The dogs were known as "Rottweiler butchers' dogs" (German: Rottweiler Metzgerhund) because they were used to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat and other products to market. Some records indicate that earlier Rottweiler’s may have also been used for hunting, although the modern Rottweiler has a relatively low hunting instinct.
The Rottweiler was employed in its traditional roles until the mid-19th century when railways replaced droving for getting livestock to market. While still used in herding, Rottweiler’s are now also used in search and rescue, as guide dogs for the blind, as guard or police dogs, and in other roles. Although a versatile breed used in recent times for many purposes, the Rottweiler is primarily known as one of the oldest herding breeds. A multi-faceted herding and stock protection dog, it is capable of working all kinds of livestock under a variety of conditions. The breed's history likely dates to the Roman Empire. In those times, the Roman legion traveled with working dogs to herd the cattle needed to feed the army. The skull is of medium length, broad between the ears. The forehead line is moderately arched as seen from the side, with the occipital bone well developed without being conspicuous. The stop is well …show more content…
The muzzle should appear neither elongated nor shortened in relation to the cranial region. The nasal bridge is broad at the base and moderately tapered. The lips are black and close fitting with the corner of the mouth not visible. The gums should be as dark as possible. Both the upper and lower jaws are strong and broad. According to the FCI Standard Rottweiler’s should have strong and complete dentition (42 teeth) with scissor bite, the upper incisors closely overlapping the lower incisors.The zygomatic arches should be pronounced. The eyes should be of medium size, almond-shaped and dark brown in color. The eyelids are close fitting. The ears are medium-sized, pendant, triangular, wide apart, and set high on the head. With the ears laid forward close to the head, the skull appears to be broadened. The skin on the head is tight fitting overall. When the dog is alert, the forehead may be slightly wrinkled. The neck is strong, of fair length, well muscled, slightly arched, clean, free from throatiness. The back is straight, strong and firm. The loins are short, strong and deep. The croup is broad, of medium length, and slightly rounded, neither flat nor falling away. The chest is roomy, broad and deep (approximately 50% of the shoulder height) with a well-developed fore chest and well sprung ribs. The flanks are not tucked up. Docking is banned in many countries,