Rottweilers have a history that goes way back through times. There are as with most different breeds, different versions of their past. Some claim the rottweiler is entirely German developed by butchers. Others say it is a descendent from the Bouvier. Yet others tell the story as we tell it below.
Lets return to the time of the great Roman Empire where they controlled large portions of land. In Germany there was a small market town called Rottweil, hence the name rottweiler. In these times the legions got their supply of meat by having it mobile, meaning they brought their cattle with them.
The assistance of working dogs was needed to herd the cattle and this is where the rottweilers come in to business. One travel route was through the town Wurttemberg and on to the market town of Rottweil mentioned above. This region became an imporant cattle area and here the cattle dogs really proved their worth. In these times the rottweilers were thought to be called Rover dogs and they also carried wood and other products to the market.
Not only did the rottweilers herd the cattle, they also protected it from anyone trying to steal some of them. It took quite some courage to even try to bypass this strong and intelligent dog. They did service also by guarding supply dumps and were the camp dogs of preference.
There is a painting by flemish painter Peter Paul Reubens (1577-1640) that depicts a dog biting a wof in the back. This dog carries strong reassemblences with rottweilers.
In the years to follow the breed started to decline though and it went so far that in the year of 1900 there was only one female dog left in the town of Rottweil. Then in the start of the 20th century came the First World War. This increased the demand for police dogs and the best dogs that could be found for this purpose was of course the rottweiler. As demand increased the breed flourished and again become well known for its strength, intelligence and ability to be well trained.
After those days the rottweiler also became very popular with dog owners. In 1935 the breed was recognized officialy by the American Kennel Club. A year later they were exhibited in Britain. It was widely used again as a guard dog during the second world war.
Through the years the rottweilers have gained a proven reputation as the best and most efficient guard dogs there are.
Kari Eriksson is an infopreneur and a dog lover since many years. Lately Rottweilers have become a special interest and he operates The Rottweiler Directory at http://www.rottweilerdirectory.com alongsides with http://www.rottweilers-online.com where you can find articles, links and useful resources.
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