Zora's Drake Vonzidlhaus "Drake"

Ancestors of the Rottweiler are believed to have marched into Europe with the Roman armies and once there, to have interbred with local herding dogs. They herded cattle to market and guarded the money (wearing in on their collars) on the return journey.  The Rottweiler was named after the town of Rottweil in Germany which was a centre for cattle production. Mechanized transport helped to change the focus of the Rottweiler's job from herder to police, protection, and guard dog.

The Rottweiler stands up to 27 inches at the shoulder and has a harsh, shiny, black coat with tan or brown markings. He is a powerful dog with a sturdy build. As befits a working guard dog, he has great strength, agility, and endurance.   As working dogs, Rottweilers like to have something to do. Herding, competing in obedience, tracking, search and rescue, or retrieving the newspaper are all jobs at which Rottweilers excel.  First time dog owners should think twice about this breed as they have a dominant nature. Training should therefore begin early and be firm and consistent. The owner of a Rottweiler must be a strong leader who must be in control at all times.  Fealess and confident, the Rottweiler is an effective guard dog, loyal and determined, who will defend his family and property vigorously. However, it is never recommended that strong, naturally dominant dogs be left unsupervised with children. He may be aggressive towards other dogs and should be socialized at an early age. It is imperative that prospective owners properly research and reference check breeders to ensure that their dogs have not been bred to be overly aggressive. As a working dog, this breed is used to being active and requires a lot of exercise.