alright i have a question: (and i'm not trying to start an arguement) but i was wondering what the big deal with rotties is? i don't know if i just haven't been exposed to the right ones or what, but every rottie i work is strong on the bite, but they tire out too quickly and overall, just don't impress me very much. just wondering why people like them for protection work so much? i'm sure there are good rotties out there, but are they few and far between?

Yes I think too a certain extent good rotties are few and far between. Like the GSD there are those that breed for work and those that breed for other reasons (pets, show, BYB etc). There are many breeds who have suffered due to people not breeding for work. For the number of GSD's out there, there are few that can really work. But if you look only at working lines then there are many who can work. In Rottweilers however there are not as many who breed for work. The reasons for this are many but one of the biggest influences are that Rotties in general just are not as good for Police Service work etc as GSD's, Mals etc. They do not have the stamina or agility of a good GSD. Whilst there are some Police Service Rotts out there they are few and far between. So if you are breeding for the Police/Military etc market then Rotts just won't satisfy like a GSD will and thus the desired numbers of working Rotts is down on that for GSD, Mals etc.

However all the above only highlights the weaknesses of the breed, and in realism is not fair to the dog. One of the great strengths of the Rottweiler is it's physical strength and bite power. Now it can be argued all day by people whether they care about this or not but in some circles such as Security and Personal Protection, overall power is a valuable asset. In my home state in Aust the Rotts are used in Police work mainly as Seige dogs etc where their lack of stamina is not so noticable and their power can come into play. Any body that has worked strong working Rotts will know of the huge increase in power a Rott has over that of a GSD & Mal. Having done a fair amount of security work in real life circumstances, there is no substatute for a Rott. It's power to truly stop a person is consistantly above any other breed that I have worked. There may be one dog here or there in other breeds that will do better than one Rott here or there but when looking at the breed overall the Rotts have it. Work a number of Rotts one after the other. You will know that you have worked powerful dog.

Another aspect that cannot be overlooked when looking at the overall positives of a Rott is it's calmness. No other working breed has the true relaxed attitude of the Rottweiler (which shows up in it's weakness with regards stamina). The dog will be calm all day and then work when it needs too. Whilst in Police circles this would not be seen as a positive in pet ownership for PP work it is a dead set positive. For ease of ownership it is hard to look past the Rott.

At the end of the day for me it comes down to the fact that the Rott is not as good a Poilce Service etc dog as a good GSD is, but is a vaslty superior Personal Protection etc dog. Just a different role and temperament for a different job.

Hope that this answers your question some what.

Mick.

Its funny Mick, you hit it right on the head regarding knocks on the Rott for agility and stamina. Funny thing is is that these are tow things that can be improved with work and exercise. Lack of speed, agility and stamina is only a genetic fault of a lazy handler, not the dog.

Nice post Mick. For me endurance was never an issue. While it may be kewl to own a dog that can do the long distance stuff, I want a dog that can DESTROY anyone who comes uninvited into my house. My little guy is 10 weeks now and I'm amazed how quick he his. Not fast but quick. I've had Rotts before but this is my first working line dog and I can already tell a difference. Give me a massive, powerful even tempered dog over a frenzied "off-breed" any day. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Walt

My Rott is all business, he will bite hard and doesn't seem to have a problem wi-th stamina. Obviously he's not on patrol for 8-10 hours a day either, but the work I ask him to do he doesn't seem to tire too quickly. Keep in mind though he is not one of those fat oversized Rotts that seem to have been getting more popular lately. He is 96 pounds and solid as a rock.

His tempermant is very relaxed for the most part but when he first sees me after being home all day by himself he certainly gets "hyped up" for a few minutes. His tail doesn't wag because he doesn't have one but his whole butt shakes.

I think the problem with Rottweilers and stamina is that people are trying to breed these riduculous 150 pound dogs. The dog wasn't meant to be that big, it is supposed to be a medium-large size dog. Not giant fat and out of breath.

mick, are you saying the Rotts have it overall for sige work, or the Rotts have it overall for personal protection work?
and i definately agree with the size comment, many people are too concerned with having a big mean looking dog, at the expense of having a fat lazy one.
you guys make good points though.

Please no body get me wrong I am not for one second advocating "bigger is better" far from it. Just that a bit more size than a GSD etc can have its advantages at times. A 150 pound Rott to me is just a fat dog. Right around the 100 pound mark for a fit male is my ideal weight. My current male is 47 kilso trim (about 94 pounds at a guess). He is a good size and moves well and hits hard and fights hard using his power to his advantage. That is what I am talking about.

Joe Jones,

Whilst I agree that a lot of Rotts lack stamina because they are unfit, a fit Rott will not keep up all day with a fit GSD. Their size etc just does not allow it. Does not mean they can't run from here to there without calapsing but it is when they have toi stay on a track all day and then engage in fight with a human that the rotts fall down when compared to a GSD, Mal etc.

Walt,

This is exactly the role I was talking about. Quick hard fights that come "BANG". Give me a Rott.

Kevin,

For me a Rott has it for PP work. In terms of siege work I just used that example to show a role in Police Service work then can do well. Like I said above it is the all day track followed by a fight that I feel that rotts are let down (also by the number of working dogs bred). The top seige dogs in Victoria (were I live) are Rotts. The police here like the power. But for me as I have said it is in PP work that they excell. They are the best combination of size, power, speed etc and are great to own in an urban environment.

Mick.

i guess discussions like this just come down to preferences. i can't believe we kept this as civil as we did. i guess i just prefer mals and gsd's, and thier speed and stamina. I'm just trying to imagine a fast rottie.... but i'm sure they're out there, i don't doubt you. I guess a tough rottie would be a nice compliment to a drivey mal.

Kevin,

It is very much preferance and the job you are asking the dog to perform. I love GSD and grew up with them. If I had more land and time I would still own one. If I was in Police K-9 work I would have a GSD. But for me know the Rott just fits better.

For the record a fast Rott is not like a fast GSD or even better still a good Dobe, but they need not be slow and lope in like a great lumbering hulk of a thing like some do these days. But a Rott at full speed still moves at a rate of knots and hit you flat out will rock you like the others wont. Clearly temperament of the individual dog is far more important to working ability than one breed over the other but if they have the same nerve etc then the GSD will be faster and the Rott more powerful.

Mick.

I'm glad it was kept civil, this way it's a better discussion. You either like the Shepherd like breeds, or the bulldog types. (opinion)
I would think regardless of the person, they would tire out before the Rott.

Whether many like to admit it or not, preference with performance is not the only factor, appearance is too, with any breed. Many don't like the Malinois for that very reason.

I think there's a place for this breed, and just because they don't perform tons of tricks doesn't mean they don't contribute to Personal Protection. I myself like the Shepherd breeds, but I like these dogs too.
Out of all the bulldog like breeds, I like these the best, why? Appearance, lol, I hate to admit it.