Rottweiler

COUNTRY: Germany
WEIGHT: 90-110 pounds
HEIGHT: 22-27 inches
COAT-: Short, smooth
COLOR: Black/tan only
REGISTRY: FCI, ARC, UKC, TKC, CKC
GROUP: Mastiff

As Roman soldiers marched across Europe, they were accompanied by their food "on the hoof." With the armies came specific types of mastiffs used for driving and guarding the cattle; the dogs also changed the minds of would-be thieves and army deserters. As the cattle were eaten, dogs were discarded along the way as excess baggage. Others were left as guardians at the various outposts established by the Romans. Since the main route of travel was over the Alps through St. Gouhard Pass, these dogs figured in the background of many of the Swiss breeds. The northern boundary of the army's ventures traced through southern Germany, including the town of Rottweil, which became a major European center for livestock commerce during the next 18 centuries.

The Roman's canine contribution to Germany produced the "butcher" dogs of Rottweil, driving cattle and pulling wares to market. The trip was dangerous, with highwaymen lying in wait for the unwary, and traders tied their money belts around the Rottweilers' necks.


Appearance

Head: Broad, with rounded forehead and strong muzzle Teeth: Scissor bite, 42 teeth. Eyes: Dark, or an orangey brown Ears: Triangular, carried forward, occasionally folded slightly Tail: Natural bob tailed or if present the tail was usually docked. Docking is banned in Germany and U.K. An un-docked Rottweiler tail is usually around 4-6 inches and thick. Limbs: Straight, with heavy bone Feet: Round, compact, webbed, with thick, hard pads. The breed is always black with clearly defined tan or mahogany markings above the eyes, on the cheeks, muzzle, chest and legs. The coat is medium length and consists of a waterproof undercoat and a coarse top coat. Rottweilers living in hot climates may have aclimatised and be missing the undercoat. Rottweiler coats tend to be low maintenance, although they experience shedding prior to their seasons (bitches) or seasonally (males). The skull is typically massive, but without excessive jowls.

Size

Technically a "medium / large" breed, according to the FCI standard the Rottweiler stands 61 to 68 cm (24-27 inches) at the withers for males, and 56 to 62.5 cm (22-25 inches) for females, and the average weight is 50 kg (110 pounds) for males and 42 kg (93 pounds) for females.


Temperament

According to the FCI Standard, the typical Rottweiler is "good natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children, very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. His appearance is natural and rustic, his behaviour self assured, steady and fearless. He reacts to his surroundings with great alertness."

The Rottweiller ranks 9th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, being one of the brightest 10 dogs ranked by obedience command trainability.

Rottweilers are a powerful breed with well developed genetic guarding and herding instincts. Consequently an aggressive Rottweiler can cause a higher level of damage than a smaller, weaker dog. Rottweilers are not recommended for people who have little experience with dogs or understand little about dog psychology and responsible canine ownership. Obedience training and socialization are essential. As with any breed, potentially dangerous behaviour in Rottweilers results from irresponsible ownership, abuse, neglect, or lack of socialization and training rather than from any inherent breed characteristic. Injuries may occur when an owner or passerby tries to separate fighting dogs, or unintentionally triggers a guarding behavior in a dog.

The breed has received some negative publicity. In the US, the Rottweiler was the number one breed of dog named in fatal human attacks in 2000, in a report by the CDC. These reports must be read in the context of the breed's popularity as it was the most popular breed in the United States in the same period.

The portrayal of Rottweilers as evil dogs in several fictional films and TV series, most notably in The Omen, and sensationalist media hysteria has added to their negative publicity. This hysteria has led to Rottweilers being banned in some municipalities and are sometimes targeted as dangerous dogs by legislation, such as in the Netherlands and Portugal. However, some films have portrayed the gentler side of a Rottweiler's personality, including Lethal Weapon 3 where a Rottweiler guarding a gun smuggling operation is placated by one of the main characters with dog treats, and later rescued and de facto adopted.

Pudel pointer

COUNTRY: Germany
WEIGHT: 55-70 pounds
HEIGHT: 24-26 inches
COAT: Hard, coarse and thick, but not very long, slight beard and brow
COLOR: Chestnut to dead leaf, solid with a small amount of white on paws and chest allowed
REGISTRY: FCI, CKC
GROUP: Gun Dog

A combination of pointers and "poodles" in name and genetic make-up, this breed was created in the late 1800s by Baron von Zedlitz. He started with 90 "pointers" (probably of the utility dog type, i.e., Shorthair, Wirehair, and others) and seven "poodles." Some who have stud-ied the breed espouse his use of the modern Poodle; however, others feel the breed's forebears were actually Barbets, ancestors of the Poodle. Nevertheless, the Pudelpointer inherited the intelligence, attachment and obedience to owners, love of water and natural retrieving ability demonstrated by Poodles. The pointers contributed other hunting skills, including the sensitive nose and fiery attitude toward game.

While working on establishing the mental characteristics and hunting attitude, physical type was slowly fixed. Today his short, rough, waterproof jacket with its camouflage coloring and other qualities enable him to figure prominently in German utility trials. The breed cannot achieve stud book status in its native land until the dog has passed these demanding ability tests. The dog must also pass a hip radiograph exam, as well as have a conformation rating.

Field trials in Germany demand formidable performance from the dogs. In the utility search competition, 25 requirements have to be passed. Judgment is made on work in the woods, water, field and in retrieving—and all dogs must have acquired at least a "good" rating in conformation before being allowed to compete.

The retrieving portion of the test necessitates finding and bringing back a hare and a fox; another fox must be retrieved over a high jump. Field work judging is based on nose, searching, pointing, retrieving of feathered game, and manners. The dog must not only track wounded duck but retrieve from deep water.


The difference between hunting styles becomes fully apparent in the woods. While the utility dog is never actually used to hunt deer, its ability to search for wounded game such as boar, hare, fox, and/or deer and stag is utilized throughout Europe. Especially in Germany, the sporting hunter makes every effort to find each piece of game that he wounds but fails to kill. As Dr. Fritz von Dewitz-Colpin relates, "All hunting is done under the motive: The subsequent search defines the value of the huntsman."
The dog must track a wounded hare and a fox, most preferably giving tongue while on the trail, and then retrieve the animal. He must find and put to flight furred game such as rabbits. And last, he is expected to follow the bloodtrail of a wounded deer or boar (in trials, simulated by dripping just one drop of blood every yard or so over a trail of 500 meters with a deer skin left at the end). To start, the dog tracks on lead, but as he becomes closer to the game and sure of his quarry, he is unleashed to go on by himself. When he reaches the dead game, he has to indicate his success. The verbellen (verbal) dog bays loudly to announce the find. This is the most desirable way since, in actual hunting situations, he may find the wounded deer alive and, having cornered it, bay until his master reaches him. Some dogs are naturally verweisen (mute), and these dogs usually are trained to take in their mouths a short strap, called a bringsel, that hangs from their collar, and return to the handler. This symbolic retrieve of the bringsel, literally "the bringing thing," indicates that the dog can lead the handler to dead game that is too large to retrieve.

Until 1933, the dog was also expected to pass a sharpness test in which he killed a "big cat" or a fox. These species preyed on both hare and birds, so it was important to game wardens that the numbers of cats and foxes be kept low. These tests have been outlawed, but owners of the utility breeds may find hints of this sharpness still present.
A limited number of Pudelpointers are in Canada and the USA, almost exclusively in the hands of hunters. Most comparable to the German utility tests are the trials sponsored by the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA), and the Pudelpointers perform commendably in these events. NAVHDA judges the dogs against a standard and expects them to perform a variety of hunting chores.

Pudelpointers do as well hunting in the desert as they do in a snowdrift. The breed has tremendous stamina and needs a large amount of exercise. Their tail is docked like that of a Shorthair.