*** FCI STANDARD

TRANSLATION : Mrs. Chris Seidler.
ORIGIN : Germany.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 06.04.2000.
UTILIZATION : Companion, service and working dog.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 2 Pinscher and Schnauzer type, Molossian type, Swiss Mountain- and
Cattle Dogs and other breeds.
Section 2.1 Molossian type, Mastiff type.
With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The Rottweiler is considered to be one of the oldest dog breeds. Its origin goes back to Roman times. These dogs were kept as herder or driving dogs. They marched over the Alps with the Roman legions, protecting the humans and driving their cattle. In the region of Rottweil, these dogs met and mixed with the native dogs in a natural crossing. The main task of the Rottweiler now became the driving and guarding of the herds of cattle and the defence of their masters and their property. This breed acquired its name from the old free city of Rottweil and was known as the « Rottweil butcher's dog' ». The butchers bred this type of dog purely for performance and usefulness. In due course, a first rate watch and driving dog evolved which could also be used as a draught dog. When, at the beginning of the twentieth century, various breeds were needed for police service, the Rottweiler was amongst those tested. It soon became evident that the breed was highly suitable for the tasks set by police service and therefore they were officially recognized as police dogs in 1910.

Rottweiler breeders aim at a dog of abundant strength, black coated with clearly defined rich tan markings, whose powerful appearance does not lack nobility and which is exceptionally well suited to being a companion, service and working dog.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : The Rottweiler is a medium to large size, stalwart dog, neither heavy nor light and neither leggy nor weedy. His correctly proportioned, compact and powerful build leads to the conclusion of great strength, agility and endurance.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : The length of the body, measured from the point of the sternum (breast-bone) to the ischiatic tuberosity, should not exceed the height at the withers by, at most, 15 %.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : 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.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Of medium length, broad between the ears. Forehead line moderately arched as seen from the side. Occipital bone well developed without being conspicuous.
Stop : Well defined.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Well developed, more broad than round with relatively large nostrils, always black.
Muzzle : The foreface should appear neither elongated nor shortened in relation to the cranial region. Straight nasal bridge, broad at base, moderately tapered.
Lips : Black, close fitting, corner of the mouth not visible, gum as dark as possible.
Jaws/Teeth : Upper and lower jaw strong and broad. Strong, complete dentition (42 teeth) with scissor bite, the upper incisors closely overlapping the lower incisors.
Cheeks : Zygomatic arches pronounced.
Eyes : Of medium size, almond-shaped, dark brown in colour. Eyelids close fitting.
Ears : Medium-sized, pendant, triangular, wide apart, set on high. With the ears laid forward close to the head, the skull appears o be broadened.
NECK : Strong, of fair length, well muscled, slightly arched, clean, free from throatiness, without dewlap.

BODY :

Back : Straight, strong, firm.
Loins : Short, strong and deep.
Croup : Broad, of medium length, slightly rounded. Neither flat nor falling away.
Chest : Roomy, broad and deep (approximately 50 % of the shoulder height) with well developed forechest and well sprung ribs.
Belly : Flanks not tucked up.
TAIL : In natural condition, level in extension of the upper line; at ease may be hanging.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Seen from the front, the front legs are straight and not placed too closely to each other. The forearm, seen from the side, stands straight and vertical. The slope of the shoulder blade is about 45 degrees to the horizontal.
Shoulders : Well laid back.
Upper arm : Close fitting to the body.
Forearm : Strongly developed and muscular.
Pasterns : Slightly springy, strong, not steep.
Front feet : Round, tight and well arched; pads hard; nails short, black and strong.

HINDQUARTERS : Seen from behind, legs straight and not too close together. When standing free, obtuse angles are formed between the dog's upper thigh and the hip bone, the upper thigh and the lower thigh, and the lower thigh and metatarsal.
Upper thigh : Moderately long, broad and strongly muscled.
Lower thigh : Long, strongly and broadly muscled, sinewy.
Hocks : Sturdy, well angulated hocks; not steep.
Hindfeet : Slightly longer than the front feet. Toes strong, arched, as tight as front feet.

GAIT : The Rottweiler is a trotting dog. In movement the back remains firm and relatively stable. Movement harmonious, steady, full of energy and unrestricted, with good stride.

SKIN : Skin on the head : overall tight fitting. When the dog is alert, the forehead may be slightly wrinkled.

COAT

HAIR : The coat consists of a top coat and an undercoat. The top coat is of medium length, coarse, dense and flat. The undercoat must not show through the top coat. The hair is a little longer on the hindlegs.

COLOUR : Black with clearly defined markings of a rich tan on the cheeks, muzzle, throat, chest and legs, as well as over both eyes and under the base of the tail.

SIZE AND WEIGHT :

Height at withers : For males is 61 - 68 cm.
61 - 62 cm is small 63 - 64 cm medium height.
65 - 66 cm is large - correct height 67 - 68 cm very large.
Weight : 50 kg.

Height at withers : For bitches is 56 - 63 cm.
56 - 57 cm is small 58 - 59 cm medium height.
60 - 61 cm is large - correct height 62 - 63 cm very large.
Weight : Approximately 42 kg.

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

· General appearance : Light, weedy, leggy appearance. Light in bone and muscle.
· Head : Hound-type head. Narrow, light, too short, long or coarse head. Flat forehead (lack of stop or too little stop).
· Foreface : Long or pointed muzzle; split nose; Roman nose (convex nasal bridge) or dish-faced (concave nasal bridge); acquiline nose; pale or spotted nose (butterfly nose).
· Lips : Pendulous, pink or patchy; corner of lips visible.
· Jaws : Narrow lower jaw.
· Bite : Pincer bite.
· Cheeks : Strongly protruding.
· Eyes : Light, deep set. Also too full and round eyes; loose eyelids.
· Ears : Set on too low, heavy, long, slack or turned backwards. Also flying ears or ears not carried symmetricaly.
· Neck : Too long, thin, lacking muscle. Showing dewlap or throaty.
· Body : Too long, too short or too narrow.
· Back : Too long, weak; sway back or roach back.
· Croup : Too sloping, too short, too flat or too long.
· Chest : Flat-ribbed or barrel-shaped. Too narrow behind.
· Tail : Set on too high or too low.
· Forequarters : Narrow or crooked front legs. Steep shoulder placement. Loose or out at elbow. Too long, too short or too straight in upper arm. Weak or steep pastern. Splayed feet. Too flat or too arched toes. Deformed toes. Light coloured nails.
· Hindquarters : Flat thighs, hocks too close, cow hocks or barrel hocks. Joints with too little or too much angulation. Dewclaws.
· Skin : Wrinkles on head.
· Coat : Soft, too short or long. Wavy coat; lack of undercoat.
· Colour : Markings of incorrect colour, not clearly defined. Markings which are too spread out.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

· General : Distinct reversal of sexual type, i.e. feminine dogs or masculine bitches.
· Teeth : Overshot or undershot bite, wry mouth; lack of one incisive tooth, one canine, one premolar or one molar.
· Eyes : Entropion, ectropion, yellow eyes, different coloured eyes.
· Tail : Kink tail, ring-tail, with strong lateral deviation.
· Hair : Definitely long or wavy coat.
· Colour : Dogs which do not show the typical Rottweiler colouring of black with tan markings. White markings.
· Behaviour : Anxious, shy, cowardly, gun-shy, vicious, excessively suspicious, nervous animals.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/147gb2000_en.doc

*** AKC ROTTWEILER BREED STANDARD

Working Group
*Click to see the list of working dogs on the AKC site*

General Appearance
The ideal Rottweiler is a medium large, robust and powerful dog, black with clearly defined rust markings. His compact and substantial build denotes great strength, agility and endurance. Dogs are characteristically more massive throughout with larger frame and heavier bone than bitches. Bitches are distinctly feminine, but without weakness of substance or structure.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Dogs--24 inches to 27 inches. Bitches--22 inches to 25 inches, with preferred size being mid-range of each sex. Correct proportion is of primary importance, as long as size is within the standard's range.

The length of body, from prosternum to the rearmost projection of the rump, is slightly longer than the height of the dog at the withers, the most desirable proportion of the height to length being 9 to 10. The Rottweiler is neither coarse nor shelly. Depth of chest is approximately fifty percent (50%) of the height of the dog. His bone and muscle mass must be sufficient to balance his frame, giving a compact and very powerful appearance.

Serious Faults --Lack of proportion, undersized, oversized, reversal of sex characteristics (bitchy dogs, doggy bitches).

Head
Of medium length, broad between the ears; forehead line seen in profile is moderately arched; zygomatic arch and stop well developed with strong broad upper and lower jaws. The desired ratio of backskull to muzzle is 3 to 2. Forehead is preferred dry, however some wrinkling may occur when dog is alert. Expression is noble, alert, and self-assured. Eyes of medium size, almond shaped with well fitting lids, moderately deep-set, neither protruding nor receding. The desired color is a uniform dark brown. Serious Faults --Yellow (bird of prey) eyes, eyes of different color or size, hairless eye rim. Disqualification --Entropion. Ectropion. Ears of medium size, pendant, triangular in shape; when carried alertly the ears are level with the top of the skull and appear to broaden it. Ears are to be set well apart, hanging forward with the inner edge lying tightly against the head and terminating at approximately mid-cheek. Serious Faults --Improper carriage (creased, folded or held away from cheek/head). Muzzle --Bridge is straight, broad at base with slight tapering towards tip. The end of the muzzle is broad with well developed chin. Nose is broad rather than round and always black. Lips-Always black; corners closed; inner mouth pigment is preferred dark. Serious Faults --Total lack of mouth pigment (pink mouth). Bite and Dentition --Teeth 42 in number (20 upper, 22 lower), strong, correctly placed, meeting in a scissors bite--lower incisors touching inside of upper incisors. Serious Faults --Level bite; any missing tooth. Disqualifications --Overshot, undershot (when incisors do not touch or mesh); wry mouth; two or more missing teeth.

Neck, Topline, Body
Neck --Powerful, well muscled, moderately long, slightly arched and without loose skin. Topline --The back is firm and level, extending in a straight line from behind the withers to the croup. The back remains horizontal to the ground while the dog is moving or standing. Body --The chest is roomy, broad and deep, reaching to elbow, with well pronounced forechest and well sprung, oval ribs. Back is straight and strong. Loin is short, deep and well muscled. Croup is broad, of medium length and only slightly sloping. Underline of a mature Rottweiler has a slight tuck-up. Males must have two normal testicles properly descended into the scrotum. Disqualification --Unilateral cryptorchid or cryptorchid males. Tail --Tail docked short, close to body, leaving one or two tail vertebrae. The set of the tail is more important than length. Properly set, it gives an impression of elongation of topline; carried slightly above horizontal when the dog is excited or moving.

Forequarters
Shoulder blade is long and well laid back. Upper arm equal in length to shoulder blade, set so elbows are well under body. Distance from withers to elbow and elbow to ground is equal. Legs are strongly developed with straight, heavy bone, not set close together. Pasterns are strong, springy and almost perpendicular to the ground. Feet are round, compact with well arched toes, turning neither in nor out. Pads are thick and hard. Nails short, strong and black. Dewclaws may be removed.

Hindquarters
Angulation of hindquarters balances that of forequarters. Upper thigh is fairly long, very broad and well muscled. Stifle joint is well turned. Lower thigh is long, broad and powerful, with extensive muscling leading into a strong hock joint. Rear pasterns are nearly perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, hind legs are straight, strong and wide enough apart to fit with a properly built body. Feet are somewhat longer than the front feet, turning neither in nor out, equally compact with well arched toes. Pads are thick and hard. Nails short, strong, and black. Dewclaws must be removed.

Coat
Outer coat is straight, coarse, dense, of medium length and lying flat. Undercoat should be present on neck and thighs, but the amount is influenced by climatic conditions. Undercoat should not show through outer coat. The coat is shortest on head, ears and legs, longest on breeching. The Rottweiler is to be exhibited in the natural condition with no trimming. Fault --Wavy coat. Serious Faults --Open, excessively short, or curly coat; total lack of undercoat; any trimming that alters the length of the natural coat. Disqualification --Long coat.

Color
Always black with rust to mahogany markings. The demarcation between black and rust is to be clearly defined. The markings should be located as follows: a spot over each eye; on cheeks; as a strip around each side of muzzle, but not on the bridge of the nose; on throat; triangular mark on both sides of prosternum;on forelegs from carpus downward to the toes; on inside of rear legs showing down the front of the stifle and broadening out to front of rear legs from hock to toes, but not completely eliminating black from rear of pasterns; un-der tail; black penciling on toes. The undercoat is gray, tan, or black. Quantity and location of rust markings is important and should not exceed ten percent of body color. Serious Faults --Straw-colored, excessive, insufficient or sooty markings; rust marking other than described above; white marking any place on dog (a few rust or white hairs do not constitute a marking). Disqualifications --Any base color other than black; absence of all markings.

Gait
The Rottweiler is a trotter. His movement should be balanced, harmonious, sure, powerful and unhindered, with strong forereach and a powerful rear drive. The motion is effortless, efficient, and ground-covering. Front and rear legs are thrown neither in nor out, as the imprint of hind feet should touch that of forefeet. In a trot the forequarters and hindquarters are mutually coordinated while the back remains level, firm and relatively motionless. As speed increases the legs will converge under body towards a center line.

Temperament
The Rottweiler is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in his environment. He has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog.

The behavior of the Rottweiler in the show ring should be controlled, willing and adaptable, trained to submit to examination of mouth, testicles, etc. An aloof or reserved dog should not be penalized, as this reflects the accepted character of the breed. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs should not be faulted.

A judge shall excuse from the ring any shy Rottweiler. A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge. A dog that in the opinion of the judge menaces or threatens him/her, or exhibits any sign that it may not be safely approached or examined by the judge in the normal manner, shall be excused from the ring. A dog that in the opinion of the judge attacks any person in the ring shall be disqualified.

Summary
Faults - The foregoing is a description of the ideal Rottweiler. Any structural fault that detracts from the above described working dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

Disqualifications
Entropion, ectropion. Overshot, undershot (when incisors do not touch or mesh); wry mouth; two or more missing teeth. Unilateral cryptorchid or cryptorchid males. Long coat. Any base color other than black; absence of all markings. A dog that in the opinion of the judge attacks any person in the ring.

Approved May 8, 1990
Effective June 28, 1990
http://www.akc.org/breeds/rottweiler/index.cfm

*** CKC ROTTWEILER BREED STANDARD

Working Group

Rottweiler

Origin and Purpose
The Rottweiler was developed from the dogs used by the Roman legions to herd and guard the cattle brought by them to feed their legions. The butchers of Rottweil, Germany, developed the dogs to drive cattle to market and to protect their money bags which were tied around the dogs' necks. It was an arduous task to drive the cattle and a strong dog with staying power, full of self will and physical strength was needed. In the beginning of the 20th century, these dogs were found particularly well suited as a police dog, a function they still fulfill, especially in Europe.

General Appearance
The ideal Rottweiler is an above medium-sized, robust, and powerful dog, black with clearly defined rich tan markings. His compact build denotes great strength, agility, and endurance. Males are characteristically larger, heavier boned and more masculine in appearance.

Temperament
The Rottweiler should possess a fearless expression with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. He has a strong willingness to work. In examining a Rottweiler, one should bear in mind that this dog reacts with alertness to his master and his surroundings, and in performing his function in life, the Rottweiler is not expected to submit to excessive handling by strangers. However, the judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Rottweiler. A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an unexpected approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden or unusual noises to a marked degree. A dog that attacks or attempts to attack, without provocation, either the judge, or its handler is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness.

Size
Dogs 24-27 inches (60-68 cm). Bitches 22-25 inches (55-63 cm).
Proportion should always be considered rather than height alone. The length of the body, from the breastbone (sternum) to the rear edge of the pelvis (ischium) is slightly longer than the height of the dog at the withers, the most desirable proportion being as 10 to 9. Depth of chest should be fifty per cent of the height.

Coat and Colour
Outer coat is straight, coarse, dense, medium length, lying flat. Undercoat must be present on neck and thighs. The Rottweiler should be exhibited in a natural condition without trimming, except to remove whiskers, if desired. The colour is always black with rich tan to mahogany markings. The borderline between the black and the colour should be clearly defined. The markings should be located as follows: a spot over each eye; on cheeks; as a strip around each side of the muzzle, but not on the bridge of the nose; on throat; a proportionate triangular mark on either side of the breastbone not to exceed 25 per cent of the forechest; on forelegs from carpus downward to toes; on inside of rear legs showing down the front of the stifle and broadening out to front of rear legs from hock to toes but not eliminating the black from the back of the legs; under tail. Black penciling markings on the toes. The undercoat is grey or black. Quantity and location of markings are important. Insufficient or excessive markings should be penalized.

Head
Of medium length, broad between the ears; forehead line seen in profile is moderately arched. The cheekbones and stop are well developed. The length of the muzzle should not exceed the distance between the stop and the occiput. The skull is preferred dry; however, some wrinkling may occur when the dog is alert. The bridge of the muzzle is straight. The muzzle is broad at the base with slight tapering towards the tip but not snipey. The nose is broad rather than round, with black nostrils. The lips are always black with the corners tightly closed. The flews should not be too pronounced. The inner mouth pigment is dark. A pink mouth is to be penalized. The teeth are 42 in number (20 upper and 22 lower). They are strong and should be correctly placed meeting in a scissors bite--lower incisors touching the inside of the upper incisors. Eyes should be of medium size, moderately deep set, almond shaped with well-fitting lids. The iris should be of uniform colour, from medium to dark brown, the darker shade always preferred. Ears should be pendant, proportionately small, triangular in shape, set well apart and placed on skull so as to make it appear broader when the dog is alert. The ear should terminate at approximately mid-cheek level. When correctly held, the inner edge will lie tightly against the cheek.

Neck
Powerful, well muscled, moderately long with slight arch and without loose skin

Forequarters
The shoulder blade should be long and well laid back at a 45 degree angle. The elbows are tight and under the body. The distance from the withers to the elbow and the elbow to the ground is equal. The legs are strongly developed with straight, heavy bone. They are not set close together. The pasterns are strong, springy and almost perpendicular to the ground. Feet are round, compact with well arched toes, turning neither in nor out. Pads are thick and hard. Nails are short, strong and black. Dewclaws may be removed.

Body
The topline is firm and level, extending in a straight line from the withers to the croup. The brisket should be deep, reaching to the elbow. The chest is roomy and broad with a well-developed forechest. The ribs are well sprung. The loins short, deep, and well muscled. The flank should not be tucked up. The croup is broad, of medium length and slightly sloping.

Hindquarters
The angulation of the hindquarters balances that of the forequarters. The slope of the pelvis from the horizontal is between 20-30 degrees. The bone of the upper thigh is fairly long and the thigh is broad and well muscled. The stifle joint is moderately angulated. The lower thigh is long, powerfully muscled, leading to a strong hock joint. The metatarsus is perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, the hind legs are straight and perpendicular to the ground. The feet are somewhat longer than the front feet, with well arched toes turning neither in nor out. Dewclaws must be removed.

Tail
The tail is normally carried in a horizontal position giving the appearance of an elongated topline. It is carried above the horizontal when the dog is excited. The tail is normally docked short close to the body. The set of the tail is more important than length.

Gait
The Rottweiler is a trotter; the motion is harmonious, sure, powerful and unhindered, with a strong fore-reach and a powerful rear drive. Front and rear legs are not thrown either in or out, as the imprint of the hind feet should touch that of the forefeet. In a trot, the forequarters and hindquarters are mutually coordinated while the back remains firm. As speed increases the legs will converge under the body towards the centre line.

Faults
The foregoing is a description of the ideal Rottweiler. Any structural fault that detracts from the ideal must be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Included as faults are: pink mouth, wavy coat, insufficient markings, undercoat showing through outercoat. Faults considered serious are: lack of proportion, undersize, oversize, level bite, yellow eyes, eyes not of same colour, eyes unequal in size or shape, hairless eyelids, excessively short coat, curly or open coat, lack of undercoat, white markings any place on dog (a few white hairs do not constitute a marking), excessive markings, light-coloured markings, up to four missing pre-molars.

Disqualifications
Undershot, overshot, more than four missing pre-molars and/or any other missing tooth, long coat, any base colour other than black, total absence of markings.
http://www.ckc.ca/Default.aspx?tabid=73&Breed_Code=RTW