The Rottweiler is without a doubt one of the oldest herding breeds. A diverse grouping of aptitudes make it a protection dog with the ability to work all types of livestock in a wide variety of weather conditions. In addition, this accumulation of multiple facets makes it one of the most versatile breeds that in recent times has been used for various functions, such as a rescue dog, police dog or protection dog.
The origin of the Rottweiler dates back to Roman times. The Roman legion traveled with working dogs to herd cattle so they could feed the army. The main ancestors of the first Rottweilers, it is thought that they were the same, the herding dogs of the Roman Empire. These dogs came with the Romans beyond the alpine regions, where they drove cattle and served as protection for the people.
The current region of Rottweil, in Germany, is the one that gives rise to its name, and it is there where these specimens crossed with the native dogs, from which the Rottweiler emerged. From that moment on, the main function of these dogs was to care for and drive the large cattle and at the same time to provide protection to their master and his possessions. Its original name "Rottweil butcher dog" or "Metzgerhund", it received from the former imperial city of Rottweil. Rottweil butchers bred it exclusively for its performance and utility role. Over the years, it became one of the best protection breeds.
Rottweil became a very important cattle region, and the descendants of the Roman herding dogs proved their worth in herding and protecting cattle from thieves and wild animals. They were used by butchers when moving between markets during the Middle Ages, to protect money bags that were usually tied around their necks. As a result of the arrival of the railway, all this changed and the breed diminished so much that it reached the brink of extinction.
At the beginning of the 20th century, breeds began to be sought that were valid to perform service functions as a police dog. The Rottweiler was successfully tested and proved to be perfect for police dog duties. His strong and energetic character, along with his power and great muscles, instilled fear and respect wherever he went. With what in 1910 received the official designation as a police dog.
Due to the high demand for police dogs during World War I there was a resurgence in interest in the Rottweiler. During World War I and World War II, the Rottweiler played various roles as they were put into service as messenger dogs and dogs for the delivery of explosives in enemy territories, raster dogs, and guard dogs.
On January 13, 1907, the first Rottweiler club was founded in Heidelberg, Germany, it was called Deutscher Rottweiler-Klub (DRK, German Rottweiler Club), immediately afterwards, specifically on April 27, 1907, the Süddeutscher Rottweiler-Klub was created. (SDRK, South German Rottweiler Club), which later became the IRK (International Rottweiler Club). The DRK had about 500 Rottweilers to its credit, and the SDRK about 3000. Their objectives were quite different, the DRK was destined to produce working dogs without emphasizing the morphology of the Rottweiler.
Some time later, in 1921, both clubs merged to form what we know today as the Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (ADRK, German Rottweiler Club). On January 27, 1924, the merger was formalized in the official register of clubs and associations at the Stuttgart court. Currently the ADRK is recognized worldwide as the club of origin of the Rottweiler.
