The breed is an ancient one and its history stretches back to the Roman Empire. In those times the legions traveled with their meat on the hoof and required the assistance of working dogs to herd the cattle. One of the routes the army traveled was through Württemberg and on to the small market town of Rottweil.
This region eventually became an important cattle area and the descendants of the Roman cattle dogs proved their worth in both droving and protecting the cattlemen from robbers. It would be a brave villain who would try and remove the purse around the neck of a Rottweiler Metzgershund (Butcher's Dog of Rottweil).
However, by the end of the 18th Century the breed had declined so much that in 1900 there was only one female to be found in the town of Rottweil. But the build up to the First World War saw a great demand for "police dogs" and that led to a revival in interest for the Rottweiler. Its enormous strength, its intelligence, and its ability to take orders made it a natural weapon of war.
From that time it has become popular with dog owners and in 1935 the breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. In 1936 Rottweilers were exhibited in Britain at Crufts. In 1966 a separate register was opened for the breed.
Rottweilers are not naturally without tails. Many owners decide to have the tails removed soon after the puppies' birth.
In recent years, the breed has received a lot of bad press. Unscrupulous breeders have produced dogs with highly aggressive tendencies and some owners have used the dogs to boost their macho images. A well-trained and responsive Rottweiler can provide the right owner with a great deal of exercise and loving companionship.
Rottweilers mauled a couple of Canadian boys to death in two separate, but similar cases in 2003 and 2004. In both cases, the rottweilers attacked in packs of three or four, and were kept in the victim's homes (belong to the family or a family friend).
Despite the media's fascination with Rottweilers who run afoul of canine behavioral standards, people who have experience with well-socialized examples of the breed can attest to the Rottweiler's friendliness and often clownish nature. In fact, the FCI standard calls for a dog that is fond of children. Nevertheless, this breed is not for the inexperienced or uninvolved dog owner.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
and
The International Encyclopedia of Dogs;
Stanley Dangerfield and Elsworth Howell (editors), Pelham
Books, London, 1985.