The Rottweiler was registered by the American Kennel Club in 1935 and is classified in the working dog group. This breed has been renowned historically for its ability to guard, protect and herd. Unfortunately, the Rottweiler dog breed in recent years has developed the reputation of being aggressive and prone to violence. A large, strong dog, the Rottweiler can certainly be a formidable opponent. Its ancestry may help explain how it developed its good and bad reputation.

The modern day Rottweiler was named after Rottweil, Germany where it gained support in the early 1900s. Prior to that date, Rottweilers have an uncertain lineage though the common belief is that they descended from the large Roman mastiff dog almost two thousand years ago. Even then, early forms of Rottweiler were known for their skill in protection and military service. The inherent intelligence and strength of the breed allow these dogs to be trained in many tasks and the Roman army utilized Rottweilers in conquering Europe. The protective nature of the breed can manifest itself in aggression if Rottweilers are not trained from an early age. Some owners take advantage of that aggression or mistreat dogs so that these tendencies come out.
The personality and appearance of the Rottweiler dog breed make it unique.
Surprisingly, one of the first adjectives used to describe the Rottweiler’s personality is calm. The breed is known to be an excellent, relaxed family pet. In fact, a calm, courageous and confident temperament is the breed standard according to the American Kennel Club, which registered the Rottweiler in 1935. Other personality traits include loyalty to family but aloofness with strangers, intelligence, work ethic and self-assuredness. All of these traits assist the Rottweiler dog in performing the tasks it does best such as herding, protecting, tracking, competing, and performing police and military work.

The Rottweiler’s strong physical traits also define the breed. All purebred Rottweiler’s have distinctive coloring with an all black short coat with brown markings in specific areas of the cheeks, muzzle, paws and legs. A strong and large dog, the Rottweiler is muscular and has a broad head and chest. Its tail is generally docked to give its body a longer, more streamlined appearance. Rottweilers are easily differentiated from other dog breeds due to their physical and personality traits.
It is important to clarify that the natural temperament of the Rottweiler dog breed leans more toward calm than aggression. A potential Rottweiler buyer should research the breed and make sure he can handle a large, active dog before buying. However, a buyer should not be more afraid to buy a Rottweiler than any other dog breed. Steps a buyer can take to ensure he purchases a physically and emotionally healthy Rottweiler include researching the breed first and know what breed standard traits to look for, research breeders to find an ethical breeder of purebred Rottweilers, visit the breeder kennel to see how Rottweiler puppies are raised, obtain pedigree information to determine lineage, obtain health information to ensure the Rottweiler has been evaluated for genetic problems, ask the breeder to provide Rottweiler information, specifically on training and discipline, and lastly make sure the buyer’s household is appropriate to meet the Rottweiler’s social and activity needs

With many dog breeds, an alternative to buying from a breeder is buying a purebred from a rescue center. Because of Rottweilers’ tendency toward aggression if they have suffered maltreatment, buying from a rescue center may not be a good option with this breed.

The personality of the Rottweiler has received a bad reputation. Aggression and violence are not typical of every Rottweiler dog. In this article Rottweiler information is provided. The behavioral traits of the Rottweiler dog breed are also explained.

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