Rottweilers are relatively large dogs who are known for being great watchdogs because of their great strength.
They are black with well defined tan markings on their face, legs and other areas. Rottweilers have pink tongues and don't have big jowls like Boxers, despite having a large skull. Rottweilers have dark brown eyes and often have an expression of being calm, alert and unafraid. Although sometimes they shed throughout the year, Rottweilers are low maintenance dogs overall.
In the past, Rottweilers' tails were removed to prevent infection but now they are often removed just for their appearance. Fortunately, this practice is starting to become illegal in certain areas as it is seen as unnecessary and cruel. Rottweilers are about 2 feet tall and tend to weigh between 90 and 135 pounds.
Rottweilers enjoy exercise and love making their owners happy. They are intelligent dogs which learn quickly and like to think. Rottweilers are often dominant though, so they should be trained well. Rottweilers are often calm, but they love attention and are quite playful towards their owners.
Rottweilers can be aggressive if the time comes, as they are large and strong. To maintain the dogs' good attitudes, it is important to socialize Rottweilers at an early age.
Origination in the Roman Empire, Rottweilers were first used as traveling working dogs who herded cattle. They also were used to protect cattle from wild animals or thieves. Rottweilers declined towards the 19th Century because cattle driving was banned and dogs were being replaced by donkeys, but once World War I came about there was a need for possible police dogs. Fortunately, this peaked interest for Rottweilers due to their intelligent, strength and loyalty. Rottweilers are now the second most popular dog breed in the United States.
Rottweilers are considered the best guard dog in the whole world. Studies have even showed that they are also the most efficient. Unfortunately, recently there has been negative attention towards Rottweilers due to some dog attacks. Usually, the blame should be put on the owner who either does not understand Rottweilers' natures or on breeders who are developing Rottweilers' aggressiveness. Rottweilers are used by some owners to increase their macho image, which unfortunately leads to some vicious dogs coming about.
Rottweilers tend to have some health issues like gastric torsion, elbow dysplasia, CHD and SAS. Some minor issues Rottweilers are prone to are entropion, ectropion, epilepsy and cataracts. It is recommended that owners make sure to have Rottweilers' hips, blood, cardiac, eyes and elbows checked. Rottweilers tend to live from 8 to 11 years. Separation anxiety can be a problem for some Rottweilers, but with some training and some patience from the owner, they can overcome it.
Due to their bad reputation, a Rottweiler's true nature is often overlooked which is a real shame. Most Rottweilers are friendly and very playful, even towards children. They are the second most popular dog in the United States due to their great alertness and their friendly nature and love of their owners.
