The objective of the Rottweiler Club is to promote responsible dog ownership
For puppy enquiries please contact Michelle Goddard on 9690 9955
About Rottweiler
Background
The Rottweiler is considered to be one of the oldest breeds of dog with its origin going back to Roman times. These dogs were kept as herders or driving dogs. They marched over the Alps with the Roman legions, protecting the humans and driving their cattle. When at the beginning of the twentieth century, various breeds were needed for police service, the Rottweiler was among those tested. It soon became evident that the breed was highly suitable for the task and therefore they were officially recognised as a police dog in 1910.
Average Lifespan
When considering a dog, please realise that you are taking it on for its lifetime. Rottweilers live up to 12 years of age.
Breed Personality/Characteristics/Temperament
The Rottweiler is exceptionally well suited to being a companion, security and working dog, being good natured, placid, very devoted, obedient and eager to work. It is self assured, steady and fearless. A Rottweiler must learn, from the start, its position in the family (i.e. at the bottom of the human pack). The Rottweiler is usually tolerant of children, but parents need to make sure that any child is taught to treat the dog fairly and should be actively involved in the dogs education process.
Care Requirements
As with all working breeds, the Rottweiler needs firm guidance and training. It is of vital importance that early socialisation be carried out. This means exposure to all the normal everyday events for a puppy, in a non-stressful atmosphere. This is essential if the dog is to be expected to fit the right action to the right situation when mature. The importance of this early grounding, which must be followed up with regular training, cannot be over stressed. The dog must also learn to respect you and know its place in your family. Most problems with Rottweilers arise when the dog is unsure who is in charge, or if conflicting messages come from family members. A Rottweiler requires daily exercise but will not exercise itself adequately alone. It is a companion dog and will wait for you to take it out for exercise. Adult dogs need daily exercies of both brain and body, and daily walking with some obedience training is the best solution. A puppy needs to be able to free run on non-slip surfaces as well as regular controlled walking on leash. Rottweilers are fast growing dogs, and, as such, are prone to all the problems that such animals exhibit, i.e. hip dysplasia, osteochondritis, etc. The breed clubs have introduced control schemes for these problems.
Ideal Owner/s
The ideal owner is a fit active person who is well versed in dog behaviour, or willing to learn. This should be a responsible person, who realises that this breed must be well socialised and trained from a small puppy - someone who is willing to share their life and home with a Rottweiler and put in quality time with the dog.
In Conclusion
Now you know a little about the Rottweiler and have decided this is the dog for you or you want more information, make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the breed and its needs.
