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Contrary to popular belief and maybe
to the media's surprise the Rottweiler is not mean or even vicious. It is the
owners that are mean and irresponsible. I say this because the Rottweiler is a
dog that has to be trained. TRAINING is not OPTIONAL. The Rottweiler is a Part
of the Family Dog. It is not a leave in your back yard and neglects it dog. It
loves to be around you, with you, and take part in family functions with you.
It is a sleep in or beside your bed dog. Give you a kiss good night and greet
you in the morning dog. I can only describe this as TRUE EMOTIONS
The Rottweiler is a dog that is based
around the family. It is a family dog and should be treated as a part of the
family dog. It is a dog that is not satisfied to sit there and get his head
scratched. They will want to get in your lap and be petted and loved. If
you are standing they will jump up and hug you. Like I said they show True
emotions and Love. This is the side of the Rottweiler that is REALLY and Truly
the ROTTWEILER
The Rottweiler is calm, trainable,
courageous, and devoted to their owner and family. They have a reliable
temperament. Protective, he will defend his family fiercely. These are strong
fighters that seem immune to pain. Serious, steady and confident. Firm and
careful training is essential for this breed; otherwise you may end up
with a very powerful and overly aggressive dog. Yet they can, with proper
handling, also be loyal, loving and very rewarding companions.
They require owners who can handle
their massive size. The Rottweiler is a natural guard dog with a mellow
temperament. They are highly intelligent and have proven their worth beyond
question in police, military, and customs work over many centuries. Because of
their size, training should begin fairly young - while the dog is still small,
and great care should be taken to ensure that the dog is not made vicious.
This breed needs a lot of
companionship and socialization to be truly happy. They can be aggressive with
other dogs and should be kept on leashes in public places. When the Rottweiler
is consistently brought up and trained, it will be a good playmate for the
children. It will accept cats and other household pets as long as the dog has
had a positive experience with them while it was young. Friends and relatives
of the family are normally enthusiastically welcomed. Strangers can get no
further than the sidewalk.
The breed does well in competitive
obedience, Schutzhund, and tracking. Schutzhund lines tend to be more
aggressive and thus should be avoided if the dog is purely intended as a family
pet. There are two types of Rottweilers, German and American. The difference
between two types is the German dogs are breed to work or have the drive to do
so. The American dogs are not breed for these characteristics.
The Rottweiler is a robust, powerful,
and loyal breed with pronounced protective instincts. He is an outstanding
companion and guard but ownership of a Rottweiler carries much greater than
average legal and moral responsibilities, due to traits possessed by this
breed, its size and strength. This information is offered as a guide to
prospective buyers who may or may not be aware of the special qualities posses
by the breed, both positive and negative, so that they can make a more accurate
estimate of their needs in relation the demands of Rottweiler ownership. The
Rottweiler is NOT a breed which fits into every home.
If you are going to have a dog, first
have a good dog; second, train it to be useful. It takes a little trouble to
train a dog, maybe, but you will find that it more than pays in the end. It
will give you a broader sympathy with the animal world, and that includes your
fellow man.
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 back skull 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, Top line, Body
Neck - Powerful, well muscled,
moderately long, slightly arched and without loose skin.
Top line - 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 fore chest 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.
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 top line;
carried slightly above horizontal when the dog is excited or moving.
Undocked
Tail –
Fig 1. ADRK (GERMAN ROTTWEILER CLUB) Breed Standard for Undocked
Rottweilers
A Normal tail carriage
B Tail carriage when dog’s attention has
been alerted
C Tail carriage when dog is happy and
alert
D Tail curled over the back is a conformation fault and is
thus unacceptable
Disqualification – Unilateral-cryptorchid or
cryptorchid males.
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
Angulations 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 neither 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 and 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.
Colour
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; under 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, the back remains level, firm and relatively motionless.
As speed increases the legs will converge under body towards a centre line.
TROT
Aggressive
& Protective Instinct
These traits vary with the individual dog to
some degree, although all have a strong territorial instinct and will defend
their master's home, car and property from intruders. Rottweilers have also
been known to bully or bluff their owners or other people. This problem is easily prevented through
early obedience training and the development of a mutually rewarding working
relationship.
Many families have purchased a Rottweiler for
its protectiveness, only to discover that it brings with it a considerable
moral and legal responsibility. Problems arise quickly; the dog may not be able
to distinguish between a bear-hug greeting of a family member, or a cherished
friend, and the hostile advances of an intruder, particularly if the greetings
between parties includes loud shouts, laughter or screams.
Dogs must be carefully schooled to accept
your friends into your home but physical contact should be approached carefully
until the dog realizes that you belong. Strangers must never come into your
yard unannounced; the dog doesn't know the difference between your brother and
a burglar. Although the Rottweiler does not usually bite without provocation,
even being cornered and held by one of these dogs is a very unnerving
experience for meter men, delivery persons or neighbors wandering into the yard
while the owner is absent. People expected to be in contact with the dog while
the owners are absent should be thoroughly familiar with the dog.
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 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
The Rottweiler is
ALWAYS black, with clearly defined markings on cheeks, muzzle, chest and legs
as well as over both eyes, that range from tan to deep mahogany. His coat is straight,
coarse and of medium length, with an undercoat varying in degree based on
climatic conditions. Please note, Red, Blue, White, Liver are NOT RARE
Rottweiler colors; they are unacceptable colors and most likely the result of
interbreeding Rottweilers with other breeds of dogs.
The Rottweiler is a calm and self-confident
dog, who has an inherent desire to protect home and family. Personality may
range from highly affectionate to extremely aloof. He is not shy nor highly
excitable. He is an intelligent and highly trainable dog. He is also very much
a companion, often following their family members from room to room in the
home. Because of his size and strength, it is imperative that he receive proper
socialization and obedience training from an early age. Nervous, shy, excitable
or hyperactive individuals are exhibiting traits which are undesirable in an
animal the size and strength of the Rottweiler and should be avoided.
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.
Breeding a litter is
not simply a case of throwing together a dog and a bitch of the same breed then
sitting back and waiting to hit the jackpot! It will take, time, money, effort
and planning in order to do the job properly - and is there any point in doing
it any other way??
The bitch needs to be a fairly
good example of the breed; read the Breed Standard and ask questions of
knowledgeable dog people. She should have no serious faults or hereditary
defects, her hips should be x-rayed for Hip Dysplasia and an acceptable score
obtained. Breeding for a Rottweiler bitch less than 2 years of age is not advisable
as the large breeds need longer to mature physically. Her temperament should be
good and she must be sound in mind and body.
The choice of stud dog should
ideally be arrived at after consultation with the bitch's breeder, providing
he/she is established and well informed. It does not have to be the top winning
show dog but, like the bitch, should be a sound healthy animal of good type and
temperament. The two should compliment each other physically and the bloodlines
should be compatible. There are many books on the subject of dog breeding and
it is recommended that several of these are read thoroughly! The dog should
also have an acceptable hip score, and his owner may well want to see the
bitch's hip score, pedigree etc. and, indeed, the bitch herself. Once the
proposed mating has been agreed it is a case of waiting for the bitch to come
into season.
Most bitches have a season
roughly every 6 months; once the bleeding commences it is necessary to wait
until the height of oestrus before mating occurs. As a general rule of thumb
this is somewhere between the 9th and 15th days after the onset of bleeding. It
is sensible to have at least 2 matings if possible, and this should be arranged
with the stud dog's owner. Once the mating has taken place the gestation period
is approximately 63 days. Some bitches whelp early, other whelp late - but it
is inadvisable to let the bitch go beyond 65 days without consulting the vet.
When the bitch starts her
season during which she is to be mated, it is advisable to worm her straight
away - be guided by the vet as to the best preparation. Make sure she is clean
and free from fleas, etc. as the stud dog owner does not want his dog infected
in any way. It is also a good idea to have any booster jabs done at the same
time.
Contact the owners of the
chosen stud dog to let them know that the bitch is in season; they will, of
course, have been contacted prior to this time when the owner of the bitch will
have discussed the suitability of the proposed mating, and sorted out the stud
fee and any other arrangements.
Initially there are no outward
signs of pregnancy; the bitch should be fed normally on a high protein diet and
exercised as usual. At about the 4-5 week stage there should be some widening
of the ribcage and a slight swelling of the nipples. It is possible to have the
bitch scanned - NOT x-rayed - at about 30 days after mating, so that the
pregnancy can be confirmed. Between 6 and 7 weeks the bitch's food can be
increased by approximately 25% and split into 2 or 3 meals daily. Do not let
the bitch get fat as this can lead to whelping problems. Continue with regular
exercise, but don't overdo it.
Now is the time to be
preparing the whelping area; this should be somewhere quiet, away from
visitors, children and other animals. It should be warm and free from draughts.
A custom build whelping box is an excellent idea and hints on size and
construction will be found in all the books! Plenty of newspaper on the floor
of the box, topped with a piece of vet-bed, makes the perfect nest. A heat lamp
with a dull emitter bulb (or an infra-red bulb) should be suspended above the
box. The bitch should be encouraged to spend time in her new quarters so that
she feels at home there.
From 60 days onward keep a
close watch on the bitch; she may try and dig a whelping nest in the garden and
this should be discouraged! Some bitches dig up the newspaper in their box,
others don't bother. About 24 hours before whelping, her temperature will drop
slightly and she may go off her food - having said that none of my bitches have
ever refused food! She will become restless and pant heavily; these are signals
that labour has begun. However, it may take some hours before she starts to
have strong visible contractions and the owner would be well advised to make a
note of the time this occurs. Once the bitch begins to push, the first puppy
will emerge quite quickly - if all goes well. A maiden bitch might get panicky
and need reassurance from her owner who should be with her throughout the
whelping.
Once the first puppy has
arrived check the bag in which it arrives is removed from its head so that the
pup can breathe. Most bitches will clean their pups, breaking the bag and the
umbilical cord themselves - but it is advisable to be prepared with a pair of
blunt scissors which have been sterilized. It is useful to have a shallow
cardboard box lined with newspaper and vet-bed, placed under the heat lamp
ready to receive the pups.
This gives them somewhere warm
and dry where they can dry off and crawl about, and the bitch can nuzzle them
without being worried. Most Rottweiler bitches whelp easily; even breach
presentation does not seem to cause major problems. If the pup needs help to enter
the world this must be done gently and carefully, only ever easing the emerging
pup in a downward direction towards the bitch's hind feet. Always have a pile
of clean towels handy for drying or reviving pups.
The bitch generally wants to
eat the afterbirths; this does her no harm although it will cause loose black
motions due to the high iron content of the placenta. If possible, count the
afterbirths and make sure there is one for each puppy, as if retained these
will cause infection and high fever. It is advisable for the vet to give the
bitch a cleansing injection 24 hours after whelping, to make sure that nothing
is retained in the uterus.
If the bitch is pushing and
nothing happens after about 40 minutes, call the vet. It is better to be safe that
sorry, and if there is any problem with the delivery then the vet is the one to
deal with it. Should the bitch need a caesarean she is able to suckle her pups
within 24 hours. If she has no milk then hand rearing is the order of the day!
This is a major undertaking, but not difficult. Use a baby's bottle with a
small holed teat, and Puppy Milk Formula made up as per the
manufacturer's instructions - for the first week it will need doing every 2
hours day and night; then 3 hourly until weaning.
Once the bitch has finished
whelping, which might take anything from 1 hour to 10 hours (or more!)
depending on the number of pups, etc. Clean out the whelping box and settle her
down with the pups lined up on her teats suckling. She can have a drink of
honey, milk and egg, but preferably no solids for 12 hours. Over the next few
weeks the bitch should have 3 to 4 meals daily of nourishing high protein food.
If it is a large litter (8 or more) she will be using all her physical reserves
to provide enough milk for the rapidly growing brood. A constant supply of
fresh water should be available at all times.
Tails and dewclaws should be
removed, by a vet, at 3 days. Puppy nails need trimming weekly so that the
bitch doesn't suffer with scratched teats. Ears and eyes will start to open
between 10 and 17 days. Weaning should start at about 3 weeks. This article is
not going to cover weaning and rearing - as previously stated, there are many
excellent books on the subject
Suffice it to say that this
new and exciting litter is a great responsibility; time and space must be
available for the pups and a great deal of money and effort goes into rearing
and homing a healthy, outgoing litter of Rottweiler puppies.
DON'T DO IT IF YOU'RE NOT
PREPARED TO WORK AT IT
Consider the breed any further if you are basing your purchase
on the breed's reputation of aggression. Rottweilers should never be bought to
be simple guard dogs; they should ALWAYS be included in family activity.
One of the most important things for a potential owner of the
breed to understand is that this is not a backyard dog - in other words
it not a dog that can handle living outside all day with little or no human
contact. A dog that is neglected and left unsocialized will turn unruly and
aggressive. In turn, this causes a highly dangerous and aggressive dog with the
potential to turn on its owner. Please don't think that because of what I have
just mentioned that this is a highly aggressive dog. Rottweilers do not become
aggressive without something factoring into the aggression where the aggression
stems from. Genetics, environment, abuse/neglect, improper training, etc are
all reasons for aggression.
But why not focus on the good points of Rottweilers? Loyalty,
intelligence, affectionate, obedient, - an all around dignified and noble
breed. Rottweilers are very mellow and laid back adults, though occasionally
they can be difficult adolescents. Of course, if puppy hood is a problem and
you dislike the idea of teething, housebreaking, barking, always getting into
things and all the other puppy antics, you can always consider a rescued Rottweiler.
Another area that many impulse buyers or potential puppy buyers
are unaware of is the training of the Rottweiler. Many new owners are unaware
of how dominate Rottweilers actually are and how important it is to show
authority early on. Another issue in training is the Rottweilers stubborn
nature. They are not as willing to please as a Golden Retriever or a Border
collie; rather they have a mind of their own. In comparison, they are actually
most like a German Shepherd in the personality and training. The Rottweiler
will either lead the training or be a partner to you in training. This is very
important for you to know because if you are looking for a dog that is bouncing
off the walls to please you, look elsewhere.
Besides Temperament, you will really want to consider the size
of this breed. With some Rottweilers weighing over 100lbs, their needs differ
considerably from that of a smaller dog. They require larger crates which have
higher cost, more durable toys as their strong mouths chew through things
easily, and they will go through food quickly (eating 3-6 cups per day
depending on age, activity level, and size). Can you handle the higher cost
which comes along with your Rottweiler?
How to Correctly
Approach and Examine a Rottweiler
This is a
dog that normally is very alert and responsive to his surroundings and the people
in it. Your attitude and stance are important to the dog's acceptance of you as
a complete stranger, invading his area. Approach him in a deliberate, confident
and friendly manner. When first approaching, (slightly at an angle from the
front) to assess head type and expression, do not stare since this can be
perceived as a challenge to the dog. You can assess ear set, eyes, and head
proportions without staring. Ask the handler to show the dentition and then
examine the body and testicles quietly and confidently with gentle firm hands.
It takes very little "hands on" examination to judge a Rottweiler.
Rottweilers do not require a heavy touch and, in fact, may resent it. However,
the NZKC does require that a judge physically examine the dog.
The DO’s and DON'T s Of How to
Correctly Approach, Examine And Handle A Ring Full Of Rottweilers
DO remember to give each entry the same consideration and pattern.
DO realize that large entries mean more novice handlers.
Your understanding can make the novice handler want to become the pro of the
future.
DO have the large classes lined-up in catalog order for
your ease in checking the number in your judge’s book, for the ring stewards,
exhibitors, and spectators ease in keeping track of the entries, to say nothing
of videographers and photographers.
DO ask the handlers, when gaiting the dog to: keep their
space, not run-up on the dog in front of them, and gait the dog at a moderate
speed (under control at all times, your aim). Your ring is NOT the "INDY
500!”
DO respect the character of the breed when you go to
approach and examine the individual dog. Not all Rottweilers enjoy being
examined by a stranger, but all Rottweilers can be trained to do so. Just in
case you meet that one in a thousand that is not, approach from the front, but
slightly at an angle, shoulder down, at ease, yet confident. That is the
submissive position which we have learned from temperament testing. You are no
threat. Stand at the side of the dog when checking the teeth and body. A hand along
side of his throat lets him know you are still there. Go over the dog quickly
and smoothly, checking for the undercoat and the texture of the outer coat, and
the testicles; remember that undercoat is greatly affected by climate.
DO, when possible, split large classes and excuse the group not
being judged from the ring. A ring full of Rottweilers gaiting next to a ring
full of waiting Rottweilers can cause some unwanted disruptions of the judging
process.
DO ask the handler to show the bite and dentition. If the handler
is having trouble, you have the option of asking to see the gait which may
settle the dog down so that you can proceed with the individual examination
alleviating the necessity of having to excuse a dog that could not be examined
that day.
DO think in terms of a critique when studying the
individual dogs. Practice in your mind articulating to yourself what you are
observing.
DON'T be a "hero". If you feel the dog cannot on
this day be examined safely, excuse him. If the dog is causing a continual
disruption in your ring affecting the other entries, excuse him.
DON'T over examine a Rottweiler. You can see most of what you need to
know.
DON'T grab head, ears, pound back, pinch thighs, pull legs out
from behind or kneel in front of the dog staring at him.
DON'T bait the dog yourself with noises, food, or arm
movements. The dog may be trained to focus on the handler.
DON'T reposition or stack the dog for the handler.
The dog may tolerate his own handler, but not a stranger, you.
DON'T judge Rottweilers until you feel completely comfortable
with the breed.
And
finally, DO remember that the exhibitor, by asking for your opinion on
his dog, has given you the greatest compliment you can have in the dog world.
This is your ring, your domain, but also your responsibility. The
"buck" ends with you, the judge.
Picking a Show Puppy
I have found the best time to pick a puppy is
between the ages of 7/8 weeks. As usually the puppy will go back to what it was
at that age when mature. Of course bites can go off and teeth may be missing,
conformation, however, will usually return. There again, this is in my opinion!
First of all check the puppies bite, a
slightly overshot mouth is usually nothing to worry about, but never pick the
pup with a tight scissors bite or an even or undershot bite - correct scissors
bite of course is preferred.
Watch the puppies move, look for balance and
top line, also clean coming and going and side gait. If a puppy moves properly
it is put together properly, as bone structure does not change. Look for
shoulder angulations and rear angulations - they should match. If a puppy has a
really good front and not so good rear or vice versa you will end up with a two
piece dog. The back should be straight without a dip and the croup should not
be overly steep. Toes should be short and not splayed, front legs should be
straight when the pup is picked up in front and placed down again - legs should
turn neither east nor west and elbows should be close to the body. The same
goes for the rear end, it should be straight - neither wide nor narrow and the
feet should not turn in or out. A long puppy will be a long dog.
Markings should be clear and not smudgy,
often colour deepens with age, but the pup should not be yellow or orange, and
be sure to check for double chest markings or even 3 markings - look for the
bow tie on the chest. The tips of the tan hairs will often tell you what colour
the mahogany will be.
Look at the ear set when the pup is alert -
it should be an extension of its head. Large ears will never be small. Look at
the eye shape and the tightness of the lids. Check the eye colour by looking at
the eyes in sunlight - the eyes will look blue or dark in normal light, but in
sunlight if they are light it will show up.
Showmanship plays a bit part in a show dog,
so look for the 'up' puppy and not the 'dud'. The 'dud' may be the best pup and
may be the good producer, but no matter how good the puppy is, if it is a 'dud'
it will not win in the breed ring. Often dogs with good showmanship are the top
winners as they have that 'here I am' attitude, yet the more correct dog who is
a 'dud' never wins.
Preparing
For Your Rottweiler Puppy
Prepare for your puppies arrival well in
advance. Firstly you must decide who will be responsible for the puppies
feeding, exercise and training (the pack leader) and also where your puppy will
sleep and what type of bed he will have. It is best for your dog if he lives inside
the house with the family as this way he will learn socialization skills whilst
learning how the house is run.
Whilst this is desirable it is also worth
remembering that Rottweiler puppies have strong teeth and will want to test
them out on anything and everything 'chewable'.
This is why, before bringing your puppy home you should check your house for
anything lying around which the puppy could chew or destroy including
children's toys, clothes and shoes!
Sleeping
Quarters
You should decide in advance what type of bed
your puppy will be provided with. There are various types on the market such as
baskets, bean bags, plastic beds and stuffed blankets. However with a young
puppy it is best to leave the expensive beds out until he has learned not to
chew! A simple cardboard box with the front cut out for easy access
alternatively a small metal crate. What ever you use make you sure you cover
the floor with layers of news paper and an easily washable blanket. Neither a
puppy nor adult dog should sleep on a bare surface or near drafts. If your
Rottweilers is to be an outside dog make sure its kennel it waterproof and
draft proof with a suitable bed.
Toys
All puppies chew especially when teething
this is usually around 12 weeks and will make the gums sore, which is why it is
advisable to have hard chew toys available for your Rottweiler. The best toys
are available from pet shops and usually come in the form of rings and bones.
If your puppy has a ball make sure it is made from hard solid rubber and is too
big to get lodged in your puppy's throat.
Feeding
Before you bring your puppy home ask the
breeder for a diet sheet to cover its first few months of life and make sure
you have a plenty of this food and if you wish to change this diet you must do
this gradually to avoid upsetting your puppy's stomach. It is best to have
stainless steel bowls to avoid them been chewed up by your Rottweiler. Never
give the responsibility to feeding your Rottweiler to small children this task
must be carried out by a responsible adult.
Collecting
the Puppy
If your puppy is traveling home by car make
sure that it is not feed within an hour of the journey to avoid travel
sickness. Remember the puppy will be scared and you will need to reassure your
pup to help deal with the traumatic experience. It's a good idea to take along
some tissues in the case the dog is sick. When you arrive home let your puppy
explore your house and after about an hour offer your puppy something to eat,
preferably the same meal the breeder was using and always keep clean water near
by for your puppy to drink when it needs to.
Puppy’s First Night at
Home
Start with a place of his/her own, a box or
kennel, not too confining but of a size to him him/her security and warmth,
warm and clean bedding is also needed. An
old fluffy toy or scrap of sheepskin for puppy to snuggle into may help.
He/she may appear confused and frightened,
and if so will proceed to cry….with great vigor, even Dame Kiri would be
astounded at the range of voice. This
will play havoc on your nerves but you will have to grin and bear it. Providing he/she is warm and secure, has a
full tummy he will settle down after a week.
You could try leaving a radio on for the puppy, this often helps them a
lot.
Puppies are just like babies, they need a lot
of sleep. Try not to over handle them or
excite them too much; do not wake him/her up unnecessarily. Avoid over handling in young children, often
children’s eagerness to fondle and cuddle can frighten a young puppy with
unnecessary adverse repercussions that puppies always seem to be blamed for.
- Do not let puppies run up and down stairs or
jump in and out of cares. LIFT
THEM!! Puppy’s bones are still very soft and damage can easily be done.
- When puppy reaches three months of age, gently
basic training can be done. Do not
leave this any later as problems can occur.
- Socialize your puppy. Let him/her meet children, get used to
the car, used to being bathed, used to other animals, eg: cats, sheep,
chickens, horses etc…. Do not allow
chasing of these animals to begin.
What ever you want your adult dog to be able to do, start training
for it now.
- Do not over exercise…….. A short walk
eventually on a lead is all that is needed for the first year. Too much exercise too soon can lead to
bone and/or growth problems. After
he/she is a year old exercise can slowly be increased within reason.
- Please keep your puppy warm as this is what
he/she needs at the moment, especially if you have a winter puppy. Introduce him/her slowly to a cooler
temperature if you so desire.
- Join your local Rottweiler Club… this keeps you
informed on news, ideas, local happenings, training nights etc.
- Do not let puppies run around too much after a
meal as this can lead to gastric torsion and death. Try to keep your puppy quiet for 15 to
20 minutes after a meal.
- Increase food amounts and decrease the number
of meals he/she has as they grow…….. They often do this themselves.
- DON’T play rough games
that teach your puppy to use its strength against you. That means no
wrestling and no tug of war.
- DO play retrieving games, hide-and-seek or games that
teach it to use its brain instead of its brawn.
- DON’T allow your puppy to take advantage of children
- DON’T supervise all playtimes with children.
- DON’T let your puppy
destroy stuffed toys, old socks or shoes.
- DO let it chew only
on the proper toys, such as rawhides teething toys or other puppy-specific
toys.
- DON’T let your puppy
use its teeth on you. Correct it quickly. "AHHH!!! No bite!"
- DO start teaching
your pup as a baby that teeth should never touch skin.
- DO use time-outs;
they are just as good for puppies as they are for children. If your puppy
gets over stimulated, stop the playtime and give it a chance to relax.
Either in your lap while you give it a massage or in a crate.
- DON’T allow your puppy
to protest training or corrections. If your training and corrections are
fair and kind, it should never protest any rules you establish for its
behavior.
- DO start
socialization early. Introduce your puppy to friendly people of all sizes,
shapes, ages and ethnic backgrounds.
- DO start a
kindergarten puppy class as soon as your puppy is old enough. The training
and socialization are good for it and will help you teach it good manners.
- DO have your puppy
neutered or spayed as soon as your veterinarian says it's time.
- If you are going to have a dog, first have a
good dog; second, train it to be useful. It takes a little trouble to
train a dog, maybe, but you will find that it more than pays in the end.
It will give you a broader sympathy with the animal world, and that includes
your fellow man.
- Obedience is NOT an option with a
Rottweiler; it is a MUST!
- Expect to pay at least seven hundred dollars
for a registered Rottweiler pup.
- Be certain that a Rottweiler is the right dog
for you before you bring one home. More than half the Rottweilers that are
abandoned or placed in shelters are put to sleep - and experts say that
irresponsibility on the part of the owners is largely to blame.
- Good communication between a Rottweiler and
its owner requires more than a heavy hand. it is a commitment based on
sensitivity, patience, and time.
- Statistics show that your dog is most likely
to display aggression (or even attack) if he is young, male, and
uneutered. Animal care organizations urge dog owners to neuter their pets.
- Breeders advise that you hold your Rottweiler
puppy in your arms on his back and cuddle as long as he remains small
enough to handle.
- Many dogs dislike being rolled over onto their
backs because it is a sign of submission, and Rottweilers tend to be particularly
resentful of this. You should train your puppy to put up with it. If the
veterinarian needs to examine your dog's stomach, it will be much less
stressful to both dog and human. .
- Puppies are usually able to stand by two weeks
of age. They walk just one week later.
- Rottweilers generally live about ten years,
but many reach the ripe old canine age of fourteen.
- Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a
human ever has to choose a relative.
- When a dog lies on his back with his feet
extended upward, he is demonstrating complete confidence in the safety of
his surroundings.
- It's important to play with your Rottweiler
puppy. . .but it's even more important that you win. Never let a
Rottweiler think he can get the best of his owner. You must always remain
the "alpha dog" in order to maintain control of your favorite
pooch.
- Rottweilers trained as therapy dogs learn to
keep their paws off the patient's bed and never to place any weight on or
against a person who is ill. Rottweilers bring warmth and cheer - but they
will never knock down a weak individual while delivering it.
- The first Rottweilers were brought to the
United States shortly after the turn of the twentieth century.
- If your older dog is stiff from overexerting
himself, you can give him aspirin. The dose is 5 mg of aspirin for each
pound he weight.
- Rottweilers and lazy dog owners do not mix.
Your Rottweiler needs strenuous activity each and every day. If you're
looking for a dog that would rather sleep the day away than take a long
walk, don't even think of choosing a Rottweiler.
- Keep your pooch's water cool on a hot day by
periodically placing cubes of ice in it.
- Your Rottweiler needs mental stimulation and
he loves to feel needed. To keep our Rottweiler in peak shape, give him a
job (or several) to do every day.
- Male dogs are typically more active, more
aggressive, and more likely to wander away from home than female dogs.
- Showing requirements are very specific:
Rust-colored markings must cover 10% or less of his body and they must be
correctly placed on his chest, legs and face.
- The man grinning, the dog wagging his tail
--two expressions that mean the same thing.
- Intelligent dogs rarely want to please people
whom they do not respect.
- Dogs like to obey. It gives them security.
- Dogs rarely chew food - they simply swallow.
- Understanding your dog and know how to control
him, develop his potentials, and resolve behavior problems, emotional
conflicts, and frustrations are no less essential than love and respect.
- Because they are instinctively
"programmed" to defend their turf, dogs will often exhibit
aggressive behavior if a stranger--or sometimes even a friend--approaches
the house.
- Puppies are especially vulnerable to three
infectious diseases: distemper, leptospirosis, and infectious hepatitis.
Be sure your puppy shots are up to date.
- Rottweilers, including puppies, love to swim.
But never throw your dog in over his head. Rather, start off in shallow
water and coax him to come to you.
- A dog that raises his paw to shake without
being asked is exhibiting insecurity.
- Your Rottweiler will take up to three years to
fully develop his canine personality and reach his adult size.
- Dogs that feel like an important part of a
human family will guard and protect the family children with the same
fearlessness and vigilance displayed by a mother wolf protecting her pups.
- Gently discourage your Rottweiler from
"mouthing" that is, holding a part of your body (your hand or
arm, for example) in his mouth without applying any pressure. This is an
inborn (and essentially harmless) tendency, but trainers advise owners to
break the habit - - just to be on the safe side.
- If your dog scratches too much, it might
indicate a flea or a skin problem. But a little scratching is healthy. It
stimulates the oil glands of his skin.
- Female Rottweilers are generally easier to
train and more mellow than males. For those reasons, experts encourage
first-time Rottweiler owners to choose a bitch.
- The most common mistake is to consider praise
simply a reward.
- Can Rottweilers be pack animals? The answer is
yes. Rottweilers can carry heavy saddlebags for long hours and many miles
with no sign of fatigue. Dedicated hikers and campers often bring their
best friend along for fun on their camping trips . . . and get a
first-class pack dog in the bargain!
- Spend more time training the owner than the
dog. Dogs learn quickly when they know what you want and are firm about
it.
- A dog has the ability to "close off"
his inner ear in order to pay particular attention to a specific sound.
- Rottweilers are known for the variety of
sounds they make. In addition to barking, howling, growling, and whining,
Rottweilers have been known to "purr" when they are particularly
content.
- Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job.
- Canine researchers suspect that the roots of
the modern day Rottweiler can be traced as far back as the first century.
Many believe Rottweilers are descended from the cattle-herding mastiffs
that crossed the Alps into northern Europe with the Roman soldiers.
- Shorthaired dogs are particularly susceptible
to frostbite. Always be sure your pet is warm enough in cold weather.
Behaviour
- You can take the dog out of the herd, but you
can't take the herder out of the dog.
- Barking dogs don't bite, but they themselves
don't know it.
- Knowing how to use your voice so it makes
sense to your dog, using words in a way the dog can understand, correcting
him without creating fear, praising him properly, and doing it all at the
proper time are critical skills to develop if your dog is to learn from
you.
- Don't let your Rottweiler push you around . .
. but don't be surprised if he tries. If your Rottweiler bumps or pushes
you, anyone else, or even other animals, it's because he's following his
inborn herding instinct. Gently discourage the behavior, but don't mistake
it for aggression.
- I would recommend those persons who are
inclined to stagnate, whose blood is beginning to thicken sluggishly in
their veins, to try keeping four dogs, two of which are puppies.
- Dogs are notoriously jealous. Be sure to
monitor your pooch in a situation that might tempt him to express this
unpleasant trait.
- Such fidelity of dogs in protecting what is
committed to their charge, such affectionate attachment to their masters,
such jealousy of strangers, such incredible acuteness of nose in following
a track, such keenness in hunting – it is important to remember that these
animals are created for use by man.
- A dog lives in the moment and always hopes for
the best.
- A courageous Rottweiler name Jake from
Midland, Michigan, saved his master's drowning tow-year-old son by
swimming to the rescue and dragging him safely to shore.
- If dogs could talk, perhaps we would find it
as hard to get along with them as we do with people.
- When a dog wants to pay attention to (or
isolate) a particular sound, he tilts his head in that direction and
shifts his ear position. Locating the source of the sound takes less than
a tenth of a second.
- If your dog stares you down, you may have an
aggression problem on your hands. Staring down is always accompanied by
other body postures, such as stiff legs, an erect stance, and ears cocked
forward.
Russell and Andrea Brown live with their three children in Orewa
on the beautiful Hibiscus Coast, North of Auckland NEW ZEALAND.
Stephanie, our oldest daughter is 14 years old and a black belt
in Karate.
Steph also belongs to the ATC Cadets and is in year 9 at school.
Stephanie plays trumpet and loves to act (THE FOOL) she loves to read and enjoys music.
Julian is 8 ˝ years old, he also studies karate with his older
sister, and is working towards being a black belt one day.
Julian also plays rugby for the Silverdale Rugby Club
in North Harbour.
Julian is in year 4 at school and loves all sports as well as
his school activities.
.
Sinead Elise is our latest cutie pie. She was born at 29 weeks at National Woman’s
Hospital where she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis
Sinead is now 21 months old (18 ˝ mths
corrected) and is doing really well, she has lots of medication for the cf but
loves to give her mum and dad the hardest time at feeding.
1. Always feed your Rottweiler at the same time of day and
in the same place in your home.
2. Give your Rottweiler all its food at room temperature.
3. Never leave food standing and discard all leftovers
immediately as this will cause bacteria to collect on it.
4. Do not suddenly change your Rottweilers diet; introduce
new foods in small amounts.
5. Keep fresh water available at all times and replace
regularly during the day.
6. Allow at least 1 hour before or after food for exercise.
7. Do not feed your dog at the hottest part of the day.
8. Do not give your dog any bone except marrow bone.
Diet
There are various types of dog food on the
market such as complete biscuit meal which contains all the vitamins and
minerals your Rottweiler will need. Canned meat or fresh meat often prepared as
a mince. Whatever you decide upon make sure it is a balanced diet as this is essential
for the health and growth of a larger breeds such as Rottweilers. It is
important that you do not let your puppy to become fat as this will place too
much strain on your puppy’s muscles and ligaments.
Quantity
Guidelines
9. 6 - 16 weeks 4 meals a day.
10. 4 - 7 months 3 meals a day.
11. 8 upwards 2 meals a day.
HOT-ROTTS’S ROTTWEILERS advises that you feed your puppy
on a premium large puppy food.
Exercise
Before your puppy receives it's inoculations,
it should not be taken outside the house. Running around the garden will
provide all the exercise it needs at this stage. This period in your pups life
can be used to get your pup used to it's lead and collar so that when all
inoculations are complete, your pup will be ready for his first outing!
Collar and Leash Training
Start of with a soft nylon collar, at first
your pup will scratch and cry in order to get it off but will soon get used to
it and most actually start to like it. When the pup has come to terms with the
collar, attach a lightweight leash and let your pup run around like this for a
few minutes, under supervision. Next, take hold of the leash but still follow
him so he feels no pressure from the leash or collar. Next step is to encourage
the pup to follow you, do this either by offering a treat or his favourite toy
whilst using a calm friendly voice. Also use a little pressure on the leash. If
your pup acts distressed, release the pressure and comfort it. Repeat this
daily and your pup should soon be used to walking on the leash.
Short Walks
When your pup has its first walk, make sure
it is only a short distance and avoid busy streets with children, crowds or
traffic. Build up to busy situations so that by time your pup reaches 6 months
old, he is happy near people and traffic. Remember not to take your pup off the
lead until it will come when called.
Increasing exercise
As your pup grows up you should start
to increase the amount of exercise he has. By time he reaches 12 months, you
can introduce free range running, Short jumps and obedience/agility trials.
Coat
The care of a Rottweilers coat is easy but
daily with a quick comb and brush. If this is not possible then aim for two or
three times a week but when your dog is shedding aim for daily. You should get
your Rottweiler used to been brushed from day one to avoid struggles later on.
Eyes
As the Rottweiler has short hair on
his face he will rarely have problems with his eyes. If you wish your dog to
show you can use specially designed eye wipes to wipe the corners of your dogs
eyes. Alternatively you can use cotton wool and warm water. Rottweilers are
more prone to an eye disease called Entropion; this is where the dogs eyelids
turn inwards. This causes runny eyes, inflammation and may also cause
ulceration of the cornea which causes great pain to the dog. Entropion is an
inherited disease and must be referred to a vet immediately. Dogs with this
condition should not be used for breeding.
Teeth
Dogs’ teeth rarely need brushing unless this
is preferred. You must however avoid the build up of tarter as this can cause
gum disease (as well as a foul smell). You can keep dogs teeth clean by
offering the occasional hard biscuit or marrowbone to chew. There are also
specially designed 'dental' Chews available from most pet shops.
Nail
Care
Written by a Registered Veterinary Surgeon
Perhaps
four of five times a day I am asked “Would you please trim Bessie’s nail she
won’t let us near them”. This usually comes as an afterthought to the main
reason for the consultation. I have to sympathize with an already apprehensive
pooch, who knows full well that I am the only monster in it’s life that is ever
likely to perform this duty ... whether the nails need to be cut or not.
A few
days after a recent All Breeds Show, quite a number of dogs were brought in
with the request that this duty be performed. It seems that one overseas judge
had been very unhappy about the nail-trimming and feet in general and had
remarked that greater care could be taken in this direction. This came as know
as no surprise to me. Time and time again visiting judges have commented on
badly prepared feet.
One
would expect Gundogs, Working dogs, the large Hounds, Non Sporting dogs, and
Terrier to have little trouble with nails as their very size and structure is
designed for them to bear weight with more efficiency, and move with greater
efficiency. Yet in all these breeds, even in the ring, we see examples of badly
splayed toes, dropped pasterns, and generally loose feet, much of which can be
attributed to nail neglect.
Kenneling
for much of the time and insufficient exercise are part of the reason. Everyone
knows that nails should be kept short yet it is a frequently ignored aspect of
routine grooming. Regular attention to this detail particularly when dogs are
exercised only on soft ground can do a lot to improve the strength of the feet
and add to the comfort of the dogs as it moves.
The
length and shape of the toenail is important to function of the foot, because
the nail is part of the bony skeleton. From the pastern (or hock) down there is
very little difference in the anatomy of the dogs fore or hind foot. The
straight pastern immediately above the foot is supported by four strong bones
arranged in a row called the metacarpals. Most of the weight is borne through
these bones onto the well cushioned large pad of the foot. The bones of each
toe articulate with the base of the metacarpals ... there are three major bones
in each tow termed the first, second and third phalanges. The toe pads act as
supports for the second and third phalanges and it is the third phalanx that is
the firm origin of growth of the horny toenail. The hind foot is virtually the
same, thought here the four upright bones are called the metatarsals, as they
arise from the tarsus or hock. The dewclaws on the front feet arise from a
smaller non-weight bearing metacarpal. The dewclaws at the back may do
likewise, although more often if they appear at all they are supported only by
skin.
Exhibitors
of all breeds accept that short nails are desirable from the point of view of
appearance. But let us consider nail care from the point of view of the average
dog, not only for exhibition but for comfort.
Do long
nails cause flat feet, or do they grow that long because naturally flat feet do
not allow nails into natural contact with the ground? It’s like the chicken and
the egg, and which comes first!
A long
nailed dog can never be expected to grow tight well arched feet irrespective of
exercise. On the other hand I have known pups with a tendency to flat feet in
early stages, with nails that never looked like touching the ground, benefit
greatly from early nail care, and end up with correct feet.
Had
these not been attended to while growing, no amount of care later in life could
have improved them.
- If possible, do it yourself the
dog should not only associate your company with the fun things in life,
leaving the nasty deeds to someone else. Nail trimming should be part of
routine grooming and it is better for the dog/owner relationship if even
the unpleasant experiences are shared as long as they are followed by
praise for reasonable co-operation. Done carefully and with kindness such
things add to the trust your dog has in you.
- Be familiar with the internal
structure of the nail. The horny outer layer is insensitive but it surrounds
a soft core that is rich in nerve endings, and full of sensation. Within
this again there are the blood vessels. Trimming should leave a protective
layer over the sensitive inner core. The extent of this is difficult in
black nails.
- Use a sharp guillotine type
clipper, judge the length to be removed and then cut firmly and quickly. A
second sliver can be removed if necessary or the edges trimmed with a file
and the tip reshaped. A file is very useful either for final reshaping or
for the shortening. A ten inch Flat File is moderately coarse with two
sets of grooves, diagonally opposed. A rasp is too coarse. For the average
size dog, ten or twelve strokes take the nail down to the quick. This is
usually tolerated and it is possible to get problem nails short enough to
shape properly Filing and cutting should be done at least two before a
show, so that the rough edges and file marks will disappear.
- Check the finished foot for
uniform shortness and overall symmetry while the dog is standing.
Good
feet can run well on all sorts of surfaces without risk of deterioration but as
a rule a dog with a tendency to be down in pastern or “webbed” in the feet,
should avoid soft pugg-v ground. Short nails DO make a real difference, and for
this reason dogs being prepared for showing will benefit from exercise on
pavement or similar firm ground with nails trimmed or re-filed every fortnight.
Long
claws push the foot back into an un-natural position which redistributes the
eight incorrectly onto the back of the fleshy pad, adding unnecessary strain
onto tendons and ligaments, which can, if left unattended, cause permanent
injury and lameness. Not only to show dogs, but companions as well, deserve the
correct care and attention to remain sound. Don’t leave it all to your
veterinarian, but be guided by him if you are uncertain how to do it correctly.
Everything You Ever Wanted
To Know About Puppy Vaccinations
But were too afraid to ask
Key
Words:
- Titre (teeter): Is the level or
amount of antibodies in the blood. High is good, low is bad.
- Antibody: A large
protein which is able to neutralize a specific virus (the goodie). Passive
or colostral or maternal antibody — the one given to the pup in its first
milk from the bitch, and protects the puppy from bugs in its early life,
before it has formed its own protection.
- Antigen: The
attacker, for instance:
- A virus — in its wild state would cause
disease (the baddie).
- Also a tamed virus found in vaccine.
This will not cause disease.
- Vaccine: A collection of tame virus antigens
stimulate in the puppy, an immune or protective response without causing
disease.
- Immune System: The in-built
mechanism in all animals which after meeting disease or vaccine antigen,
produces antibodies to neutralize future disease.
- Lag Phase or Critical Period: A time when
colostral antibody neutralizes vaccines but won’t protect against disease
virus.
When
Should Your Pup Be Vaccinated?
That
question is more complicated that it sounds. When pups are born, and such the
colostrums or first milk from their mother, they are immediately protected by
Mums (maternal) antibodies. This protection is temporary, lasting somewhere
between six and twelve weeks in the case of distemper, and eight to twenty
weeks in the case of Parvovirus.
Unfortunately
the actual age at which this protection disappears varies widely between pups
and it is almost impossible to predict. This is what leads to problems.
Firstly
if the pup is vaccinated before he has lost his maternal antibodies, the
vaccine is unlikely to work. This is because the maternal antibodies see the
vaccine antigen as disease virus, and promptly neutralize it.
Secondly,
if vaccination is left too late, the pup may have lost his maternal antibody
some time before, and be left unprotected for quite a while.
In the
case of distemper we can use special vaccine incorporating tamed measles virus
to overcome these problems. Measles and distemper are close cousins and so a
measles vaccine will fool the pup’s immune system into providing protection
against distemper.
With
Parvovirus unfortunately there is no such clever trick for us to use, and there
is also another complication ... the Lag Phase.
The
Parvovirus Lag Phase
As the
pup gets older and his maternal antibodies against Parvovirus decline the reach
a level at some point between six and twenty weeks of age, where there are not
enough to neutralize disease virus and therefore the pup is left unprotected.
But there is still enough to neutralize the Parvovirus vaccine, so the pup
cannot be protected by vaccination.
This
risky state of affairs may last for three to four weeks, but remember it can occur
at any stage at all, between the pups sixth and twentieth week of life.
The
Need for Repeated vaccinations
This is
why your veterinarian will recommend a vaccination program consisting of a
series of repeated vaccinations. This will give the best possible chance of
protecting your puppy while keeping the period of risk as short as possible.
Until
the risk period is past, it is wise to keep your pup away from obvious sources
of infection.
Your
pup will inevitably be at risk at some stage during his first few months of
life but following the recommendation of your vet you can reduce the risk to a
minimum. In this way a multiple vaccination program will decrease your pups
chance of illness while young, and provide strong protection as he grows.
It is the least you
can do for a friend.
Hereditary,
Diet-related or Both?
By
Chris Pretorius (South Africa’s Delegate to the IFR)
In
August 1996 KUSA Editor Mike Darwin interviewed Dr. James E. Corbin, world
renowned Animal Nutritionist (Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Animal Sciences,
Illinois University). Before joining the University, Jim Corbin ran the nutrition
section at Ralston Purina for 19 years, raising dogs. They used some of the
best USA Bloodlines but did not show them, as winning would cause responses
like, “you have many to choose from”, whereas losing, with so many to choose
from, would look bad! Jim has a PhD in nutrition.
This
article deals only with the relevance of diet to Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD), as
explained by Dr. Corbin.
Jim
Corbin totally believes that CHD is diet related rather than hereditary or
environmental, stating that a dog’s nutrition has a 50% contributory factor to
it ending up with bad hips (!). He points out that Dobermans, German Shepherd
Dogs, Labradors, and Saint Bernard’s all have a tendency towards CHD (one might
include Rottweilers) whereas Greyhounds do not and Rhodesian Ridgebacks seldom
do, due to their good muscle toning. He states that as people know that calcium
is vital for growing pups, they feed them huge doses which upsets the balance
and causes abnormal bone growth, also round the head of the femur, which contributes
to CHD. What is even worse are those super clean puppy runs, floored with slick
surfaces such as smooth cement, tiles or novion, causing pups to slip, jamming
the femur into the joint as it is forming, causing the start of CHD.
Weight
is a great cause of CHD. Dr. Corbin raised experimental as well as control pups
from the same litters, feeding the control groups only half of what they could
consume, while the experimental ones were fed three fourths. Result? He quotes
a ‘fantastic’ difference between the ‘lean’ and the ‘plump’ ones and proved it
by x-ray. Weight is therefore probably the biggest influence on CHD in breeds
that are susceptible.
Dr.
Corbin also stated that ‘management’ also has a profound influence. If dogs are
in pens where they can see outside whilst standing on four legs, without
needing to stand upright, as well as having a rough surface to stand on, they
will have better hips than those who do not. Dogs carry 60% of their body
weight in their forequarters. Standing upright, it has to carry its entire body
weight on its hind legs, which taxes the limbs heavily.
Doing
it too often, coupled with being overweight, contributes towards a CHD
condition. Dr. Corbin insists that in just about all breeds, CHD is mostly a
weight/management problem. He states that dogs should be kept fairly lean up to
about two years, after which it will matter little, even if they become obese!
Instead, buyers usually choose the cutest, fattest puppy! He does accept the
hereditary factor too, stating
The Average
score for Rottweilers is only just out of the ‘Good’ range, that is, 4-8. Some
individual dogs will be scoring ‘Excellent’ which is 1-4 while other dogs will
be scoring badly, all of which influence the Average score.
The
major concern is the gradually increasing Average score over the years. There
may be a number of reasons for this.
- Breeders may not have been
aggressive enough in their selection of breeding stock. In other words
they may need to set a lower score as an acceptable cut off point for
breeding.
- The NZVA encourages all x-rays
to be submitted however bad the hips look. If Rottweiler owners are being
conscientious in this regard more recently the Average may be higher for
that reason.
- Has the sudden increase in
popularity in this breed encouraged inbreeding? New Zealand has a
relatively small population of dogs and despite the import of new lines it
may be hard to avoid inbreeding. Parent dogs with low/good scores can
produce puppies with RD or ED. This is due to the ability of these conditions
to be caused by recessive genes that may not be clinically expressed in
the parent dog. In other words the parent dog can carry the gene and pass
it onto its progeny while having a good score for RD.
- Are all imported dogs screened
for HD?
- Progeny Testing is the best
way to screen breeding dogs thoroughly. Ideally all the puppies they
produce should in turn be scored for HD. If the puppies score equally well
or better this further proves the value of the parent dogs for breeding.
- Have environmental and dietary
factors influenced the average score?
The NZVA Elbow Dysplasia Scheme started in
1993.
1994 20 dogs Average
1.6
1996 79 dogs Average
1.46
1997 102 dogs Average
1.47
2001 157 dogs Average
1.5
So the
same applies for ED that there is a slight increase in the average score. The
same six points above apply to ED also.
Are all
dogs having both HD and ED x-rays done? Are some still having just HD scored?
‘Penn
Hip’ scoring can have better results for improving progeny scores, but it is in
its infancy in NZ with only two veterinarians qualified to take the x-rays.
That
European breed bodies have conducted so many tests on GSD’s that by careful
selective breeding (together with good management) they reduced the problem by
50%. In the USA, much research has been carried out on Golden Retrievers, being
bred and trained for guide dogs, which has also reduced the occurrence
drastically. Thus, it is certainly genetic, but mostly management
(environmental) and nutrition related.
Sounds
familiar, doesn’t it? Breeders raise pups for eight weeks, sell them and
afterwards have no control over their feeding or management, or whether they
become overweight or not. One then sometimes has the scenario of the buyer
returning two years later, blaming the breeder for his dog’s CHD, while other
dogs from the litter are structurally sound and healthy. Reminds me of an
article by Larry Mueller, Editor of ‘Hunting Dogs’, on the work of a North
American Vet, Dr. Wendell 0 Be about which I wrote several years ago.
Dr.
Belfield is a firm believer of administering Vit. C. in large doses while dogs
grow up. Dogs, unlike humans, produce their own Vit. C — this was already
common knowledge in the 1930’s. At that time, dogs in controlled laboratory environments
suffered no ill effects when they were denied all Vit. C in their diets.
In the
real world, however, a dogsled racer brought a bitch to Dr. Belfield after
other San Francisco Vets had failed to help her. Her tongue was swollen, her
gums bled, she fell often and moved with difficulty. Dr. Belfield recognized
scurvy that killed humans. She was making enough Vit. c in her system to keep
the scurvy on a ‘chronic sub clinical’ level. After a month on ascorbic acid,
the bitch could run as long and hard as any other dog on the team. Yes, dogs do
manufacture their own Vit. C, but not all dogs do it equally effectively. While
we raise them, we cannot know whether they could or not, therefore it is wise
to supplement it anyway. It cannot be overdosed, as any surplus simply passes
through the dog. In one group of 104 dogs tested, Vit. C levels varied from .02
mg. per cubic cm of blood to .84 mg. — a 42-fold variation! Obviously, one
dog’s body can be starving for Vit. C while another manufactures enough to get
by.
This
variability, as Larry Mueller stated, leads us to the heredity factor. Breeding
programmes to eliminate CHD have worked to some degree — in some eases, some
50% of the problem was solved in only 10 years through selective breeding. No
breeding programme, however, has come close to being 100% effective. Dr. Beheld
believed that CHD is connected to a Vit. C deficiency and that the ability to
produce it in the system is certainly inheritable. Therefore, by selecting to
breed only from sound parents, breeders have, unbeknown to themselves, selected
for the REAL factor that inhibits CHD, namely good Vit. C production.
In the
wild, Dr. Beheld states, the canine pup gets extra Vit. C from the livers of
kills, some green vegetation, notably the semi-digested plant matter in the
intestines of their prey and sometimes from fruits and berries.
Our
domestic pup, if not fed Vit. C added to its diet, prances and plays as much as
the rest, but is injured more easily as it lacks the fibre-building collagen in
its system, which is the main by-product of a Vit. C intake. Dr. Belfield also
conducted tests with several litters of GSD pups, some of whose parents either
had bad CHD or had produced pups with CHD. He gave one bitch 2,000 mg. of Vit.
C daily as soon as she was pregnant, and when the eight pups were born they
were given 50-100 mg. of fluid Vit. C until they were weaned. Afterwards they
were given 550 mg. of powdered Vit. C added to their food for four months,
increasing it to 1,000 mg. and then to 2,000 mg. daily until the age of 18-24
months. None of the pups was dysplastic.
Another
bitch and her 11 pups were also administered Vit. C under Dr. Belfield’s
guidance, with equal results. In all, eight litters were treated similarly. All
were free of Dysplasia
CHD.
Is this
an artificial remedy — i.e. are we interfering with nature and breeding
artificially MD free pups? Hardly — wolves, African wild dogs and suchlike roam
free and take their nutrition according to need and instinct. You and I keep
dogs in captivity, feed them commercial dog food and decide for them what they
should have. It is thus wise to use a good product and to take a cue from
animal nutritionists who, unlike ourselves, have the benefit of cross-checking
their statistics, using experimental and control groups of dogs and pups. CHD
is a man-made phenomenon, which is not found in the wild. Hip Dysplastic wolves
cannot hunt and feed, let alone reproduce. Our pets need not hunt, we feed them
and some breed them even if they drag a hindquarter!
It is
therefore up to responsible breeders and where possible, Breed Councils, to
steer, direct and educate. The Rottweiler Breed Council, for instance, proposed
the present CHD breed rules to KUSA. It had some loopholes however and some
unscrupulous opportunists on occasion did find ways to bypass these. It proved
nothing and did not benefit our breed — but it did show us who the culprits
were!
To try
and keep statistics is not possible; one cannot raise whole litters. But, we
can sell to co-operative buyers and educate and provide them with, for example,
sensible diet charts. Even then, we cannot expect accurate feedback. Statistics
provided by scientists are immensely valuable. They, at least, do not own the
dogs they survey, are not anxious to sell and do not compete with others, which
makes them very much more honest! Their motives are naturally less selfish than
those of many breeders. In South Africa, breed fraternities are relatively small
and anyone less than reliable would lose his/her credibility fast. It is the
ones who made it in our highly competitive world, whom we should thank for the
present quality of the South African Rottweiler.
Sub Aortic Stenosis
Sub
Aortic Stenosis is a common congenital defect found in dogs. Breeds that are
predisposed are: golden retriever, Newfoundland boxer, German Shepard, and
Rottweiler. This defect is very uncommon in cats.
SAS is
a congenital defect, meaning that is present from birth. There is also very
good evidence that it is also heritable, meaning that it is passed on from
generation to generation genetically. This genetic trait is what is called
polygenic, so that the inheritance is complex. An animal might have the genes
for SAS, yet have no sign of SAS. Also, an animal might have signs of SAS, and
yet offspring with signs of SAS may not be seen for a couple of generations.
Any animal that has SAS should not be bred, because they can definitely pass
the defect on to future offspring. There is some controversy as to whether the
parents of an animal with SAS should be bred again.
SAS is
a disease where the aorta, as it leaves the left ventricle, is narrowed. The
narrowing is caused by scar-like tissue just underneath the aortic valve (hence
the name sub aortic (underneath the aorta) stenosis (narrowing). The narrowing
makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood forward to the body. The
heart muscle, to compensate, gets very thick Oust as lifting heavy weights
causes muscles to get larger).
As the
heart muscle thickens, blood supply to the heart muscle is inadequate, and
scarring of the heart muscle itself results from this inadequate blood supply.
This scarring causes rhythm disturbances of the heart, and it is these rhythm
disturbances that generally lead to problems. The hallmark of this disease is
sudden death.
These
dogs are generally without any symptoms, and then die suddenly from a lethal
rhythm disturbance. Some animals may develop congestive heart failure, with
fluid in the lungs, but this is not nearly as common.
The
prognosis for this disease depends on the severity of the narrowing. Animals
with mild sub aortic stenosis usually have normal life spans and exercise
tolerance. Dogs with moderate SAS generally have decreased exercise tolerance,
but can have normal life spans. Some of these dogs with moderate SAS will die
suddenly at an early age (from 3-7 years of age). Dogs with severe SAS
generally have decreased exercise tolerance, and die suddenly at early ages,
from 2-4 years of age, although the rare animal may live considerably longer.
Treatment
options for dogs with SAS depend on the severity of the disease. Dogs with mild
disease need no medication or limitations. Dogs with moderate to severe disease
may benefit from medication with a beta blocker, but this has not been
definitively proven. Dogs with severe disease should be placed on medication
with a beta blocker, even though this has not been proven to be beneficial,
because the theoretic benefits are substantial. Surgery can be performed, but
this is an open heart surgery, and is quite expensive. This surgery is
available at very few universities.
There
are certain diagnostic tests that are necessary to accurately diagnose sub
aortic stenosis, to tell you how bad the problem is, what can be done about the
problem, and what you can expect in the future for your pet. An echocardiogram
(or heart ultrasound) is used to look within the heart, confirm the diagnosis,
and to look for other problems within the heart that might confound therapy.
The echocardiogram must also include Doppler ultrasound to give you complete
information.
The
echocardiogram is the most useful diagnostic tool, and gives very specific
information. X-rays (radiographs) are not very helpful with this disease, as
most of the heart enlargement is within the heart, and X-rays do are not very
helpful in making the diagnosis. If other defects are found by
echocardiography, especially a concurrent leak past the mitral valve, then
radiographs to look for evidence of fluid in the lungs may be essential.
An
electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is very useful to check for rhythm disturbances
or evidence of lack of oxygen to the heart muscle (but is not very useful
otherwise), and may be repeated to assess response to certain medications.
Monitoring
at home is difficult, because most of these animals die suddenly without any
other signs.
Cancer
Cancer Research Center
Genetics of Canine Cancer
Melanoma and Lymphoma
report by:
Jamie Modiano, Ph.D.
Center for Cancer Causation and
Prevention,
AMC
Cancer
is a group of diseases whose common thread is unregulated cell division and
proliferation. Cancer can affect any dog of any breed at any ages. Osteosarcoma
was recognized as a cancer that Rottweilers appeared to have a predisposition
to. Evolution of tumors is due both to environmental factors and genetics.
Tumors
are made up of heterogeneous cells populations making them difficult targets to
treat. The clustering of specific cancers in breeds and families suggests that
a hereditary component may be important in the development or progression of
the disease.
Unlike
other heritable conditions, genetic susceptibility to cancer might not manifest
in disease until a dog has reached middle age and long after it has achieved
breeding potential. When present, this genetic susceptibility is most likely to
be due to a process called loss of heterozygosity.
At
conception, individuals inherit 2 copies of each gene, one from each parent.
Each of these gene copies is referred to as an allele. A family line or breed
may have, through the course of time, lost a functional allele of a tumor
suppressor gene through mutation. Tumor suppressor genes encode proteins that
prevent or retard cell division. The leading cause of cancer is loss of
heterozygosity.
Modiano's
study is fairly well explained in literature that I will be submitting to the
RHF for distribution. He will be looking at the frequency of mutations in
families of Rottweilers studying Osteosarcoma. Hopefully this research will
lead to tools that will help predict the risk of a dog or its offspring to
develop this devastating tumor. When combined with strict breeding practiced
the incidence of these cancers should decrease.
Additionally,
this research should lead to advanced molecular therapies for canine cancer.
Cancer in dogs closely mimics cancer in humans. Breed clubs could assist this
research by identifying dogs afflicted with disease and blood relatives that
are disease free.
Systemic Fungal Diseases in Dogs...
Diseases in Disguise
The
veterinarian looks at the black and white patterns on the viewer in the dim
light of the x-ray room. She thinks how unusual this is . . . a four-year
old Golden Retriever in the prime of its life, stricken with lung cancer.
The radiograph doesn't lie though. The light patches taking up space in
what should be dark areas of the dog's lungs literally demand attention, stark
and unnatural, like potholes on a busy expressway. How unusual, the
doctor muses, to see cancer like this in such a young dog; cancer in the lungs
of any dog is almost never seen unless it has metastasized from somewhere else
in the body. And to come on so quickly! According to the owners it
was happy and energetic as it swam, played fetch and ran with the family just
two weeks ago on their vacation.
Now the dog has a fever, is losing weight and coughs frequently... the patient
is failing fast! Something just doesn't fit. The veterinarian
senses an unusual discomfort with her original diagnosis of metastatic lung
cancer, a veritable death sentence for this patient. She brings the two
x-ray films of the dog’s chest, one taken side-to-side and one front-to-back,
into the exam room where four anxious people await the doctor's
diagnosis. The depressed Golden Retriever's eyes focus upward on the
doctor, ears tuned in to the soft voice. . .
"We need to do a little more detective work. See those whitish areas
in the lungs? At first my thought was a possible cancerous condition, but
given your dog's age and the sudden onset of her sickness, I just don't believe
that's our problem. You said she was just fine on the family vacation?
Where was that?"
The astute doctor was now on the right track and refused to be led down the
road to euthanasia by a disease in disguise. Unfortunately, there are
canine patients that have not been quite as lucky as the Golden in this case;
this patient was accurately diagnosed with Blastomycosis. Vigorous and
immediate treatment was begun for this fungal disease that was acquired 350
miles from the dog's home while vacationing with its human family. It was
the first case of "Blasto" this doctor had ever seen because soil and
other conditions simply did not permit the presence of the organism in the
local environment. This case of Blastomycosis came disguised as lung
cancer.
Fungal Diseases
We’ve
all heard of ringworm. This is actually
a localized surface dwelling skin fungus. This type of fungal infection is
referred to as a Cutaneous Fungal Disease or a Dermatophyte. Non-invasive and rarely dangerous, it creeps
along the surface of the skin. On the other hand (no pun intended!)
there are SYSTEMIC FUNGAL DISEASES that have the propensity to invade any organ
system of the body. Humans can acquire these systemic fungal diseases from the
environment, just like dogs do.
|
|
A key
factor in recognizing the actor behind the disguise is to garner a thorough
medical history that includes noting any travel outside the dog's home
territory.
Blastomycosis
Much
like Valley Fever, Blasto is a commonly misdiagnosed systemic fungal disease of
dogs. It is a great masquerader and many dogs have been euthanized or had
treatment delayed because of a diagnosis of cancer mistakenly being made.
It is acquired most often by inhalation of infective spores present in organic
soils such as are present along streams, lakes, ponds and even within the dried
mud mortar of beaver lodges.
Landscaping
soil and even potting soil can harbor Blastomycosis organisms and any cat or
dog digging up these soils may be exposed to Blastomycosis. Especially in
dry environments where the soil may be dustier and easily become airborne the
potential for infection with Blastomycosis is greater. The organism is
present mostly in the Mississippi, Wisconsin, and Ohio River systems.
Blasto
grows in two ways. One form, called the fungal form, occurs in the
environment and the organism creates microscopic spores that, once airborne,
are able to pass far into the depths of the lungs. These spores are
released from the fungus when the soil is disturbed by the dog digging for
gophers or simply by the dog probing the soils following the odor trails that
dogs love so much. Much less common in cats than dogs, Blasto is easily
inhaled into the dog's lungs.
Once
there, the body's normal defense mechanisms can simply eliminate these spores
and no disease results. However, if the load (numbers) of spores inhaled
is very great or the dog is immune suppressed or stressed by other disease or
poor diet the organisms may begin to reproduce rapidly and signs of disease
occur. Once the spores have taken hold, they grow as single celled yeast
forms rather than the fungal form. This is way the Blasto organism is
called a biphasic organism... it can grow in the environment as a fungus and
within a mammal as a yeast.
After
inhalation of organisms the incubation period for Blasto can be from a few days
to many weeks before any signs of disease show up. Fever, poor appetite,
low grade deep cough, loss of exercise tolerance, and listlessness are cardinal
signs of Blastomycosis. Similar to the other systemic fungal infections,
Blastomycosis can spread throughout the body from the lungs and invade lymph
nodes, joints, eye structures and skin. Often the first evidence a
veterinarian has of Blastomycosis is a small draining ulcer that looks like a
small abscess. Sudden blindness, lameness, and blood in the urine may be
the first signs of disease... even showing up before any coughing is noticed.
Human Contagion
It has
happened quite often that a dog will be diagnosed with Blasto and shortly
thereafter the human resident of the dog's household will display malaise,
fever, persistent cough and weight loss. Hopefully the physician will not
be fooled by this disease in disguise and will establish a diagnosis of Blasto
and begin treatment.
The natural question
arises:
Did the human get the
disease from the dog?
The
answer 99% of the time is NO. Both human and dog generally acquire the
disease from the same environmental source in the soil. Likewise the dog
rarely will "get Blasto" from a human companion. The exception
occurs where there is transmission of yeast organisms (remember the very small fungal
spores are in the environment) directly from an open, draining lesion on
the dog into an open wound or directly into the eye of a human.
The
transmission of infective yeast cells from dog to human or human to dog can
occur and result in a localized infected lesion. Fortunately this form of
contagion is very rare.
Prevention
What is
the best way to insure that a dog does not fall under the spell of Valley Fever
or another diseases in disguise? Dr.
Sheila McCullough, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary
Teaching Hospital in Urbana, Illinois, has a suggestion based upon her
experiences with systemic fungal infections. “Providing a thorough
history is very important to obtain a full picture of what led up to the animal
becoming ill,” says Dr. McCullough. “The client should inform the
veterinarian of the patient's travel history within the past 6 months and what
the daily environment is for the pet (i.e. camping, swimming, hunting, living
near new construction or landscaping).
A
thorough history is the key first step toward figuring out the puzzle. It
is just as important to keep an ongoing dialogue with your veterinarian and to
create a plan of action if the initial tests for an expected disease are
negative.”
Dr.
McCullough’s point should not be underestimated. Knowledge of a seemingly irrelevant
environmental factor can be the key information the doctor needs to proceed
toward a proper diagnosis. Something as
innocent as stating “My dog loves to dig into gopher holes, Doctor” or “Two
months ago we had soil carted in for landscaping” can turn the doctor’s attention
toward a fungal infection.
Identification
Dr. McCullough states, “Fungal diseases often
masquerade as other diseases. The affected pets present with lethargy,
lameness, poor appetite, ‘not doing right’ and may have a fever. Treatment may
also be delayed because it is difficult to get a sample of the organism from a
lymph node, skin cytology or trans-tracheal wash.”
It is
crucial that the organisms be identified under the microscope for establishing
a positive diagnosis of a fungal disease such as Blasto. Culturing infected
material may take weeks and the patient simply cannot afford to wait even days
for a diagnosis! Blood tests are
equivocal. False positives and negatives
are common.
The
best and most direct method of establishing a definitive diagnosis is to gather
tissue or fluid samples from infected areas such as a swollen lymph node,
draining skin lesion or material coughed up by the patient. A needle biopsy of a lymph node is commonly
done and can be performed without anesthesia.
During
the office call the veterinarian will stain the specimen cells on a microscope
slide and look for the infective organisms.
If organisms are seen, BINGO!
Start treatment right now. If
they aren’t seen, special stains at a diagnostic lab are required. The
important thing to do is to BE PERSISTENT in striving to get a diagnosis for
the elusive disease in disguise.
Treatment
In the
past, Amphotericin B was the only known medication useful against systemic
fungal organisms. It had to be given
intravenously and with care to keep the dose from harming the kidneys. This medication has saved thousands of canine
(and human) lives. Recently, though,
researchers have provided us with oral medications just as effective in
treating fungal infections. Whenever
your dog is sick be sure to provide your veterinarian with a detailed patient
history. And you should be persistent in seeking a definitive
diagnosis. Persistent detective work is
your best weapon for unmasking theses diseases in disguise.
The Rottweiler is
believed to be descended from the most ancient of breeds. His origin is from
the Roman times, in which era he performed the duties of guard and drover dog.
These mastiff- type
dogs accompanied the Roman Legions across the Alps herding their cattle and
guarding their camps. One such camp, on the banks of the Neckar River in what
is now southern Germany, was the origin of the town of Rottweil (named for the
red tile roofs of the villas built by the Romans). When the Roman Legions
traversed the Alps, the dogs accompanied them protecting the soldiers and
driving the herds. Settling in the area of Rottweil, the Roman Army dogs came
into contact with dogs native to the area. The natural result was an
interbreeding of the two.
The principle duties of these interbreeds remained the
guarding and driving of large herds, the defense of their masters and the
master's property. Since there was a large concentration of the dogs in the
vicinity of the Old German Empire City of Rottweil, the dog acquired the name:
ROTTWEILER, "butcher dog."
The butchers bred this type of dog solely for their
working ability and their personal use. With the passage of time, an
outstanding guarding and drover dog, as well as cart dog, was the result.
Through the mid-1800's, the cattle trade flourished in
Rottweil, as did the Rottweiler Metzgerhund (butcher dog), who drove the cattle
to market and returned with the filled purses of their masters around their
necks. As rail transportation became the primary means of bringing cattle to
market, the dogs were used less frequently
Eventually, donkeys replaced Rottweilers as city cart
draft animals. The growing prominence of the railroad for shipping freight as
well as transporting people led to the outlawing of cattle drives through
German towns. Since dogs were prized more for the work they did than the
companionship they provided, Rottweilers declined in population; in 1900, only
a single Rottie bitch was recorded in all of Rottweil.
By the early 1900's though, the Rottweiler gained
popularity as a police dog. With the dawn of the 20th Century, when the police
were soliciting service dogs, the Rottweiler was readily recognized as
admirably suited to this type of duty. It was this natural protective instinct
and hardness, coupled with the willingness to please and trainability that led
to his use in the military and police and enabled him to survive two world
wars.
The breed’s resurgence began a few years into the 20th
Century when Rotties were recognized as potential police dogs for their
intelligence, loyalty, and strength. The rest is history. In 1921, after
several years of squabbles among fanciers, the ADRK (Allgemeiner Deutscher
Rottweiler Klub) formed with the motto “Rottweiler breeding is working dog
breeding.” No Rottweiler can have a German championship without first proving
his metal as a working dog.
The Rottie came to the US with a German emigrant,
probably in the late 1920s. The first litter was whelped in 1930, and the first
dog registered by the American Kennel Club in 1931. The original stock in this
country came from Germany, but breeding requirements in the US were not as
strict as in the homeland.
The breed marked time until after WWII, when it began a
steady rise in popularity as an obedience dog. In more recent years,
German-bred dogs have achieved a level of attention as more Rottie owners get
involved in Schutzhund or protection work with their dogs. German breeders
still insist on working ability in their dogs and championships are withheld if
the dog cannot prove himself in the field as well as the show ring.
Popularity in the US accelerated puppy production and
caused health and temperament problems in the breed, but bad publicity and a
general downturn in the preference for big guardian breeds has caused a
turn-around. Rottweiler registrations numbered in the hundreds in the late
1940s, peaked above 100 thousand per year in the mid-1990s, and dropped to
37,355 at the end of the decade. Today, the breed ranks eleventh in popularity
of AKC’s 148 breeds, down from second a few years ago. Litter numbers are on
the decline as well; the breed ranked sixteenth in 2000 with 13,089 litters
registered.
These characteristics certainly have influenced the
enormous population explosion and his present popularity. The Rottweiler is
number two in AKC registrations and usually has one of the largest entries at
our dog shows.
The Rottweiler was recognized by the American Kennel Club
in 1935. The first revision to the standard was not made until 1979 and the
second in 1990. The 1990 revision brought the AKC Standard closer to the ADRK
Standard (Algemeiner Deutcher Rottweiler Klub of Germany). This 1990 revision
is the standard under which you judge in the AKC (and study for the test)
So, the objective in the breeding of Rottweilers is to
produce a powerful, yet vigorous, dog, black with clearly defined rust
(mahogany) markings, which, despite its substance, is stamped with an air of
nobility and is capable of fulfilling the role for which it was bred as
companion, guardian, and working dog. Your mission as a judge of Rottweilers is
to learn to recognize this typical dog in the two to three minutes you are
allowed to examine each entry in the AKC conformation ring.
Contrary to
popular belief, Rottweilers and children can coexist. In fact, Rottweilers can
be an excellent companion to young children. One can read about the adventures
of a young child and his Rottweiler in the Good
Dog Carl series by Alexandra Day. However, Rottweilers are large dogs that
at times have high energy levels so one must be careful to avoid accidental
injury.
First of all never,
ever, ever leave a small child unattended with a big dog of any breed.
I think it's safe
to say that most incidents when children are injured by a large dog happen
while there are no adults present. Dogs will be dogs, and children will be
children and situations may often arise that can easily be stopped by an adult,
but a child does not have the strength or in the dog's eyes authority to put an
end to a sticky situation. Just don't take the chance. Grab the kid when you go
in to answer the phone or check on the pot roast. It is a minor inconvenience
when you consider the repercussions of your decision.
Obedience
train your dog.
An obedience
trained dog is a happier and mentally healthier dog. It is also a better
behaved dog. Having kids around a dog who knows and obeys commands like sit,
stay, down, leave it, etc. is much less stressful as well.
Most dogs love
kids, and they tend to be a bit too overpowering for children in their desire
to show them affection. It's this affection that can sometimes catch kids off
guard and scare them. Putting an overzealous dog in a down/stay can give you
the opportunity to show kids (and parents) how well behaved the dogs are. I
will be honest that I have not really 'practiced what I preached' in this
regard. Our dogs know not to jump on the kids, and they certainly aren't
aggressive, but we are still working on the 'no kisses in the mouth' trick.
Teach your
dog to respect children.
Dogs should learn
at an early age how to behave around children. They need to know that children
are to be treated with the same respect that you are. That means no jumping, no
mouthing, etc.
Once they are
firmly grounded in the basics of obedience, have your children make them sit,
down, stay, etc. and reward them with a nice treat for compliance. This will
help them learn that they are to obey your children just like they are supposed
to obey you. If you don't have children then it is important to socialize your
dogs around children. We don't have kids, but most of our friends do, so we
just borrow their children. After a few hours of socializing (our friends call
it free baby sitting, but what do they know), we gladly return the children,
thankful that our dogs are much more well behaved.
Teach your
children to respect your dog.
This means no
pulling, poking, or prodding. Often times children who are not raised to
properly respect dogs, get bitten because they poked an eye, pulled on an
infected ear, or stepped on a more delicate part of the dog. Most kids are not
intentionally abusive, but they need to know what not to do when around a dog.
Be sure they know not to hit or kick your dogs.
I have had to
correct several of the children that we socialize with because they think they
can kick or hit my dogs. They quickly learn how to treat my dogs, and they
respect them as they would respect me.
Children,
dogs, and food do not mix.
Even if your dog
is not food aggressive, why push the envelope? How many of us like other people
wallowing in our plate when it's dinner time? Not many. So why do we expect
dogs to allow children to play in their food? If you have a dog that is food
aggressive that is certainly an issue that needs to be addressed, but try to
avoid situations that might bring out this quality in an otherwise loving, well
adjusted pet. It's also a good idea to pick up any toys that the dog might
enjoy playing with before allowing a child into the dog's space. Dogs don't
like to share, and besides it's unsanitary for a 3 year old to play with the
dog's rope bone.
- Why, that dog is practically a Phi Beta Kappa,
She can sit up and beg, and she can give her paw--I don't say she will but
she can.
- Intelligent dogs rarely want to please people
whom they do not respect.
- There is no doubt that every healthy, normal
boy should own a dog at some time in his life, preferably between the ages
of forty-five and fifty.
- Puppies are nature's remedy for feeling
unloved . . . plus numerous other ailments of life.
- There was a slight advantage in being one of
the family, for he didn't bite family as often as he bit strangers. Still,
in the years we had him, he bit everyone but Mother, and he made a pass at
her once but missed.
- The most affectionate creature in the world is
a wet dog.
- A dog is the only thing on earth that loves
you more than you love yourself.
- The best thing about a man is his dog.
- Your can say any fool thing to a dog, and the
dog will give you this look that says, "My God, you're right! I never
would have thought of that.
- There is only one smartest dog in the world,
and every boy has it.
- A dog is a smile and a wagging tail. What is
in between doesn't matter much.
- The more I see of men, the better I like dogs.
- No one appreciates the very special genius of
your conversation as a dog does.
- A good dog deserves a good bone.
- The average dog is a nicer person than the
average person.
- First he made a man, then a woman, and finally
a dog to keep them company.
- Animals are such agreeable friends -- they ask
no questions; they pass no criticisms.
- The reason a dog has so many friends its that
he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
- No matter how little money and how few
possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.
- Don't make the mistake of treating your dogs
like humans, or they'll treat you like dogs.
- Being patted is what it is all about.
- Buy a pup and your money will buy love
unflinching.
- Children and dogs are as necessary to the
welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads.
- If you don't own a dog, at least one, there is
not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong
with your life.
- Dogs bark boldly at their own master's door.
- When a man's best friend is his dog, that dog
has a problem.
- When a man's dog turns against him it is time
for his wife to pack her truck and go home to mamma.
- The best way to get a puppy is to beg for a
baby brother - and they'll settle for a puppy every time.
- The dog is a saint. He is
straightforward and honest by nature. He knows by instinct when he is not
wanted; lies quite still for hours when his king is hard at work. But when
his king is sad and worried he creeps up and lays his head on his lap.
"Don't worry. Never mind if they all abandon you. Let us go for a
walk and forget all about it”.
- The poor dog, in life that firmest friend, The
first to welcome, foremost to defend, Whose honest heart is still his
master's own,
Rottweiler Training
Guidelines
A puppy will need to
relieve itself first thing each morning when it wakes up, about 10 minutes after
each meal and last thing at night. You need to teach your puppy where and when
he's allowed to do this.
To do this you should
take your puppy out first thing in a morning, wait with your puppy until he
relive himself. As soon as he does, make a fuss of him and bring him back in
the house for his breakfast. After his breakfast leave it for 10 minutes then
take him out again - repeat as before after each meal.
A sign that a pup is
about to urinate is that he will walk around in a circle sniffing the ground;
this is usually during play or after having a drink or meal. When you see him
do this, take him out and wait with him until he urinates.
Another method of
house training is paper training. To do this, your puppy will need to live in
an enclosed space until he learns not to urinate in the house, preferably near
an easy exit to the garden or yard.
Start off your
training by covering the entire floor in his enclosed space with 2 layers of
newspaper this may be the entire kitchen for example. When the puppy has done
something on a sheet of newspaper, remove the top layer leaving the bottom
layer clean but with the scent remaining. This will encourage the puppy to use
the same spot in future. Very gradually start to reduce the amount of paper
used until you end up with just a few sheets of paper around the back door.
Leave these for a few days or maybe a couple of weeks and then providing your
puppy has learnt not to relief himself anywhere but the paper remove these too.
From here on he should go to the back door whenever he needs to 'go out'.
You will need a suitable
collar and leash in order to train your Rottweiler correctly. We have found
that a long linked check chain is suitable for Rottweilers over the age of 6
months, for younger puppies a soft nylon slip collar will be suitable. The
leash should be made of leather and be re-sizeable for close training and
distance exercises such as 'come' and 'stay'.
- Keep training sessions short
and interesting, if you or your Rottweiler get bored his/her training will
suffer.
- Make your Rottweiler feel
loved and wanted at all times, try not to get annoyed or frustrated with
him/her - they will learn!
- Take your training sessions to
somewhere free of distractions, young children often have a habit of
running up to any dog they see, other dogs can also be a big 'put off'
during your training session.
- Teach one thing at a time, too
much will confuse or excite your Rottweiler.
- Make it all worth it! A good
play at the end of a training session will be something for him/her to
look forward too once the work is out the way!
HINTS
- Spend more time training the owner than
the dog. Dogs learn quickly when they know what you want and are firm
about it.
- Trainers suggest that you avoid feeding
your puppy canned dog foods while you're trying to house-train him. Canned
foods contain more water than kibble . . . and therefore lead to more
accidents.
- Want to know how to train a dog in one
sentence? It's simple. Don't give commands you can't enforce.
- Children growing up with pets they love
and care for seem to turn out to be good parents and perhaps more selfless
mates.
- It is fatal to let any dog know that he
is funny, for he immediately loses his head and starts hamming it up.
We have all the time bared in mind that a Rottweiler will
be a VERY large and compact dog. Therefore it was important for us that he
already as a small puppy got trained and learned certain things that we thought
was good to know.
EVERYBODY just
looooves the little cute puppy and says "oh no it doesn't matter; he is so
small and cute". I have told these people that I will be very angry at
them if they don't say the same thing when he weighs 60 kilograms.... if they
not obey MY rules when my Rottweiler was small.
We thought it was
most fair to the dog to NOT let him do things as a puppy that he wouldn't do as
a adult dog. This means for example - never jump up on people. THE DOG CAN NOT
UNDERSTAND WHY HE COULD DO IT BEFORE - AND SUDDENLY ISN'T ALLOWED...
I made up a list on
things that I wanted a Rottweiler "put out with" and since then we
have trained a lot on these things. My list has been enlarged from time to time
since I got new impressions, insights and thought all the time.
We have always
thought of treating a Rottweiler in various situations as though he already is
a grown up BIG dog. The more you put your dog to in a planned way, the more
calm, safe and not afraid dog you will have. I read in several books before we
bought a Rottweiler and I decided, and wrote down, some things I wanted him to
know and obey.
PLEASE
NOTE: Think of not talk very much or
give the dog special attention when you put it through environmental training.
To not do any "affair" out of it helps the dog to understand that YOU
does not think it is something special - and then the dog don't think it
either. IF the dog gets afraid or insecure just talk with a nice voice and do
NOT avoid the thing/s. Start instead to walk around it at a little distance and
slowly approach it. Also think about that the dog does not HAVE to learn
immediately. Sometimes it can take several times of practicing before he
relaxes. Take your time and do not put too much pressure on your dog.
Riding in the Car
We started out with
just sitting in the car, me and my Rottweiler. He got to sit at the floor in
the passenger’s front at a blanket. I brought a newspaper and sat reading and
pet him. At first he wondered what this was.... but after a while he just lied
down and fell asleep.
We did this for a few
times. OM he tried to climb up into the seat I said firmly "NO!" and
lifted him down to the car-floor again. When sitting still I praised him and
gave him treats. After a few times, when
noticing that he did not think it was frightening, I started the car and we
just sat still again. I pushed buttons, blinked with the light; honk the horn,
turned on the radio and so on so that he should be familiar with the cars
sounds. All the time I praised him when sitting or lying still.
When this also became
a routine I drove around at the parking lot so that he could feel the car
moving a little. Hit the breaks (very light). After about 5 - 6 times of this
car practice I had a puppy that didn't care much about the phenomenon riding a
car. It is also nice if the dog gets the experience that riding the car means
"coming to nice places". After a while you will have a dog who loves
to ride with you.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Rubbish Man
The Dustbin truck is
very noisy - especially when emptying glass bottles and metal cans. Every time
I heard the "dustbin man" in our neighbourhood I took a Rottweiler
out on a walk... At first he thought it was VERY scary. We started out just
walking around at a distance. The chauffeur was very nice and talked and pets
my Rottweiler. He still does not LOVE this truck but he is not afraid of it
anymore.
Birds
We do not know why my
Rottweiler was so afraid of birds when he was a little puppy, but we confronted
this problem immediately and took him to places where we could meet a lot of
birds. A large pond with ducks, visiting the harbour when the fishermen came in
(a lot of seagulls came also), the market place in the towns' city have a lot
of pigeons when feeding with bread...
It took some times
but suddenly one day he did not care much about them. He was MORE interested in
eating their bread crumbs... and chasing them, but then mistress said NO!!!!
With a loud voice...
Lots of People
Visit: City
centres.
Market places and carnivals
Procession of demonstrators
Outside schools and daycare centers when the children are outside playing
Shows and exhibitions.
Fireworks and Gunshots
About one week before
New Years Eve the children at our neighbourhood started to shoot their
fireworks. I told the children that I was training my Rottweiler to not be
afraid and they just loved to help me.... hahaha
We walked around the
children in a wide circle - slowly, slowly approaching them. This was good
training for him and it resulted in that he was not at all afraid on the New
Years Eve 2000.
We have also gone to the
shooting-area here in our town (people who is practicing and contest with
shooting guns). I found out which days they were training and then my
Rottweiler and I went there and walked around outside the area.
I pretended as if I
thought this was the most natural thing in the world so my Rottweiler also
thinks that nowadays.
Nice to have a dog
that’s not afraid of fireworks.
Fans
Fans and other
similar sounds can be experienced as "dangerous" by the dog. We
always confront my Rottweiler with various sounds.
Live Performances
First time my
Rottweiler experienced a music-group playing on a stage in the city centre he
started to bark at them. Often there are various entertainers in our city so it
is a good idea to confront the dog to it. Often it is very loud and noisy with
a lot of people standing around listening.
We started out
walking quite far away and slowly approached the place. It was five guys from
Mexico playing pan-pipes, guitar, drums and synthesizer - it was really loud
and it took quite a while before I could get the dog to pass without barking.
Processions and Demonstrators
This is a good
exercise. People shout in megaphones and the adrenaline is flowing in the
bodies of the "trouble-makers". Keep your distance so that you don't
end up in the middle of a fighting crowd.
My Rottweiler and I
have visited one demonstration and more will come because this is a good
exercise for him. This time he also gets to say hello to Police men watching
the demonstration.
They had their big
yellow jackets on and was VERY interested in pet my Rottweiler. He just loves
to be petted so he enjoyed it.
Noisy Sirens
This exercise demands
more time from you..... go to the police station or hospital emergency unit and
wait until a vehicle starts with its sirens on. It is good if the dog have
heard this noise.
Don't go too close at
first. Let the dog be familiar with the noise at a distance at first.
Ones a month the city
is testing their alarms over the town and those days I just open all doors and
windows so that we really can hear this noisy sound.
The first time I
thought my Rottweiler should die.... he was stiff in his body and just stood
there with his eyes wide open. I just sat down beside him and lightened a
cigarette. I just sat totally still pretending as if this was most ordinary
event. After a while he relaxed and started to smell at the flowers outside.
Noisy Children
My Rottweiler and I
went to a place a couple of times where some day-care children were on an
outing. I had to tell all the children to sit down in a ring around my
Rottweiler if they wanted to pet him. Then I told them that if they could speak
with a whispering voice and pet with calm hands they would not be "bitten"
by his sharp puppy-teeth.
I explained to the
children that my Rottweiler was just a little baby and that he did not
understand that he had sharp needle-teeth that could hurt their little hands.
It was adorable to
stand in a park and see 15 kids who sat in a ring with my Rottweiler in the
middle. All where whispering and stretched their little hands in slow-motion
towards him. My Rottweiler was looking with BIG eyes at all the little fingers
that were stretching towards him.
The three day-care
teachers were also looking surprised, almost with tears in their eyes at this
harmonic, peaceful sight.
When we meet this
day-care group nowadays all the children starts to move slowly towards my
Rottweiler - and he gets soooooo happy of all this attention.
Strong Noise
I have never
"dropped" so many things in my life since my Rottweiler came into our
house. I train him to not bother about noises so therefore I "drop"
kitchen gears often.... Cans, forks, metal bowls and so on...
Maybe he jumps a little,
but comes immediately forward to see what it was that was dropped NOW... hahaha
Trucks
We went visiting the
post office terminal where my Rottweiler master works. There are a lot of
trailers and trucks and this place is very noisy. My Rottweiler has spent some
time down there just to get used to this noisy world with its BIG trailers.
When he was afraid I
went to a trailer and "pet" it - just to show my Rottweiler that it
was okay. He approached it and sniffed at it, and then he did not bother anymore.
If you don't know
anyone who is working in such a place I am sure that you can visit for example
the public bus-station. Just tell them that you are training your dog and they
may let you go in.
Home Alone
We started immediately
to train my Rottweiler to get use to us coming and going. Doors open and shut.
We were careful with not doing any of this. Of course we did not stay outside
any door; it was opened again IMMEDIATELY so that he never got any reaction by
feeling abandoned.
When my Rottweiler
lived with us for a couple of weeks and so to say "find his home" we
started -very carefully- with the training to be home alone. We went into the
bedroom and closed the door, just to open it again a very short while after. If
I for example should put the newly washed sheets into my closet I closed the
door behind me.
When he did not react
at this small moments being left alone we started to do this for a little
longer while (some minutes). We also started to close the front door with the
key so that he got used to this noise.
After that the next
level was to leave him when going to the dustbin, which takes about 3-5
minutes.
We also closed the
front door with the key. Then we sat right outside the front door (quietly). We
sat there and listened. As soon my Rottweiler did scratch with his paw on the
door, we said "NO!" and continued to be quiet for a LITTLE WHILE.
Then we opened the door and came home.
In this way we
trained him until he didn't care at all - it took about one week.
- From the minute you bring your
new Rottweiler puppy home he will start socializing, firstly with you and
your family.
- Puppies learn and remember a
lot in their first 8 weeks of life and so their contact with humans and
other dogs should always be as pleasant as possible to avoid nervousness
or aggressive behaviour later on in life.
- Introduce new people and
children to your young Rottweiler and make these experiences as pleasant
as possible. Also your pup must learn how to behave around people. Do not
allow him to 'playfully' bite visitors or strangers.
- Training classes are a great
way or your pup to meet other dogs and people, as well as helping his
obedience!
- With older dogs, introducing
them to other dogs may prove to be a bit tricky if he hasn't already been
socialized with other dogs.
- If this is the case, introduce
both dogs on a leash and supervise them at all times. If any aggression is
shown, discipline the offending dog with a firm 'NO'. If the aggression
continues, part the dogs and try again later.
Activities
The Seek Game
This I started with already a week
after my Rottweiler had arrived to our home, and he just loves this game.
I take small pieces
of something really good (meatballs, sausage, and dog candy). Then I ask him
with a very engaged voice "Do you want to play the search-game??" I talk
to him in a VERY engaged and nice tone just to get his attention.
When he is looking at
me I tell him to "sit and stay" (When he didn't know that command I
closed the door to the kitchen.
Then I go and hide
the "goodies" and goes back to him. Lets him smell on my fingers and
then I tell him to "go and search". When he finds it I give him A LOT
OF PRAISE.
We do this
"game" both inside and outside the house and my Rottweiler loves it.
After a while, when the
dog knows what the command "search" or "look" means you can
try to hide his favourite toys, your gloves or anything else, so that he
understands that it is not only candy that he should search for.
IMPORTANT!
Let the dog search himself. Do not help him in any other way than repeat the
command when you see that he is about to give up.
Start
with easy hiding places and make it more and more difficult when you notice
that he/she is getting better on using the nose.
To open things
There are lots of funny games where your dog
gets to use his brain, teeth and paws to finally be able to eat the treat. All
these kind of games is about the treat hidden into something, for example:
Toilet roll that is
pressed in both edges, containing a candy that makes noise when moving.
Turn a banana-box upside down. Such boxes contain holes that make it tricky for
the dog to understand that he has to turn the whole box to be able to get to
the candy. The many holes are too small for the dog to get his head into....
but it smells so good from them....
Take an empty small
box (paper of course) and hide a candy inside.
A transparent bowl turned upside down. Now the dog can see the candy, but he
can not get to it if he doesn't learn to turn it.
IMPORTANT!!!
DO NOT
USE BOXES OR THINGS THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS TO EAT. A PUPPY WANTS TO TASTE ALMOST
ANYTHING....AND... Do NOT GET
IRRITATED WHEN YOU HAVE LOTS OF SMALL PIECES OF PAPER IN YOUR HOUSE (LAUGHING),
IF YOU HAVE GOT A PUPPY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE!!!!!!!!!
To wait for the
"OK-word"
It will be much helpful if you can learn your
dog this immediately. My Rottweiler and I train it daily, and use it often in
"everyday-situations". You choose the words and command yourself. I
have not translated my "OK-word" because I couldn't find it in my
Swedish-English dictionary...
Coming home from
walks when rain or snow pouring down the paws has to be dried with a cloth. I
put a candy right in front of him and say "wait". He learned to wait
until I have dried his paws. Sometimes I "took my time", and
sometimes I did it more quickly. It is important to let the dog know that YOU
are in charge - and it is YOU who decide if something shall be done quickly or
more slow...
When I give him food
or anything else to eat I demand that he sit and wait until I give him my
"OK-word". This also trains the eye contact with me. Also here in
this situation "it sometimes takes a little longer time" before I
decide to say the OK-word....
I put a dog-treat on
his nose and make him to lay still and wait for the OK-word. This you have to
practice in a nice and pedagogic way, because it demands a lot of you dog to
handle a situation like this!!!!! Start with only 2 seconds and make it longer
and longer - but take it easy and have a lot of patience....
IMPORTANT!!!!
It is a good thing for you if your dog learns things like this
as soon as possible - then you don't have to have the "hysterical"
situations you get if your dog makes the decisions.
Higher level of the
"OK-word"
When my Rottweiler understood what I meant
with this word I took it to a higher level where I demanded that he would make
eye contact with me before I gave him the "OK-word".
As it was in the first
stage all his attention was pointed at the treat....
If you have taught
your dog what the "OK-word" means you can now make it more difficult
by demanding eye-contact with you.
You HAVE to have a
lot of patience now, because it is important that the dog shall find it NICE
every time he/she looks at you. Even thought it is only a glance for a second
you have to give the dog praise.
The only thing you
have to do now is to say "wait" and then you stay totally still...
after a while the dog starting to wonder where the "OK-word" is...
and looks up at you. When he does that you immediately give him the ok-word.
You will find that the dog soon makes eye contact with you sooner and sooner.
The first times it
CAN take a while before the dog looks at you. Don't say anything or do
anything. Just stay still and wait...as soon as the dog looks you in your eyes
you say the "OK-word". Finally the dog will understand that you
require eye contact with him. This makes the emotional bond stronger between
you two and this makes it easier to train other things.
Bring me the mail.
My Rottweiler sometimes helps us to bring us
the mail from the mailbox. To do this you have to be two persons when training.
At our house my Rottweiler and his master goes to the mailbox. I stand inside
the house - in the kitchen and call him. When he comes to be we exchange the
mail for a treat and praise. Don't forget to say your chosen command to the
dog!
Start practices this
with only commercial.... for it CAN happen that your dog stops halfway and take
a little bite... hahaha
Zig-Zag Game (agility)
I have just started to teach my Rottweiler
this, since i saw a tv programme about agility. I thought "I do not need
to go away to a special place to train things like that". I took five
flower-sticks made of bamboo and put them into the ground with some distance
between them. A treat to tempt him with when I said "zig-zag"....
then I drew the treat in front of his nose so that he followed it between the
bamboo-sticks. When he has walked the zig-zag road I give him the treat and
lots of praise.
My Rottweiler is
rather clumsy with his ever growing Rottweiler body and tall legs so I think
this is a good training in coordination. The goal is that I just have to say
"zig-zag" to him and that he then will walk it by himself.
Forbidden fruit
This we did at the puppy-course and it is
good for the dog to know. Often things fall from tables or other places and
then it is good if your dog listens to the word "no" or
"wait" (or whatever word you choose to use).
Things that could be
dangerous for a puppy to taste can easily fall down, for example needle when
sewing...You need a bowl with something that the dog REALLY wants to eat...
This exercise is about to get the dog to walk with you in a hanging leash, pass
the bowl without taking anything....Start walking towards the bowl and if/when
you notice that the dog gives his attention to the bowl you say "no"
in a low but demanding voice. IF the dog doesn't obey your word you draw
shortly/fast in the leash one time and say no again. Don't stop walking at
anytime. Repeat this exercise until the dog can walk with YOU past the bowl.
When the dog
understands what you mean you can go to the bowl and let him eat the treat.....
Don’t forget that you can train the "OK-word" before he is allowed to
take the treat from the bowl....
Higher level:
To be able to pass a bowl with meatballs
without a leash. DO NOT do this until you are sure that your dog understands
the word "no"
Make it even harder:
Put several bowls out
and walk the "zig-zag" walk between them.
Afterwards you can
allow your dog to eat from every other bowl...when you say it is OK.
IMPORTANT!!!!
Do NOT demand from your dog to do the harder
exercises until he really knows what you expect of him!
The Candy-walk
To make sure that my Rottweiler will think it
is fun with my commands "come here" I have small pieces of sausage or
other good treats in a plastic bag in my pocket. When he gets too far away from
me when unleashed in the forest I walk my own way, away from him. Suddenly I
hunker down and put some of the treat on a stone, trunk, among leaves and so
on.
Then I sit still at
this place and scratch there with my fingers. My Rottweiler gets interested in
what I am doing... When I notice that he is coming towards me I say the command
"come here". When he arrives at my side he thinks that mistress is a
good dog who always finds a lot of nice things to eat.....I allow him to eat it
and I promise you that he is keeping an eye on what I am doing..... Since it
always "happens" to be interesting things at my side when we are out
walking.
Start with a place
where you don't have to think about if anyone else is coming suddenly. After a
while you can take this exercise to places where other people, dogs, children
also can appear.
The thing is to make
you as interesting as possible to the dog. This makes him to WANT to be at your
side, since there is always an exciting thing happening....
When he has eaten the
treat I let him sit until he makes eye contact with me. As soon as he does I
tell him to "go and play".... and walks in my own direction and start
with the candy-walk again. Nowadays my Rottweiler is very curious about what I
am doing, so he doesn't walk so very far away anymore...... hahaha
Too much bad energy
When we bought my Rottweiler we were well
aware of that this is a "working dog". I myself love to take long
walks in the nature as it is no problems at all to have a good walk almost
every day.
Ever since my
Rottweiler came into our home we have walked in the forest almost every day.
When he was a little puppy we just went in the car to some nice place and then
my Rottweiler did go around sniffing for about 20 minutes. After that he was
tired and happy...
Since he is growing
more and more each day he demands more and more exercise - not only physical
but also psychically. If I just make sure that he gets activated for about one
hour a day I have a peaceful dog lying on the carpet sleeping or gnawing on his
bone or other toy. Then he is satisfied with small "pee-walks".
My Rottweiler gets
very difficult if I don't activate him intensively an hour a day - because
Rottweiler HAVE to work with his brain to get satisfied. Think of this if you
want to have a "working-dog-breed".
"Set the
table..."
My instructor at the
dog-course gave me a fantastic tip on how you can activate your dog inside the
house. She told me that her Rottweiler helps her to "set the table".
She stands in the kitchen and gives the dog all sorts of things which shall into
the living room-table. And the dog carries the things for her.
When starting
training at this you have to be two persons. One in the kitchen who gives the
dog the things and the command "set the table". The other person sits
in the living room, calling the dog and praises him/her for coming. Forks, knifes (no sharp ones), spoons, plates
- all sorts of things the dog can carry.
The really hard - the
instructor told me - was when she wanted the dog to carry some pancakes... she
took a small basket and put the pancakes in it and gave it to the dog with the
command. PLEASE DON'T START WITH THIS UNTIL THE DOG UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU WANT
IT TO DO!!! Otherwise you will never have any food on your table (laughing).
Her dog is now so good
at this that she nowadays just tells the dog to fetch things for her. For
example she stood at the top on a ladder when she realized that she forgot the
screw-driver. She told the dog to pick it up and give it to her.
Guess if we are
training here at home.... my Rottweiler feels SO GOOD when helping us to carry
things. He stretches his body and looks as he really enjoys helping us. Of
course he gets a lot of praise and treats!!!
Quick Activity
One day I was feeling
ill and had a fever, so I couldn't activate my Rottweiler as I use to do. He
got restless and cranky and then I took about one quarter of his dry-food and
threw them out over the grass yard. I told him to "look for them" and
he really liked this... started to sniff and collect all the little
food-marbles. After that he was really tired of being working intensely with
his nose.
This is a natural
state for a dog. In the wild they go around and sniff for small food to eat, so
I believe this is a "freedom-feeling" also.
However, I DO NOT
make this a habit since I strongly believe that he should be activated properly
in the forest and other places for several hours a day. But this can be a good
way to not have a totally bored dog when you for some reason is not able to
activate it for a whole day.
The
following is a list of recommendations which will help you discipline
effectively without producing harmful side effects.
- Avoid striking the puppy with
your hands or feet or the pup will learn to shy away from them.
- Set the rules of conduct, and
then consistently enforce them. Inconsistency will delay eliminating the behavior
and can produce psychological and physical problems.
- When he misbehaves in your
immediate presence, raise your voice and shake him firmly by the neck
scruff without lifting him off the floor. Use just enough force to make
him stop whatever he is doing, then immediately praise him lavishly for
stopping.
- To correct from a distance,
raise your voice and toss a book, magazine, your shoe or some other
unbreakable object that will not harm him, but will startle him.
- If he misbehaves and you
didn’t catch him in the act, you’ll have to make sure that in the future
someone’s able to watch him or he’s put in his crate. Don’t allow a bad
habit to become established.
- A handy device for crate
training and other disciplinary situations is a shaker can. It’s simply
made from a used soda can by placing approximately 70 ball bearings inside
and securely taping the opening shut. When shaken or thrown, it produces a
sound that most pups find unpleasant.
To sum
up, the most effective discipline occurs quickly and sharply during the act of
misbehaving. It must be firm enough to get the message through, and it is
immediately followed by praise, in order to show the pup that stopping what he
was doing was the right thing to do.
How can you tell if
your Rottweiler is too aggressive? How can you tell you need professional help?
- Does your Rottie growl at you when
you tell it to do something?
- Does it growl at you when you
correct it for bad behavior?
- Does it try to get you to do,
or not do, certain things?
- Has it ever bitten you or a
member of your family?
- Is it uncontrollable when it
sees certain people or other dogs during walks?
- Are you afraid of it?
If you answered yes
to even one of these questions, you need help. Call a professional dog trainer
who knows the Rottweiler breed
Type and Performance in the Rottweiler
By Adolf Piencloss
Rottweiler breeding aims at a
vigorous dog which, though powerful in general appearance is not lacking in
refinement and is particularly suitable as a companion, guard and utility dog.
It is above middle size,
sturdy, slightly elongated, stocky and powerfully built. The body length should
exceed the height at the withers by 15% at most. That corresponds to a ratio of
10:9.1 and 10:8.7. In the case of a dog 65cm high at the withers that
represents a length of 71.5 to 74.5 cm.
The Rottweiler is a trotter.
In motion the back remains firm and relatively still. The course of motion is
harmonious, secure, powerful and unchecked with a good length of stride.
The body of the dog is adapted
in its construction to forward motion, for which reason the centre of gravity
of the whole body lies in the front half of the trunk. Trotting is the kind of
gait in which the centre of gravity of the body is supported exclusively by
diagonal pairs of limbs and these always move synchronously, i.e. they are
approximately in the same phase at each moment in the course of motion.
In trotting the trunk is
propelled forward by powerful muscular contraction, whereby motion experiences
considerable acceleration. In this the musculature of the trunk, and especially
of the back and neck, play an essential part by tightening the spinal column,
which is flexible in the dog, and taking part in the synchronous interaction of
the diagonal limits. As the latter throws the centre of gravity constantly
forward in a straight line, sideways swinging movements of the trunk are absent
in trotting, while the back remains relatively still.
Faults of appearance can blur
and distort the image typical of the breed. Such faults include a general
appearance which is light and lacking in substance, and a body which too long,
too short or too narrow. There should not be a lack of refinement. Refinement
implies in the dog, descent from forebears which rose above the average in form
and working performance. A dog with refinement is also one which is beautiful,
noble and proud looking. Size is not the main feature of the refined dog, but
beautiful clear outlines and a harmoniously proportioned body.
Refinement does not express itself only in the form, but
also in posture and character. Temperament without pushiness, courage without
wildness, and friendliness with a touch of reserve are ideal traits in a
Rottweiler.
The results of breeding are presented at shows, and taken
together; they reflect the status of the breed. Here we find that within the
range of variations among the top animals, the type leans more towards the
upper limit so far as substance is concerned. It is often massiveness that
strikes one. Body weight approaches the limit where pleasure in work, agility,
endurance and finally health as well as character attributes are unfavourably
affected
Fig. 1:
Shows a dog that lies
at the
upper limit of his substance
Excessive weight of
the bones and the associated heavy bundles of muscles with fat are a burden
which not only limits mobility and endurance but also the internal organs, particularly
the heart and lungs can hardly cater for this mass in necessary way.
Fig. 2:
Against the dog that is too heavy
We have the type that is too light.
Because of the insufficient
body weight this is often lacking in assertiveness. The necessary depth of
chest and muscle power is often absent. Such dogs are mostly temperamental and
uncontrolled.
Fig. 3:
For the Rottweiler the golden
mean should be aimed at this.
This dog corresponds most
closely to the requirements of the standard. In this desirable working type
there is a good relationship between the weight and the strength of the bones.
The appearance conveys an impression of proportion, size, substance and
strength. A powerful deep chest, not flat-ribbed, a well arched thorax provides
a good base for the front limbs and sufficient room for the internal organs to
carry out their vital function.
For persistent running at the
trot the build of a trotter is needed. Here the relationship of power and
substance is significant for the desired bouncing and striding motion. The most
important thing is a solid structural skeleton which gives support to the body.
Fig. 4:
To the
structural skeleton belong:
1. 7 neck vertebrae (A)
2. 13 sternal vertebrae (B) with
thorax
3. 7 lumbar vertebrae (C)
4. 3 back vertebrae (D)
5. and a varying number of tail
vertebrae (E)
In the rear part the
structures with the backbone, consisting of three ossified back vertebrae, is
firmly linked with the pelvic girdle and is supported by the hind extremities.
While the base (lumbar
vertebrae, backbone, and pelvis) represents an unshakeable combination, the
structure is only supported by muscles between the two shoulder blades.
(The next
paragraph, comparing the role of the front and rear extremities, (G) & (F),
has not been translated as it contains a number of anatomical terms which are
not in the ordinary dictionaries)
Fig. 5:
Shows
the trotting Rottweiler at the
moment
when the pair of limbs 2 and 4
have
stopped pressing down and are about to rise.
1. E-D = action line (press) -
movement phase 1
2. 2-B = action line (lift) -
movement phase 2
3. E-A = action line (lift) -
movement phase 3
4. 3-C = action line (press) - movement
phase 4
The rise and descent
of the limits do not take place quite simultaneously; the direction of the two
corresponding actions however occurs more or less in parallel and works either
against or from the skeleton. The direction is determined by the foot and its
undersurface on the
one hand and by the
support point of the skeleton on the other hand.
Fig. 6:
The
forces are thought of as being in the medium plane.
No
account is taken of the rotary effect.
1. G to C = action line - movement
phase 1
2. 2 to F = action line - movement
phase 2
3. G to D = action line - movement
phase 4
4. A to F = action line - movement
phase 3
5. H = resultant pressing force -
movement phases 1 and 3
6. I = resultant lifting force -
movement phases 2 and 4
The resultant forces of H and
I yield the thrust force. The resultant I of the two lifting forces and the
resultant H of the two pressing forces intersect approximately in the middle of
the skeleton. The effect of I and H yield an almost horizontal thrust force. It
will be seen that the dynamic effect operates as in the case of a bridge. As a
trotter the Rottweiler is required to achieve a maximum of endurance through
the economical expenditure of forces.
The Intersection G is the
turning point of the action lines of the movements phase 1 and 4 at the moment
when the lateral support is at its weakest. If this turning point rises above
ground level, the dog must proceed from the trot to the gallop, or else run at
a constrained and tiring trot.
Observations show that square,
well-angled dogs do not run at as demanding a trot as those of more extended
build. The opening and closing of the joints proceed according to the laws of
the minimum application of force. For that reason the dog that is too long
cannot, in continuous trotting, bring his legs sufficiently under the trunk in
relation to the length of his body.
The intersection G goes deeper
under the ground. The result is that the dog presses down more than it bounces,
and expends a great deal of force. Endurance is limited.
The centrifugal forces caused
by movement will be saved according to the exercise of running energy. The best
result follows when the intersection G, as represented in Fig. 5, lies close
before the surface. This takes place when the ratio of length to height
corresponds to 10:8.5 to 10:9.
This can only function,
however, when the whole system is firmly enclosed within itself with good,
strong musculation and precisely working joints. A machine with broken bearings
and connecting rods will not run any more. It is clear why sound hips must be
demanded.
The turn towards more mass
than class, ever bigger and heavier, finds its limits when health, character,
mobility and performance are restricted.
Puppies from our
previous Litter
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
After
Adoption
BOYS
GIRLS
Puppies For
Current litter
whelped
Available : 4
Males
2
Females
Pictures to follow…………