Over the past few years the Rottweiler has been unfairly described in the media as a vicious dog. In reality, a Rottweiler can be a great family pet.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Rottweiler is a medium-large robust dog with a massive, powerful body. Agile and athletic, the Rottweiler has a broad head with a rounded forehead. Her triangular ears lean forward. She has dark almond-shaped, friendly eyes. She usually doesn’t have a tail as it is usually docked at an early age.
A male Rottweiler is 24-27 inches tall and weighs between 95-130 pounds. A female is 22-25 inches tall and weighs approximately 85-115 pounds.
Coat: Glossy short thick coat. Coat is black with rust to mahogany markings. Although uncommon , a Rottweiler can be red with brown markings.
Life expectancy: 10-12 years.
PERSONALITY
The Rottweiler is a very intelligent dog. She is calm, confident and courageous.
A natural guard dog with a mellow personality. She has a reliable temperament
Fiercely oval to her owner(s).
Can be aloof to stranger, but will happily welcome friends and family.
Requires a lot of companionship to be happy.
Some of the Rottweilers talents are: guarding, police work, tracking, herding, and competitive obedience.
ROTTWEILER AS A PET
A properly trained Rottweiler can be a wonderful pet
She can be a great friend and protector to children.
Usually will tolerate cats and other animals in the home.
Can live in an apartment as long as she is properly exercised. She is generally an inactive dog while indoors.
EXERCISE
A Rottweiler will thrive with plenty of exercise. She has great endurance and loves to swim, run, and retrieve her ball. Let her run in a open field or in the woods and she will be ecstatic.
She loves to go for walks and will not wander from you when taken outside.
Can be aggressive toward strange dogs and should be kept on a leash in public places.
TRAINING
A Rottweiler is very trainable.
Firm and careful training is very important; otherwise you will end up with a very powerful and aggressive dog.
Training should start a young age; and great care should be taken to ensure that the dog is not vicious.
A Rottweiler needs a lot of socialization and loves to be with her family and friends.
NUTRITION
A Rottweiler should be feed a high quality dog food. She has a hearty appetite and tends to overeat so food should be monitored.
GROOMING
Coat is very easy to care for. Brush with a firm bristle brush and bathe only when necessary. She is an average shedder.
COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS
Rottweilers are susceptible to ACL damage. Prone to hip dysphasia. Also prone to entropion - a narrowing of the slit between the eyelids.
MISCELLANEOUS FACTS
Females often have large litters - 10 to 12 puppies are not uncommon.
Rottweilers tend to snore.
Often born with rear dewclaws, these are usually removed when the tail is docked.
HISTORY
The Rottweiler is probably descended from the Italian Mastiff.
During the middle ages it was used as a herd dog.
It was bred in the German town of Rottweiler in Wurttemberg.
The breed was practically extinct in the 1800’s. The breed population began to grow in the early 1900’s due to the efforts of dog breeders in Stuttgart.____________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED READING
____________________________________________________
http://friskydog.blogspot.com http://friskydog.wordpress.com
No comments:
Post a Comment