy looking) thin legs, heads and bodies that look best on sporting/herding dogs, long in body with horrible roach backs and major dropping off in the croups. And before you ask, these pictures are from German bred (Germany) dogs! To this day, we will see these same types of dogs from time-to-time come up within our breed. Do research by purchasing some older published breed books. Take a closer look at the pictures and they will reveal changes in our breed that people have been trying to perfect to what they would like the Rottweiler to really be. A very appealing dog to look at when bred correctly! Most breeds have long histories of changes in their appearances. This includes the white hair issues that have been posted. Look back on how the Rottweiler was created and it will answer your questions of why white hairs still to this day crop up in litters. Rottweilers have originated from Swiss Mountain Dogs who have white hairs! Every breed of registered purebred dogs originated with other breeds of dogs. Genetics has a funny way of showing itself sometimes. Watch Westminster K.C. sometime on TV and you will hear them constantly repeat the history of breeds while they are being introduced! Throughout the years Rottweilers seem to have a more pronounced stop, shorter thicker muzzle, larger wide backskulls, shorter backs with high tail carriages and rears, longer bodies on short legs, huge thick bone (like tree trunks) with over angulated rears, oversized, undersized, doggy bitches, bitchy dogs, and tremendous rib spring with extreme robust bodies. This is the wave of the future for our breed. Some of this is correct if bred correctly, and some is not! I was at an outside dog show when someone approached my dog and I. They came to ask me why Rottweiler’s heads are so huge these days. This came from a totally different exhibitor of dogs from a totally different group then we are in. All I could say was, it’s a fad! Now don’t get me wrong, I like a very nice head on our breed, but it isn’t everything that a dog is made of. They shook their head while agreeing with me that this happens in all breeds. First the head, then the body must change to keep the head from being way too out of proportion, and then the legs must catch-up with all of that. I think you see where I’m going with this. Ironically, I’ve seen several dogs with these looks that I’ve mentioned. Some of these dogs are from other countries besides Germany and America. While others are imports brought into America or visa versa. Here is a list of some random dogs off of the Internet, TRQ magazines, and breed books. Research them to see if there is a true claim that the shorter muzzled, darker coloring, better head, more compact, and stocky dogs come from so and so. Try to remember that pictures can be worthwhile, while others are very deceiving, but do the best you can with what you find… 1. Yuma vom Wolfsberg, SchHI, BH, BST (German import) 2. Ch. Full Moon’s As Good As It Gets (American Bred) 3. V-Rated Falko vom Steinkopf, AD, ZTP, WH, TT, SchHIII, IPOIII, Korung (German import) 4. V-Rated Doktor v Jagersburger Forst BH, ARV & USRC ZTP, AD, SchHI, HD (German Import) 5. Queans Bacchus By Nelson (American Bred) 6. BIS/BISS Ch. Nelson vh Brabantpark (Netherlands import) 7. BIS A/C Ch. Aramar’s Abraham Grizzwold, #1 CKC Rott (Canada) 8. Int. Ch. Graf von der Teufelsbrucke, SchHIII, IPOIII, BH, AD, FH, ZTP, Korung (German import) 9. Ondra vom Dusselwappen (German import) 10. Jeneck’s Wotan, SchHIII, IPOIII, ZTP, AD, FH, Gekort (American Bred) 11. Multi-V Rated A/C Ch. Pico vom Hegestrauch, ZTP, BH, SchHI, Gold Sire (German Import) 12. Amboss vom Konigssiek, SchHIII, IPOIII, FH, AD, TT, Gekort (German import) 13. A/Int Ch. Benno von der Schwarzenheide, SchHIII, IPOIII, AD, ZTP, TT (German import) 14. Multiple V-1 Cassius Lad, SchHII, ZTP, USRC Select Male (English/British import) 15. Multi-BIS/BISS Von Boylan’s Antonio Banderas, SchHIII, AD, BST, BH, TT, Gold Sire (American Bred) 16. A/C Ch. Quinto vh Brabantpark, CD (Netherlands import) 17. A/C Ch. Chug Chug-Choo Choo, CD (American Bred) 18. Basko vom Eichengrund, SchHIII, BH (German import) 19. BIS Ch. Mardorn Bandit (Zimbabwe bred) 20. BIS/BISS Select A/C Ch. Goldeiche Ara von Brader A/C CD, Gold Sire (American Bred) As you may notice, if you could find the dogs I’ve mentioned, most all of them have different looks in body, head, color, etc. but are all true to the breed’s standards according to their achievements/titles. You may also notice that it doesn’t matter where the dogs are born or where they now live. Take note that only a few breeders will go to extreme measures to breed to a very nice dog. Because of science and technology, they can make it more possible due to AI. However, most breeders use dogs that are local in region and close in correctness to the standard. With the rise of major health clearances, top winning dogs, etc. for breeding purposes, the genetic pool is getting smaller and fewer choices are available for breeders. There is good and bad in this type of situation. We must demand to appreciate more of the total dog, correct according to the standard, instead of constant fault finding for breeding purposes. I’m not saying breed a dog with poor hips and a DQ. What I am saying is that no dog is perfect and if it fits into the standard the best that it can, then the breeders are doing their jobs the only way they know how! Genetics will do the rest. A poorly bred dog can happen anywhere, anytime, by anyone, even to the best of breeders - one can slip in - which is normally placed in a pet home with limited papers and no breeding rights. Genetics has a sense of humor and if you have been in breeding long enough, you do the best you can by weeding out the ones that are not correct! Please take note that the standards are only guidelines left for those to interpret it to the best of their ability. Yes, Germany does have breed wardens and strict breeding guidelines, but American code-of-ethic breeders do their best to uphold to these same guidelines. The ARC (parent club) wrote the AKC breed standard, at the time, based on the ADRK’s standard. There are also American breeders who uphold to the FCI guidelines instead of AKC. Some people see dogs’ “Make-up” differently then others. This is why there seems to be so many different looks (variety or types) within the breed. As you read the standard for the dogs’ allowance in height, coloring, etc. you may get an understanding that there are some differences allowed, so long as it is correct. However, we as breeders and dog owners alike must take notice that the standards do not call for any variety or more then one type within our breed. If someone likes a Rottweiler with blue eyes and it is a fluke, don’t you think someone down the road will breed and sell these dogs as a new variety or breed! This is why white German Shepherds and Dobermans are such a huge issue with the majority of breeders who do care about the breed’s true virtues! Great family loving pets, yes, they probably are. Great show dogs with wonderful breed type, NO, they are not, according to their breed standards. Thanks for listening and I do hope this can clear up some of the questions people may have about our breed's history and origin. There are many interesting breed articles, books, magazines, and tools available on the Rottweiler. Do your own research and try to weed out those unusual comments that don’t seem to be correct. If you don’t know, ask someone who has a huge knowledge on the breed. Usually someone who has been in Rottweilers and dogs, showing, breeding, handling, training, etc. for close to 20 years, is usually a good source of information and may someday become your mentor! Written by, Jo Ann Lewis - "Von Stallog Rottweilers" |
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