The modern day Rottweiler dog breed developed in Rottweil, Germany and is named for that city. The breed had experienced a decline in popularity in the 1800s so much that only one Rottweiler was shown in the Heilbronn, Germany dog show in 1882. In 1901, a Rottweiler Club was formed in Germany and by 1935 the breed had been recognized by the American Kennel Club as a purebred member of the working dog group.

The Rottweiler has an illustrious though unconfirmed history. The breed is thought have descended from Roman mastiff dogs almost two thousand years ago. These dogs were a viable part of the conquering Roman army. They were used to herd cattle to feed the army and also as watchdogs. By 700 A.D., the Romans had been ousted from the city of "das Rote Wil" (the red tile) but ancestors of their dogs remained and were used as beasts of burden and for herding in the city, which later became Rottweil, Germany.
The personality and appearance of the Rottweiler dog breed make it unique.
Surprisingly, one of the first adjectives used to describe the Rottweiler's personality is calm. The breed is known to be an excellent, relaxed family pet. In fact, a calm, courageous and confident temperament is the breed standard according to the American Kennel Club, which registered the Rottweiler in 1935. Other personality traits include loyalty to family but aloofness with strangers, intelligence, work ethic and self-assuredness. All of these traits assist the Rottweiler dog in performing the tasks it does best such as herding, protecting, tracking, competing, and performing police and military work.

The Rottweiler's strong physical traits also define the breed. All purebred Rottweiler's have distinctive coloring with an all black short coat with brown markings in specific areas of the cheeks, muzzle, paws and legs. A strong and large dog, the Rottweiler is muscular and has a broad head and chest. Its tail is generally docked to give its body a longer, more streamlined appearance. Rottweilers are easily differentiated from other dog breeds due to their physical and personality traits.
It is important to clarify that the natural temperament of theRottweiler dog breed leans more toward calm than aggression. A potential Rottweiler buyer should research the breed and make sure he can handle a large, active dog before buying. However, a buyer should not be more afraid to buy a Rottweiler than any other dog breed. Steps a buyer can take to ensure he purchases a physically and emotionally healthy Rottweiler include researching the breed first and know what breed standard traits to look for, research breeders to find an ethical breeder of purebred Rottweilers, visit the breeder kennel to see how Rottweiler puppies are raised, obtain pedigree information to determine lineage, obtain health information to ensure the Rottweiler has been evaluated for genetic problems, ask the breeder to provide Rottweiler information, specifically on training and discipline, and lastly make sure the buyer's household is appropriate to meet the Rottweiler's social and activity needs

With many dog breeds, an alternative to buying from a breeder is buying a purebred from a rescue center. Because of Rottweilers' tendency toward aggression if they have suffered maltreatment, buying from a rescue center may not be a good option with this breed.

ARottweiler dog is known for personality traits such as loyalty, confidence and aloofness. However, when mistreated, a Rottweiler's inherent protective nature can manifest in aggressive and violent behavior. The Rottweiler dog has received an unnecessary bad reputation in recent years. This article providesRottweiler information to clarify the behavioral traits and temperament of this breed.