THE ANCIENT EVOLUTION OF THE ROTTWEILER

 It is said that the Rottweiler is descended from the droving and guarding mastiffs that accompanied the Roman Empire on it’s tirade and invasion of Europe. 

The Roman armies required large amounts of food.  Cattle herds were transported with the soldiers as a valuable source of protein. Significant movement by the army required strong dogs to herd and protect the cattle over vast distances.  The dogs that the Romans employed were not recognisable as the Rottweilers that we know today, more closely resembling mastiffs. These dogs had to be tough and were able to survive the freezing cold Alps, and the hardships of war. 

When the Romans invaded Germany on their route over the alps into Northern Europe, they were greatly impressed with the bravery and expertise of the German soldiers they encountered.  They recruited these men from the towns and villages that they had captured and paid them for their services.

These German mercenaries were called the ‘Foederati’ (Federates). The same regions that these men were employed from were where the Rottweiler originated.

The very best of the Foederati were called the Optimati (the best of the best).  The Optimati were highly skilled and tenacious warriors that excelled in combat.  The Romans valued their skills immeasurably on their invasive campaigns.  No adversary equalled the Optimati.  Today the Optimati are of particular interest to historians as they are widely considered the forerunners to medieval knights.  They were of such high standing that they even had Armati which were personal assistants – very much like a squire to a Knight.  Only Optimati were chosen to guard the Emperor himself.  They were called Buccellarii (the Emperor’s body guard).  We chose to name our kennel in tribute to these men as we felt that their origins and attributes mirrored that of the Rottweiler.

Above: German mercenaries in the Roman army, as depicted on the Colonna Antonia in Rome.

Many Romans settled on the banks of the Neckar River to raise cattle after this area was invaded.  Here, it is said, that the ancestors to the Rottweiler continued their role as herding dogs and protectors.  This Roman settlement was a success and became a major trade and cattle center. Butchers became a very important part of the community and their dogs were known as Metzgerhunds or the “butcher dogs”.  The city of Rote Wil or Rottweil (red tile) is named after the red tiles excavated from the Roman settlement from this era and area.  The Rottweiler breed developed from crossings between local German dogs and the dogs used as war dogs in the Roman Military, guard dogs for the Roman camps and herding dogs for the Roman cattle.  The highly sought after working dogs from this area were called Rottweilers.  The larger dogs of the breed were used by the butchers to drive and guard cattle, the smaller dogs of the breed were used for more low key duties at the butcher’s home.  All dogs were kept for working purposes as people in those days could not afford to feed a dog that could not earn it’s keep.  Only nobility or aristocracy could afford to own pets.  The Rottweiler was a working dog that earned it's meals by carting, protecting and herding.

The Rottweiler was most remembered for it's protective nature.  Many stories exist surrounding the Rottweiler and it's ability to protect the butcher’s earnings for the day: After work when the butcher would visit the local tavern before going home he would place his money in a leather pouch and tie it around the neck of his Rottweiler, knowing that it was safe and would not be stollen.

In the middle of the 19th century a law was passed banning the drive of cattle over roads and carting.  Railroads also effectively chaged the traditional role of the Rottweiler as a cart dog.  Legend suggests that after a rapid decline only one rottweiler bitch existed in the town of Rottweil after WWI.   Butchers and a few farmers kept some dogs, partly out of love for the breed and also to have a reliable protector of house and home.  At the beginning of the 1900's it was found that the Rottweiler was particularly well suited as a police dog.  This aptitude, was a catylist for the revival of the Rottweiler.  Although the role of the Rottweiler today is different to that of its ancestors it is still recognised everywhere as a devoted and courageous working dog with an unparalleled self-confidence.

 THE MODERN EVOLUTION OF THE ROTTWEILER - FROM THE 1900's to Today.

In 1899 the animal painter Kull established the International Club for Leonberger and Rottweiler Dogs in an attempt to unite the encouragement of interest in both great breeds. This organisation had little significance and soon faded out.  In 1907 the German Rottweiler Club (DRK) was set up in Heidelberg, and in April of that year in the same place, the Southern German Rottweiler Club (SDRK) formed. The SDRK merged into a Rottweiler association called the International Rottweiler Club (IRK).  Not only the DRK and the IRK kept breed books; the SDRK also did so up to 1924. In addition, Rottweilers were entered into the ‘Deutsche Hunde Stammbuch‘.  In August of 1921, discussion between representatives of the DRK and the IRK were brought to a successful conclusion; in the matter of the breed standard, and the Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (ADRK) was established. The ADRK published its first stud book in 1924.  

All of our foundation bitches are descended from NRCA / Aust Ch Dreistleigh Famed Fargo.  The photos below follow his indirect paternal bloodline and show the evolution of the Rottweiler over the last hundred years.  This is intended to provide a visual account of the changing form of the Rottweiler using our own bloodline.  Many famous and influential Rottweilers can be traced independently on the internet.   

	Tyras v. Riesenstein 2/1/1906 He is a foundation dog listed in the first published stud book.  His pedigree only lists his parents: sire. Melac v. Heilbronn, dam. Wanda v. Cannstadt Our Optimati A litter can be traced back to this foundation stud!
	Decended from Tyras: Lord Von Der Teck 9/6/1914 He is considered to be the first great Producer.  Arco (below) is his son.
	Arco Torfwerk 6/1/1918  He was the breeds greatest producer until Bulli v. Hungerbuhl. Arco sired over 100 litters. Arco's parents were litter mates.
	Alfon (Brendle) SchII A lesser known dog than Arco.  To continue the visual examples Alfon starts our indirect paternal line.  His DOB is estimated in the 1920's .  He was not directly descended from Arco.
	A generation gap without photographical account leads us to:  Hackel vom Kohlerwald SchH II 3/24/1929 During the 1930's the first Rottweiler was exported to England.
	Again a generation gap without photographical account leads us to:     Arko vom Hirschbrunnele SchIII Gek. 12-15-48 5/9/1946 Arko shows a milestone in 50 years of breeding.  Although he is still not what we accept as correct in type, his shoulder lay back and topline are evidence of improvement on the foundation dogs.
	Beginning the direct line to our foundation bitches DKCH Lyngsjons Gay is an example of a working dog from the 1950's
	INTCH DKCH DKBRCH Thor (Danish) BHP3 AK FH PH
	Astor vom Landgraben SchH III, Gek.b.EzA 6/25/1971
	INT.CH ES'77 Ives Eulenspiegel SchH III, Gekort bis EzA HD+/- 9/13/1973
	INT./VDH-CH WJS'81'83 ES'83 BS'82'84 KS'81 Nero vom Schloss Rietheim SchH III IPO III FH Gek b EzA HD- 6/5/1978
	Lord vom Schilfeck SchH III AD Gek. 10-6-85 (Russelsheim) 1/20/1982
	Iwan von der Silberdistel SchH II BH ZtP(11.87) HD+/- 2/5/1986
	This section is under construction - please check back in a few days!

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