The German Rottweiler
Simply put a German Rottweiler is a dog that is born in Germany while the American Rottweiler is born in the United States. However, there are a few big differences between the two forms of Rottweiler’s. The biggest difference with the German Rottweiler is the fact that any dog born after June 1998 has a tail. Aside from the tail the breed standards between the two breeds are nearly identical so don’t be fooled by backyard breeders who claim the size, heads, bone and temperament of Rottweilers is different between the German and American breeds.
The Rottweiler breed originally started in Germany and originally descended from the Roman drover dogs which is a very old breed. Germany still breeds many of the Rottweilers and many U.S. bred dogs are imported from Germany. The biggest difference between the two forms of the Rottweilers is in how they are registered, tracked and bred. There isn’t much difference when it comes to appearance.
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.
Although whether the dog is German Rottweiler or an American Rottweiler getting a top quality dog is always a balance of genetics, pedigrees, knowledge, experience and little bit of trial and error. What really makes the difference between the American and German Rottweiler is the individual person’s 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.
A lot of breeders claim to have German Rottweilers when they are really just backyard breeders. Therefore it is important that you ask to see a breeders’ certification and then check it before you purchase a dog from any breeder. Carefully read the breeders code of ethics and make sure you are getting a dog from a reputable breeder rather than a backyard breeder.
