Nature gave the
wild forbears of our dogs not only the physical, but also the mental
and spiritual powers which they needed in the struggle for existence.
With domestication the urge and the occasions for the use of these
powers grew less, under the influence of the human will. This
unquestionably brought about a change in the mental attributes of the
dog in the course of many thousands of years; the basic elements have
remained the same, but their character and their functional capacity
and intensity have been altered in a greater or lesser degree. For
example, the instinct of flight was immensely more important among
the primitive ancestors of the dog than it is today among breeds in
which for a long time other instincts, e.g. the fight instinct, have
been preferred. Another example is offered by our hunting dogs, which
possess characteristics which are in part quite contrary to those of
their forbears which hunted for their living. The nature of the dog
was formed, stabilized and up to a certain point made uniform,
according to the wishes and needs of man, by breeding, selection, and
rejection. We may therefore speak rightly of the specific qualities
of character of a breed by which they are more or less distinguished
from other breeds.
The account
given here of the character of the Rottweiler in its essential
features is based upon many observations and comparisons in every
kind of situation, upon exchanges of experience and opinion with
those best qualified to judge, and last, but by no means least, in
the knowledge that there are always gaps between those qualities
which are generally present and the ideal, which is the aim of
responsible and conscious breeding to close so far as possible. For
it is upon the preservation of his good character that the Rottweiler
must depend if he is to retain his circle of faithful adherents. His
place is where mere external, elegant, or grotesque exaggeration of
form do not set the standard, but when a dog with particularly
well-marked qualities of character is desired and esteemed. This is
not only nor in the first place a question of the use of the
Rottweiler as a working dog, but also and above all, the question of
the dog as a domestic pet in the home, in business, and in the
workshop - the watchdog, companion and guard dog. To this sphere the
Rottweiler, as a result of long domestication, brings a great measure
of trustfulness, loyalty, and adaptability, qualities which greatly
ease his absorption into the course of domestic life, his adaptation
to the customs and procedures of business, etc. Distrust is a quality
which is not very strongly marked in the character of the Rottweiler
as with all courageous dogs. He remains, however, always reserved and
watchful towards all newcomers and strangers, though mostly not to an
excessive degree and without unnecessary barking. His ability to
learn and especially his capacity for adapting himself to his
environment is very great and is much prized by professional dog
handlers. That a breed which has so long been bred for use, possesses
an exceptional willingness to work is as self-evident as the
Rottweiler's capacity to retain what he has learned in the course of
training. It is not for nothing that trainers who are familiar with
other breeds are often heard to say, "When the Rottweiler has
once grasped a thing, it sticks." A quality which is
particularly striking in such robust and courageous dogs is their
tractability both in and out of doors, generally combined with
patience and with cheerfulness which is hardly ever disturbed. He is,
so to speak, always in a good mood. Consider for example, the way in
which this strong and valiant fellow puts up with children or how
tolerantly he lives with other domestic animals once he knows them.
The
Rottweiler is a tough dog. This applies not only to his physical
needs, but also to his mental disposition. By a tough dog we mean one
that soon forgets unpleasant or painful experiences and does not
allow himself to be influenced by them in his subsequent behavior.
Despite this toughness, most Rottweilers are very tractable, i.e.,
they easily subordinate themselves and are exceptionally obedient.
The Rottweiler's reaction to external stimuli is generally deliberate
and seldom hasty. He has a certain moderation of temperament, a
quality which is both desirable for a working dog and for a pet.
Nothing can cause more disturbance or annoyance, if not serious
danger, than a dog with a very highly strung or excitable
temperament. The Rottweiler behaves calmly and peacefully in the
family, at home, in public and in traffic. He does not bark on every
insignificant occasion and when left alone readily accepts the
inevitable. He does not need an undue amount of exercise and for this
reason he is a quite good dog to keep, even in a town. Moreover, he
is easily house trained and does not push himself forward or make a
fuss. Where there is an opportunity to let him run about free, one
need have no hesitation in allowing him this pleasure, because when
let out alone he has little inclination to fight, pays little or no
attention to what goes on around him, and is not much given to
chasing things.
The diminution
of certain instincts as a consequence of domestication is in many
ways a good thing, but it has it's limits, e.g. good nature should
not degenerate into stupidity and lack of resolution; calmness and
peaceful temperament should not change into laziness and undue love
of comfort. The decline of the tracking instinct must also be avoided
in the interests of the working qualities of the dog and the
preservation of a harmonious character. The Rottweiler still
possesses exceptional powers of scent and often gives proof by his
ability to track. The preservation of these valuable qualities
undiminished must be the task of breeding, supported by practical
work and careful judgment of each animal.
How stands it
with the Rottweiler in regard to the quality called sharpness, a
quality of the working dog which even today is often misunderstood
and wrongly interpreted? By sharpness we mean (Following the
definition of Dr. Menzel) the constant readiness of the dog to react
most rapidly and in a hostile way to external stimuli. If one
reflects upon this definition, one is led to the conclusion that in
working dogs, whatever the purpose for which they are used, a very
high or exaggerated degree of sharpness is not a desirable thing.
Jean Sir, the well known expert on working dogs, considered for
example, that a guard dog should possess normal sharpness and that
this, as far as practicable, should not be exceeded. This
requirement, the validity of which has been demonstrated a thousand
times in practice, is fully satisfied by the Rottweiler. Dogs which
are too sharp can easily cause uproar and danger without any serious
reason. Such dogs often possess little or no courage; they flare up,
but do not stand their ground in the face of danger.
The courageous
dog is one which meets resolutely and without fear the dangers which
threaten it and its human companions. Courage is a quality which is
unmistakable in the Rottweiler. This fact is of inestimable value for
only a courageous dog possesses the true instinct to guard, i.e.
readiness to protect his master against dangers without being
compelled and without regard for his own safety. The firmer a dog's
courage is, the more pronounced is his instinct to guard and the more
reliable his performance as a guard dog.
Now we often
observe dogs whose qualities of courage and sharpness cannot be
denied, but which only show moderate readiness to guard and ward off
danger. These dogs lack the impetus to attack: the fight instinct. A
dog with strong fighting instinct takes up the fight without regard
for pain and danger and sees it through whatever may befall. The
Rottweiler is well endowed with the fighting instinct; without this
valuable quality he could not have survived or have been able to
fulfill his tasks, which were often connected with fighting. The
important task of preserving and strengthening the established nature
of the Rottweiler was fortunately recognized at an early stage by
breeders. The qualities of character are taken fully into
consideration and no Rottweiler is used for breeding unless he has
been thoroughly tested.
Let us once
again sum up the character of the Rottweiler and it's principal
features: He is a faithful and obedient dog, loyal to home and
master, possessing medium temperament and sharpness; a bold and
fearless dog who keeps the peace for a long time, but in case of need
attacks swiftly and without regard for consequences, who combines joy
in battle with readiness to guard, but soon changes to a peaceful
mood and possesses firmness of nerves in all situations, that is the Rottweiler.
There is one
thing that he is not: he is not a dog to be kept in captivity or on a
chain. Naturally one can occasionally keep even a Rottweiler in
captivity or tie him up for a short time, but if this is done all the
time his character will be ruined. The more he can be in the company
of men, the more intimate the family relationship, the more firmly
does he attach himself to man, and the more do the good, useful and
amiable sides of his character reveal themselves. Thus there arises
as Paul Eipper has so well expressed it, "A beautiful
relationship based on reciprocity which may grow and deepen in an
unimaginable degree."
~ Author Unknown