Rottweiler

Coat and looks how to spot one

short to medium, coarse double coat

A compact, muscular dog built for strength, agility and stamina, a bit longer than it is tall. The outer coat is dense, coarse and lies flat over an undercoat, staying shortest on the head, ears and legs and growing slightly longer on the back of the hind legs.26

Personality what they are like

At heart a good-natured, calm dog that is deeply loyal to its people and keen to have a job. It carries itself with quiet self-assurance and tends to stay reserved and watchful with strangers while being a soft, playful companion at home. Clever and sometimes a little stubborn, it thrives with an experienced owner who gives clear, consistent, reward-based guidance.27458

Daily activity how busy a day looks

High. The Royal Kennel Club and PDSA suggest more than two hours of exercise a day, mixing walks, play and brain work. Obedience, tracking, agility, herding and cart pulling are all good outlets for its working drive.98410

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Easy coat care: a weekly brush removes loose hair, with extra brushing during the spring and autumn moults. Trim nails regularly and brush teeth often. Early socialisation and steady, positive training from puppyhood are the most important parts of its care.8549

Home where they are happiest

Best in a house with a large, secure garden; can live in town or country. Prefers cooler weather and can overheat in the heat, so shade, water and calmer exercise are needed on warm days. Should not regularly be left alone for more than about four hours.958

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete dog food, usually split into two meals a day. Puppies do well on a large-breed growth formula that supports steady growth; adults need good-quality protein and portions adjusted to age and activity to stay lean.84

Company who they like around

Bonds strongly with its family and wants to be with them, often leaning against people or trying to climb onto laps. Usually does best with older children, and early, ongoing socialisation helps it get along with other dogs; supervise it around small pets.8411

The story where it all began

The breed is thought to trace back to mastiff-type dogs that travelled with Roman legions over the Alps, herding the cattle that fed the troops and guarding camps. The Romans used Rottweil (then Arae Flaviae) as a trading post, and local dogs there mixed with these drovers' dogs. Over the following centuries they became the butchers' and cattle dealers' dogs of Rottweil, driving stock to market, pulling meat carts and guarding purses. When railways replaced cattle droving in the mid-1800s the breed dwindled, and by 1882 only one was shown at a dog show in Heilbronn. Demand for police dogs just before the First World War revived it, and it was officially recognised as a police dog in 1910. German breed clubs formed from 1914 and merged into the ADRK in 1921. A German immigrant bred the first US litter in 1930, the AKC recognised the breed in 1931, and the UK opened a separate register in 1966. Today Rottweilers work as police, service, rescue and therapy dogs and compete in many dog sports.2310

Recognised by the official bits

FCI

Standard No. 147, Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs), Section 2.1 Molossian type, mastiff type; with working trial; definitive acceptance 1 Jan 1955; current standard published 15 Jun 20181

ADRK

Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub, formed in 1921 from a merger of earlier German clubs (DRK founded 1914, SDRK 1915)3

The Royal Kennel Club

Working Group; separate breed register opened in 196612

AKC

Working Group; added to the AKC stud book in 1931; first AKC standard 193510

UKC

Guardian Dog Group; recognised 19506

Popularity AKC rank 8 of registered breeds (same rank as 2024)13