Holowinski - The Everything Rottweiler Book: A Complete Guide to Raising, Training, and Caring for Your Rottweiler

Welcome to
THE

DOG BREED GUIDES

A S THE OWNER of a particular type of dogor someone who is thinking about adopting oneyou probably have some questions about that dog breed that cant be answered anywhere else. In particular, you want to know what breed-specific health issues and behavioral traits might arise as you plan for the future with your beloved canine family member.

THE EVERYTHING DOG BREED GUIDES give you clear-cut answers to all your pressing questions. These authoritative books give you all you need to know about identifying common characteristics; choosing the right puppy or adult dog; coping with personality quirks; instilling obedience; and raising your pet in a healthy, positive environment.

THE EVERYTHING DOG BREED GUIDES are an extension of the bestselling EVERYTHING series in the pets category, which include The EverythingDog Book and The EverythingDog Training and Tricks Book. These authoritative, family-friendly books are specially designed to be one-stop guides for anyone looking to explore a specific breed in depth.

Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com

THE

Rottweiler Book

Dear Reader:

Youve no doubt picked up this book because you want to know everything about rottweilers. Well, youve come to the right place. Within these pages, youll learn all about rottweilers and what it means to have one in your life. Whether youve just started searching for that perfect pet, youve gotten a rottweiler puppy and are not sure what to do next, or youve had your rottie a while, youre bound to find some useful information between these covers.

Rottweilers have been popular dogs, especially in the 1980s, when they ranked as the number-two dog in American Kennel Club (AKC) registrations. The rottweilers popularity has since slipped, not because the rottweiler isnt a good dog to own, but rather because the rottie has been misunderstood. Dogs arent cookie-cutter animals. The behavior you might expect from a Labrador retriever, a poodle, a Golden retriever, or a Dachshund isnt necessarily what youll get (or even want) from a rottweiler.

So, what is the rottweiler, and what makes him special? I invite you to look inside this book and find out. The rottweiler is a courageous and versatile dog with a unique history. I hope this book will help you learn more about this breed and enjoy your rottie that much more.

THE

ROTTWEILER
BOOK

A complete guide to raising, training, and
caring for your Rottweiler

Margaret Holowinski

Dedication:

In Memory of Snopeak Kiana of Sky Warrior CGC, NA, U-AGI, WPD,
WTD, PDX, A-PDX. Youre sorely missed.

BREED SPECIFICATIONS

Height:

Dogs: 24 to 27 inches; Bitches: 22 to 25 inches.

Weight:

Not listed in standard. Range approximately 70120 pounds.

Head:

A rottweiler should have a strong, powerful head with broad jaws. His head (without the muzzle) should be about twice the length of the dogs entire muzzle. The forehead should not have wrinkles except when the dog looks alert.

Ears:

Rottweiler ears should look like theyre alert and should be triangular. The ear should be no longer than mid-cheek.

Feet:

Feet should be compact so that they look round if you drew an outline around them. Feet should be straight when the dog stands. Toenails should be black. The back paws are slightly bigger than the front paws, still round, and should be straight when the dog stands.

Tail:

Tail docked short, close to the body, leaving one or two tail vertebrae.

Coat:

Coat should be coarse, dense, and medium length with an undercoat.

Topline:

The back is firm and level, extending in a straight line from behind the withers (shoulders) to the croup (base of tail). The back remains horizontal to the ground while the dog is moving or standing.

Movement:

Rottweilers are powerful trotters. Any other gait is not acceptable.

Temperament:

Rottweilers are calm and confident. He may be aloof, but will submit to inspection by a judge. Shyness or aggression in the ring isnt permitted and any dog that attacks a person in the ring is disqualified.

A huge thanks to my agent, Jessica Faust, of Bookends, Inc;
Diane Garnett from the American Rottweiler Club for permission
to reprint the rottweiler standard; Kent Dannen for the rottweiler
photos; and my husband, Larry, who encourages me and acts as part-time editor.

SO, YOU WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING about rottweilers? Everything is a tall order when it comes to these dogs. As a breed, rotties enjoyed relative anonymity until the 1980s, when their popularity and subsequent numbers skyrocketed. Yet even as the rottweiler became popular, rottweiler lovers of the breed warned people that these dogs werent for everyone. Rottweilers need a gentle but firm hand in training, and owning a big, protective dog requires responsibility. Even so, rottweilers remained popular.

Their popularity is now on the decline, having dropped from within the top ten to number thirteen in the list of the most popular registered breeds. Part of this is due to the rottweilers misrepresentation as a vicious breed, and part is due to breed bans (laws against owning a breed) enacted by municipalities. It is partly due to substandard dogs being churned out by puppy mills and backyard breeders. And the decline is also partly due to the conscientious responsible breeders who have educated the public that a rottweiler is not a dog for everyone.

Rotties are protective of their owners and property. They are often reserved or aloof with strangers, but many are cuddlers, too. Rottweilers must be socialized and trained properly. With a rottweiler comes great responsibilitya responsibility anyone with a big dog must accept.

This book will help guide you in selecting the perfect rottie for you and your family. Youll learn about the rottweiler and his unique history, as well as what makes the rottweiler different from other breeds. Youll learn how to find the best rottweiler in terms of health and temperament. Youll find out about the hereditary diseases that plague the rottweiler, many of which also plague other popular dogs. Youll also learn if a rescue rottie might be in your future.

Once you get your rottweiler home, youll need to know how to survive the first few days and nights with your new pet. Housebreaking doesnt mean breaking the house! Youll learn the quickest method in training your rottie to learn house manners.