What You Should Know About The German Rottweile

A German Rottweiler is simply a dog that is born in Germany while the American Rottweiler is born in the United States. But the two forms of Rottweiler's do have a few big differences. After June 1998 the biggest difference between the German Rottweiler and the American Rottweiler is that the German Rottweiler has a tail. However, the two breeds are nearly identical in standard aside from the tail. So don't be fooled by a backyard breeder who tries to claim that the size, heads, bone and temperament of Rottweilers are different between the German and American breeds.

The German Rottweiler comes from the old breed of Roman drover dogs and the modern Rottweiler breed originally started in Germany. Today many of the Rottweilers are still bred in Germany and many U.S. bred dogs are imported from Germany. The method of registration, tracking and breeding is the biggest difference between the two forms of Rottweilers. When it comes to appearance there isn't much difference.

In the United States two purebred dogs can be bred and the litter registered with the American Kennel Club. However, in Germany only the breed warden can approve the breeding of two dogs. This breed warden is a representative of the national Rottweiler club known as ADRK (the official German kennel club), which personally oversees and approves litters. A litter cannot be registered without the warden's approval.

In order for a German Rottweiler to be bred they must meet specific criteria. Included in these criteria is an obedience test, hip and elbow clearances, a conformation evaluation that includes weights, measurements and proportions and a written evaluation by an ADRK judge and a temperament test.

If a dog is still bred after they fail a test then their offspring can never be registered. An annual book contains the information of every dog along with the ADRK database which records all registered Rottweilers in Germany from the point or birth until death.

Whether trying to breed a German Rottweiler or an American Rottweiler a top quality dog is always a unique balance of genetics, pedigrees, knowledge, experience and a little bit of trial and error. The biggest difference between the American and German Rottweiler is how each individual person handles their breeding program.

Breeders will often focus their litters on a specific area such as working ability, soundness and genetic health, temperament and finally structure and type. Although the best breeder you can find is one that tries to breed all of these qualities in their dogs.

There are a lot of breeders who claim to have German Rottweilers when in reality they are backyard breeders. This is why it is always important to ask to see certification and then check that certification before you adopt any dog from a breeder. Always consider the breeders code of ethics and makes sure you are getting a dog from a reputable breeder and not a backyard breeder.