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.
