Rottweiler

What is a Rottweiler?

A large working dog of 35-60kg, black with defined tan markings, built to drive cattle and pull carts. Everything about the breed is power applied deliberately: they are not fast, they are not frantic, they are strong and steady and they think before they move.

History and origins

Descended from Roman drover dogs left in southern Germany, and named for the town of Rottweil, where butchers used them to drive cattle to market and to guard the money on the way home - hence the old name, the Rottweil butcher's dog. The railways nearly ended the breed in the nineteenth century; police and military work saved it. The Kennel Club recognised it in 1936.

Appearance and size

56-69cm. Always black with clearly defined rich tan markings. Broad head, powerful neck, deep chest, natural tail (docking has been banned in the UK since 2007). Males are substantially larger than females and the difference matters when choosing.

Temperament and personality

The breed standard asks for a dog that is "good-natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children", and a correct Rottweiler is exactly that: calm, self-assured, and slow to react. They are naturally aloof with strangers rather than friendly, and they watch.

They are also sensitive, which surprises people. They read their handler closely and they do badly with an inconsistent or angry one.

Nervousness and reactivity in a Rottweiler are almost always breeding or socialisation failures, and both are common at the cheap end of the market. This is a breed where buying carelessly has consequences for other people, not just for you.

Intelligence and trainability

Very high. They work in police, search and protection roles and they take enormous satisfaction in having a job. Train from week one, keep it up for life, and use reward-based methods: a Rottweiler that has decided to resist you physically is not a fight you win.

Children and other pets

Good with the children of their own household when raised with them, and their size and strength mean supervision is sensible rather than optional. They can be same-sex intolerant with other dogs. Socialisation between eight and sixteen weeks is not optional in this breed and it should continue for the first two years.

Health problems

• Hip and elbow dysplasia. Score and grade both parents; the breed's historic problem.
• JLPP - juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy, a devastating and fatal condition in young dogs. There is a definitive DNA test and there is no excuse for an untested litter.
• Osteosarcoma. Bone cancer rates in Rottweilers are among the highest of any breed and it is a leading cause of death, often before ten. There is no screening test. Early neutering has been associated with increased risk in this breed, so discuss timing with your vet rather than defaulting to six months.
• Subvalvular aortic stenosis - a heart condition; parents should be cardiac-examined.
• Bloat (GDV) - deep chest, real risk. Learn the signs; it is a surgical emergency.
• Eyes - entropion and ectropion.

Daily care routine

Two hours of exercise plus structured training or scentwork. Weight kept down hard: an overweight Rottweiler's joints do not last. No hard exercise for an hour either side of food.

Grooming and coat care

A weekly rubber mitt. They shed more than the short coat suggests, twice a year properly.

Exercise needs

Two hours daily for an adult, built up gradually - restrict jumping and long walks until 15-18 months while the joints finish. Mental work matters as much as distance.

Feeding and diet

Two measured meals, never one large one. £60-£95 a month. Large-breed puppy food with controlled calcium during growth, which materially affects joint development.

Price

£1,000-£2,200 from hip and elbow scored, JLPP-clear parents. Setup £450-£750; ongoing £130-£200 a month. Check your home insurance and your tenancy before you commit - refusals are common. Pet insurance is expensive and gets more so with age.

Buying advice

Non-negotiables: hip score, elbow grade, JLPP DNA result for both parents, and a cardiac examination. Meet the mother and assess her carefully - a nervous or sharp dam is a reason to leave, because temperament is heritable and this is not a breed where you can afford to gamble.

Ask what the breeder does with their dogs and what they expect of you. A good Rottweiler breeder will interview you hard. Let them.