9781422279397

The all-around working dog The Rottweiler was first and foremost used for herding cattle and pigs, although dogs of this type were also used for herding sheep. It

was a hard task to move the an- imals and to keep them together at the same time. The work re- quired a strong dog with plenty of stamina, both mentally and physically, but who also had the energy and courage to impose his will on obstinate animals. Reliable, calm, full of confi- dence and physical strength, the Rottweiler knew how to get his

Rottweiler history

job done. He would move the cattle by using his physical strength and weight to lean against them—a trait that can often be seen in their descendants as they lean into you for petting. The more rebel- lious animals would be nipped at the heels until they moved. The many qualities of these dogs quickly made them sought after for a wide variety of jobs. Known as the Rottweiler Metzgerhunds (Rottweil’s butchers’ dogs), they were employed not only to drive cattle, but also for pulling the carts of farmers, butchers, bakers, and peddlers. In addition, the Rottweiler was an incredible guard dog. Cattle dealers may have tucked the payment for their herds into the collars of their dogs for the journey home, because there would have been few people brave enough to challenge these tough, courageous dogs. However, by the end of the 19th century, the railroad became the main way stock was moved to market, and a new law in Germany banned driving cattle using dogs. Donkeys were now being used to pull carts as well. As a result, the Rottweiler was largely neglected by the people of Rottweil. The numbers dwindled until, by 1900, there was only one bitch to be found in Rottweil itself.

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