Page 81 - ShowSight Presents The Rottweiler

OfficialStandard for the
R O TTWEILER
COURTESY THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
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 characteris- tically 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 pro- jection 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 per- cent (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 devel- oped with strong broad upper and lower jaws. The desired ratio of backskull 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 medi- um 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 muz- zle 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, Topline, Body: Neck - Powerful, well muscled, mod- erately long, slightly arched and without loose skin. Topline - 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 forechest 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. Disqualification-Unilateral cryptorchid or cryptorchid males. 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 topline; carried slightly above horizontal when the dog is excited or moving.
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 nei- ther in nor out. Pads are thick and hard. Nails short, strong and black. Dewclaws may be removed.
Hindquarters: Angulation 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 perpen- dicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, hind legs are straight, strong and wide enough apart to fit with a prop- erly built body. Feet 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.
312 • SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2017