There is little doubt in the mind of anyone who comes across the impressive Rottweiler that they appear to be a force that you do not want to go against. And that fear and respect is justified by not only the actions of the dog today, but also what this Rottweiler breed has done for people throughout the ages. In order to get a good idea of how important, smart and dedicated your Rottweiler can be, it is important to understand the history behind this breed.

You may be surprised to learn that this breed didn't come about as a mistake and that these dogs seemed to always have their place in society and were used to help their human owners in work and protection. By learning about the history of this breed, you may be better suited to understand what is going on behind that soft and gentle look on your dog's face which is incased in a more rough and tumble exterior. By opening up, you may be surprised at what you will learn.

This breed originally started many years ago and its ancestry even goes all the way back into the times of ancient Rome. Back then, the breed started as a Mastiff type dog, which was known as the Roman drover. During the day, while soldiers would travel, the drovers would herd cattle and then protect the soldiers during the night. This breed served as an excellent alarm in alerting the soldiers of surprise attacks.

But eventually, during the time of the many travels of Caesar, some of the drovers ended up being left behind for various reasons. It was the Germans who adopted the breed and took them in to breed them as dogs that would serve their needs like the needs of the soldiers were served. The Rottweiler actually got its name from the town where the dog became known as the dog of the butcher. This town was called Rottweil, Germany and it was here that the Rottweiler was able to show off what it can do.

Although it seemed that the benefits the Rottweiler gave could not go, the railroad came through and suddenly there was no longer a need for the Rottweiler to pull barges and carts. This meant that the main purposes that this breed was used for was now gone and it was not looking so great for the Rottweiler as they were jobless and soon to be homeless. But then, in 1910, the Rottweiler was recognized as a police dog and helped not only the police on the streets but also did their part in World War II.

Then it was in 1931 that the American Kennel Club Stud Book finally admitted the Rottweiler and for a decade, the popularity of this breed was shown, as it always seemed to make the top ten of the American Kennel Club's registered breeds. But in 2000, that ended when the Rottweiler dropped into eleventh place but the breed still keeps a warm spot in the hearts of many. The Rottweiler is still one of the most loved, feared and respected dogs to date and with the history behind them, it is understandable.