Rottweiler Breed Standard
Working Group
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
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