Rottweiler Facts

Rottweiler Profile

Since the domestication of the wolf, there has been an exceptional variety in the dog breeds that our ancestors produced. Before Crufts, before Paris Hilton’s handbag, before the uncomfortably accurate Best in Show movie, dogs were bred to actually do stuff. Some pulled sledges, some guarded houses. Some herded livestock, and some, like the enduring Rottweiler, did it all.  

Rottweiler Facts Overview

Rottweilers made their name in a small town in Germany in the Middle Ages, increasing in popularity in the 19^th Century. But they come from a lot farther back than this! The Romans brought them to Germany in the first place, and this makes them one of the oldest dog breeds still in use. The Rottweiler’s versatility comes from its smarts, hardiness, strength and protective nature, but unfortunately, so does the breed’s potential to cause harm.

Rottweilers are not beginner dogs, especially if they’re owned by people without the physical strength to handle them responsibly. 3

Interesting Rottweiler Facts

1. They’re probably not from Rottweil

Their name suggests a German connection to this breed, and this was certainly the case for a long time. In the 1800s, Rottweilers were commonly referred to as butchers’ dogs, since they both herded livestock and pulled meat carts.

This breed was bred for both herding and strength, and its size made it outstanding as a guard dog, too. At up to 60 kg, this is a large animal, and is considered a medium-to-large breed that is equally at home on the farm, pulling carts, and standing watch.

This reputation came from the old town of Rottweil, but their origin goes much farther back.

2. They’re old

Rottweilers date back to at least Roman times. Like their role in 19th-century Germany, they were used by the Romans as herders and would join the military in their marches over the Alps as protectors¹.

This is how they arrived in the city of Rottweil in the first place, as accessories to the Romans who invaded.

Their continued breeding with the local herders made them not only popular but specialised for the roles, and with all this responsibility came tremendous strength.

3. They’re strong

Being bred to pull heavy weights has given the rottweiler a seriously impressive momentum with colliding with something, too. They are fast, agile and heavy dogs and are popular as security animals for this reason.

They also have one of the strongest bites of any dog breed, which comes in handy when subduing an attacker, but, as we’ll discuss shortly, can make them very dangerous when brought up badly.

4. They don’t need their tails lopped off

Traditionally, in the pompous world of Kennel Club breeders, Rottweilers are supposed to have a docked tail. This form of arbitrary mutilation comes from their history as working dogs, used to pull carts of meat: the tail was amputated to prevent it from getting into the meat. In other roles, the tail was lopped off to prevent it from getting damaged in fights while protecting livestock².

Some even say it was a way of avoiding the “tail tax”, which was apparently a way of counting livestock.

Regardless of the original why, it eventually became the “accepted look” and was perpetrated as such.

Today, thankfully, this practice is becoming more discouraged, and in many places it is now rightfully banned.

5. They can be exceptionally dangerous

In the argument about dangerous dog breeds, people on the dogs’ side often overlook two inconvenient realities:

First, a dog doesn’t have to be innately more aggressive to be more dangerous – a yappy little Schnauzer, regardless of how furious it is, is only a threat to any nearby exposed toes and fares less well against a well-swung boot. Meanwhile, any dog over 40 kg still has a skull that evolved to withstand a kick from an elk and will not be as easy to physically dissuade, once it gets started.

Secondly, “It’s not the dogs, but the owners” is just a rewording of the same problem. Much like “Guns don’t kill people; people do”, if the result is people being killed, something has to change. Rottweilers routinely show up at number 2 on the list of dog-attack deaths, under Pitbulls. And in areas where pitts have been banned, their despicable, would-be pit bull owners just get rotties instead, and the issue persists.

This is why the question of animal ownership, just like the question of gun ownership, should be around strict legislation, and breed bans need to be considered under this umbrella. Not only should the ownership of animals with the potential to kill be heavily restricted for human safety, but perhaps of equal significance, it would put a stop to the innumerable cases of animal neglect and abuse that come from irresponsible animal ownership in general.

Because rottweilers are intelligent, sweet, and deeply charismatic animals that just happen to be powerful enough to tear your head off. And this responsibility should not be granted to anyone simply for having a few hundred quid to put down on a puppy³.

6. They can be such good boys

The extensive working history of this breed should be enough to determine the potential for Rottweilers to be outstanding companions, but there are domestic case studies that support this, too.

In Coventry, a rottie called Jake responded to the screams of a woman being attacked and chased off the attacker, then came back to stand guard over the victim until help arrived. The attacker was caught and sentenced, and Jake was nominated for a bravery award⁴.

In another instance, a rottweiler discovered an elderly woman who’d been stuck in a bush for 15 hours and drew help to the scene.

Rottweilers, then, like all dogs, deserve far better legal protection than we give them, and when well cared for, can be some of the most endearing animals to spend a life around⁵.

Rottweiler Fact-File Summary

Scientific Classification

1. (2025), “History of the Rottweiler”, American Rottweiler Club.
2. “Tail Docking”, rottweilers.
3. (2025),“Bite Statistics According to Dog Breed”, Adam S. Kutner.
4. Melissa (2015), “Rottweilers Save 80-Year-Old Woman, Lick Her Until Help Arrives”, the dodo.
5. (2010), “Rottweiler honoured for stopping Coventry sex attacker”, BBC NEWS.