The Science of a Rottweiler

A Rottweiler does not enter a room so much as establish jurisdiction over it. Even when doing absolutely nothing, which Rottweilers can accomplish with impressive commitment, the dog possesses the unmistakable appearance of an animal who has already evaluated the exits, identified the suspicious-looking vacuum cleaner in the corner, determined who is carrying snacks, and decided that everyone may proceed with their evening provided nobody does anything foolish. With a broad head, powerful body, alert expression, and a history stretching back through cattle drives, butcher shops, farms, police work, military service, search-and-rescue operations, competitive obedience, family homes, and probably more than a few destroyed sofa cushions, the Rottweiler is one of the most recognizable dog breeds on Earth.The breed is also one of the most misunderstood. To admirers, the Rottweiler is loyal, intelligent, calm, affectionate, courageous, trainable, and extraordinarily devoted to its family. To people whose knowledge comes largely from alarming headlines or motion pictures in which the villain apparently shops exclusively for muscular black dogs, the Rottweiler can appear intimidating or dangerous. Reality, as usual, is more complicated and far more interesting. A Rottweiler is neither a four-legged criminal nor a stuffed animal with eyebrows. It is a powerful working dog whose behavior emerges from genetics, development, training, socialization, health, environment, human handling, and individual temperament. Understanding the breed requires examining all of those factors rather than deciding that forty-five kilograms of muscle automatically tells us everything we need to know.