German Vs American Are There 2 Different Kinds Of Rottweilers?
In my personal opinion Yes, there are 2 different kinds of Rottweilers CORRECT & INCORRECT That's the difference!! A Rottweiler that is correct to the breeds standard is the very same no matter what country it's born in. You either have correct breeding and dogs that meet the breed standard or you don't it's that simple. The most obvious difference now between a dog born in Germany vs one born in the United States is that the German dogs now have tails. Docking is no longer allowed in Germany so dogs imported into the United States from Germany will have a full tail.
This question opens a large can of worms with most people and some people you can't convince no matter what proof you have. I have had uneducated Rottweiler owners tell me that they have 2 Rotties a male and a female from the same litter brother and sister and that the sister is American because she is leggy and her head isn't square and the brother is German because he is thick in the chest and has a big block head. These people make me laugh because this is utter nonsense!! You can't have a German Male and and American Female from the same litter!! What these people are seeing is genetics plain and simple Genetics are what makes your Rottweiler what he or she is large, small, short, tall, block head, Doberman head, etc. It all boils down to your dogs pedigree to take this one step further the people who tell me their dogs are German or American Most aren't even registered they have no pedigree and nothing to base this information on except for what their dog looks like. One Rottweiler owner told me that their Rottweiler is Mixed it's mom was German and it's dad was American and it made her Rottweiler Just big all over because of it and that they liked the German dogs better because they were short and stocky with dark markings unlike American Rottweilers. So, if you are new to the breed be prepared to hear some strange explanations as to what people think makes a Rottweiler German Or American and just remember the facts.
So why do "Actual" German Bred Dogs look so much different from the Rottweilers I see in the United States? That's a great question.
German Rottweiler Breeders are much more meticulous with their breeding programs. German Breeding Programs conform to solid working lines with solid temperaments. Their dogs must pass a breed suitability test and achieve certain working titles before breeding. American breeders are not required to test their dogs before they breed. Which is why you see many poor quality American bred Rottweilers. The American Kennel Club will register a litter of Rottweiler puppies from any 2 Rottweilers that carry AKC Papers no matter if these 2 dogs have weak temperaments, poor conformation, poor health, or no working ability. Now there are many other dog registries that you can register your dog with as long as it's pure bred. So when someone says I have 2 pure bred Rottweilers and we have pups from them Pure bred in The United States Doesn't mean much. In The United States There are no restrictions from breeding dogs that don't meet the standard. Being Pure Bred or being AKC registered (papered) is not a sign of quality!! This is proven when you see AKC Rottweiler Puppies For Sale DAD 220 pounds Mom 190 pounds. Yes, They are AKC and may be pure bred but are far from the Rottweiler Breed Standard.
Germany Rottweiler breeders must prove that their dogs meet the standard & requirements before they can breed X male to X female. This is why a True German Bred dog will look different than a poor quality pure bred Rottweiler born here in the United States. It doesn't mean that there is two different breeds of Rottweilers German & American It simply means that German Breeders are much more strict in their breeding programs that U.S. Breeders and it is reflected in the dogs temperament and conformation.
That's not to say that All American born Rottweilers are of poor quality there are many U.S. Breeders who are very passionate about producing Rottweilers who are correct to the breeds standard in temperament, working ability, conformation, etc however you wont find these U.S. Breeders selling their puppies out of a news paper classified or out of the back of a beat up pick up truck on the street corner!!
If your Rottweiler is Born in Germany He is a German Rottweiler, If your Rottweiler Is Born in Hungary he is a Hungarian Rottweiler, if he is born in America he is a American Rottweiler. He may be born in America with a full German Pedigree but he is still an American born Rottweiler.
Why people are so concerned of the Title American vs German is still beyond me I am not so much concerned if the Dog Is German, American, or Hungarian what I want is a dog that conforms to it's breeds standard, has true Rottweiler Temperament, Beautiful Conformation, and a Strong Working Ability. I have yet to understand what it matters to your neighbors brother if your Rottweiler is a German Rott or an American Rott? When you have a Schnauzer and you take him for a walk you aren't stopped and asked is that A German Schnauzer or an American Schnauzer you are simply asked is that a Schnauzer? So why people feel they have to put a title on the Rottweiler makes no sense to me He is a Rottweiler pure and simple.
Now, I can't say I have never had any fun when talking to these uneducated breed enthusiast when they ask me If Gus (my Hungarian Import) is German Or American I have been known to throw them for a loop and tell them actually, he is a Hungarian Rottweiler with a German pedigree it's always fun to see the dazed and confused look on their faces as well as the first comment that leaves their mouth afterwards " I didn't know there was Hungarian Rotts I thought they only came German Or American! This is when you just have to laugh it off and turn and walk away. It always makes me laugh that these people seem to know so much about the difference between German And/or American Rottweilers but yet will still ask me if my Dog is a German Or American Rottweiler???? Of course they are quick to tell me they have a HUGE GERMAN ROTT MALE at home and when I ask them what Kennel in Germany they imported their Rottweiler From I usually get oh I got him out of the news paper the guy I got him from has about 40 German Rotts but he didn't get em from Germany he breeds em German himself. Ahhh yes, why didn't I see that one coming.....
So It goes without saying if you are uneducated about the breed, and just go and buy any Rottweiler advertised in your local newspaper, you have no clue about what you are getting into or what it is that you are getting. Yet another reason you should research before you decide on that cute little fuzzy black and tan puppy.
Below is the Rottweiler Breed Standard for Both The United States AKC & FCI the foreign registry you will notice the standards are almost identical and it doesn't say German Rottweiler Or American Rottweiler It's Just The Rottweiler!!
Do You Dock Tails & Dew Claws On Your puppies? Yes, we dock our tails very short at the 1st vertebrae dew claws are also removed.
Are Your Puppies Vaccinated & Wormed? Yes, All Puppies are wormed with Strongid at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age (if needed). We also Vaccinate our puppies at 7 & 10 weeks with Pro Gard DPV(Distemper/Parvo virus vaccine).
Where are your Puppies Raised? I strongly believe in raising my puppies in my home which ultimately makes them better companions. My puppies are born at the foot of my bed and handled from that moment on until ready to join their new families. The puppies receive early neurological stimulation. As the puppies mature they are moved to my kitchen where they become familiar with the the tv, vacuum cleaner, other dogs, family & friends, radio, and are allowed to explore both the indoors as well as the outdoors under supervision before going to their new homes. I temperament/Ability test each puppy prior to placement and choose the right puppy for each individual family.
Do You Ship? We Do Not offer shipping with our puppies it is just to dangerous and stressful and I just can't do that to them. You are more than welcome to fly to our home and fly back with your new puppy on your lap.
Are Your Puppies Registered? Yes, We only register our puppies with the American Kennel Club. All of our companion puppies Must be spayed or neutered before we release the AKC Limited Registration Certificate to the new owner. A dog registered in this way is still AKC registered however any offspring born to a dog with this type of registration will not be eligible for registration. Companion puppies registered in this way can still participate in AKC Agility, Obedience Competition, Herding, Schutzhund, the Canine Good Citizen, etc. The only things they may not do is show in AKC conformation and be bred.
Do You Offer a Health Guarantee? Yes, all of our puppies are guaranteed against Congenital Health Defects for a period of 1 year and their hips are guaranteed for 2 years. You will be given a written health guarantee when you take your puppy home. If you would like a copy before then please email us.
How Much Does a Puppy Cost? This depends much on the breeding and the individual puppy. Our general prices are companion puppies 1200 and our working and show puppies are 1500-1800 all companion puppies are placed with a limited registration and spay or neuter contract NO EXCEPTIONS PLEASE DON'T ASK. Our prices depend on the breeding & individual puppy Please ask for an exact price of a particular litter or puppy.
What Do You Offer With Your Puppies? I never charge for training with my Rottweiler puppies I am a certified Dog Trainer & AKC CGC Evaluator I am always happy to offer a private training lesson( free of charge) if the family is willing to travel back to Rottweiler Station for the lesson We also offer Canine Good Citizen Testing. All of our puppies are vaccinated and wormed according to age, and micro chipped with Avid. We offer a nice puppy care kit with a book on Rottweilers after care information, toys, chew bones, Slip Leash, puppy shampoo, 3 Generation Pedigree, Sample of puppy food, coupons for puppy food, pet supply catalogs, photos & information on the sire & dam, puppy survival guide (our recommendations & tips), health record, but most importantly Unlimited Lifetime Breeder support.
Ok, I am ready for a puppy Now What? You must first fill out our puppy questionnaire so that we can better get to know you. You will find that here "Puppy Application" If you fail to answer any of the questions on our questionnaire we wont be able to process your application and it will automatically be denied. Yes and No answers have their place but please use some detail on your application remember we are trying to get to know you to see if one of our puppies would be a good match for your family if you do not use some detail how we will know if one of our puppies is going to be the right match for your family. If your application is approved we will contact you about our current or upcoming litters. If we do not have any litters listed on our "What's Available Page" and you want a puppy ASAP please consider this before completing the application.
Do you require a deposit? Yes, we do require a deposit of $300 after the puppies are born this deposit will be deducted from the total purchase price of your new companion. The deposit is non refundable and we will hold your puppy until he/she is ready to go home at 8 weeks of age. I am sorry but I can not hold a puppy without a deposit.
I Want To Buy My Pick Of The Litter? We do not place our puppies like that. We do not allow families to come to our home and just choose a puppy from the entire litter. I spend hundreds of hours with just one litter of puppies in that time I get to know each puppy very well. I Temperament/Ability test every puppy and what you might consider the pick of litter puppy may not be the right puppy for you. We match the right puppy with the right family. More often than not this is not the pick of the litter but the right puppy for your family which is most important. If I have evaluated the puppies and based on your application and getting to know you by phone if I have more than one puppy that I feel would be an equal match for your family I am happy to allow you to choose between the two puppies.
Do You Have Puppies Now? We do not have puppies often so reservations are Highly Recommended. Anytime we have puppies or a litter planned it will be on our "What's Available Page"
Male Or Female Which One Is Best? For the first time Rottie owner I always suggest a female. Females are smaller in size, calmer in disposition therefore easier for the novice to train, Extremely loyal and make devoted companions, are more likely to be gentle with children and other pets, often neater house pets, and are equal to males in working ability and intelligence.
Males are more strongly endowed with breed character and of course are physically stronger and robust. However males are more likely to challenge their owners (more dominant). Males take longer to mature physically and mentally thus more challenging to train. Males even neutered males will lift their legs to mark territory early neutering helps and often prevents this problem however some neutered males will still lift their legs to mark territory. A un-neutered (intact) male can be difficult to live with male companion dogs should be neutered because neutered males make much better family companions than intact males.
All Rottweilers need a firm but fair owner it does take a dedicated person to be a good Rottweiler owner. Rottweiler's MUST have early socialization as well as training. Training must continue throughout adulthood. This is not a breed you can shank out in the back yard on a chain and think oh he'll be fine. All Rottweiler puppies should be raised in a way to instill trust in people and should be very much a part of their family's daily lives (that is the reason you wanted the dog in the first place). If you are not physically and/or mentally strong enough to train and love a sometimes strong willed suborn dog that sticks to you like dog hair on a white suite then you will not be happy with a Rottweiler. Please do not confuse what I am saying I am not saying you have to be Mean to your dog actually that is the opposite of what I am saying. What you do have to do is be prepared to Learn how to be your Rottweilers Pack leader, set the house rules and make your Rottie abide by the rules from the moment he joins your home because he wont stay little long. Do Not let him get away with anything when he is a cute little 8 pound fuzz ball that you wouldn't let him get away with as a 115 pound adult. Always remember no matter how much we love our dogs they are not little children in fur coats and if you treat them as such you are asking for trouble. We expect our dogs to learn our language Sit, down, stay, leave it, etc. So please learn to speak your dogs language do an Internet search for Being your dogs Alpha, being the pack leader of your home, body posture of dogs. If we will just listen, our dogs tell us a lot. In closing a Rottweiler owner knows he must love and respect his Rottweiler as does his Rottweiler love and respect him. A person who has a hard time enforcing rules and being firm is not going to be happy with a Rottweiler, and most important if you are not your dogs pack leader he will be yours and you wont be happy.
There is nothing wrong with spoiling your Rottweiler, I spoil mine however, they know that I am their pack leader. A dog that isn't clear who is the alpha or pack leader is a very stressed dog. A dog does not want the responsibility of being the pack leader but they will assume the position if you do not. Training is the key never stop learning about your breed no matter how much you already know about it and get out there and have some fun being a part of your Rottweiler's Education.
Rottweilers & Young Children under 7 years old
I personally don't recommend it. Yes, a child and his k9 best friend is a beautiful sight to behold however I personally feel that it's best to wait until the children are older and more capable of having a loving and respectful relationship with their first dog. It isn't fair to expect any dog to allow a child to ride on it's back, pull it's ears, poke it's fingers in the dogs eyes and for the dog to sit there and take it because that's what children do. Dogs are not play toys and they are not baby sitters they are living breathing feeling creatures just like you and I. To often when something goes wrong the child pushes to hard or the dog plays a little to rough the dog is the first one that gets the blame and out the door the dog goes or worse to the dog shelter. I have rescued many wonderful Rotties due to the family having a new baby or due to the stress of raising baby and having a dog was to much to keep up with. No dog no matter it's breed or it's temperament should ever be left alone unsupervised with any child!! Misunderstandings happen and they happen quickly and it has left many families with regrets for not being there when it happened. That doesn't mean that children are bad, it doesn't mean they were bad parents, and it doesn't mean that dogs are bad it just means that when you have young children and dogs you have to be ever watchful. If you have a young baby or will soon be having a baby and are planning to get a Rottweiler puppy so they can grow up together Please reconsider this!! Raising a Human baby and a Rottweiler puppy is like raising twin babies to often it's to difficult to keep up with both of them and one will be lacking the attention it so desperately needs. I have seen wonderful Rottie puppies in this situation that grow up with little training and socialization (due to not enough time) that grow up to be to much for the family to handle and they must give them up. Rottweiler puppies are a lot of work house breaking takes time and midnight potty breaks, they must be socialized and trained which means weekly trips to dog class and daily training sessions at home, you must have one eye glued to your Rottweiler puppy any time she is out of her crate and loose in your home and often this along with a new baby is to much responsibility to take on at the same time. Which is why I recommend waiting until the children are older and more responsible. When your children are older they can partake in the training and care of the new family companion and enjoy the relationship and bond with their K9 best friend.
Supplements We Use with our Dogs...
We now require All New puppy owners to keep their new Rottie companions on either Ester-C or sodium Ascorbate(non acid vit.C) for the first 18 months of their puppy's life. We would prefer the new owners keep their new companions on this throughout their lifetime. The reason we require this is due to several studies that involve Ester-C or sodium ascorbate and Hip Dysplasia. Even Though many vets are skeptical that Vitamin C prevents Hip Dysplasia the results are pretty promising. Dr. Wendell Belfield DVM believes that many of our pets illnesses come from a Vit. C deficiency. Some of these illnesses are Arthritis, Lameness, Viral Diseases, Skin Problems, Urinary Infections, Digestive Problems, Cancer, etc. To read more about the benefits of Vit.C please visit the following links.
Where to get Ester-C/Sodium Ascorbate?
We use human grade supplements with our Rotties with that said Ester-C can be found at just about any store that offers human vitamins.
The powdered form of Sodium Ascorbate can be bought at
Other supplements that we have used or feel are good products
Nupro
Original formula is a balanced formula high in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and essential fatty acids. Works great for hot spots, allergies, dry, itchy skin, coat deficiencies, poor appetite and digestion, stress and fleas. Joint Support formula adds glucosamine, MSM and Ester-C. for more information on Nupro click here
Cosequin
An exclusive formula of chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride and manganese ascorbate have been formulated to support and maintain the health of your pet’s joints and the structure of the cartilage in the joints. Also inhibits the enzymes that break down cartilage.For more information on Cosequin click here
Legal Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the information provided on this Web site is what we do with our dogs or what we feel is a good product please use caution when using any supplement or medication with your dog. Never disregard veterinary advice or delay in seeking it as a result of information provided on rottweilerstation.com Rottweiler station may not be held responsible for the use or misuse of any information and/or products we have listed on our web site.
If you have any other questions please feel free to email us please note due to the volume of emails we receive on a daily basis it may take us several days to respond to your email. We try to promptly answer all emails that we receive.
