Rottweiler 52

The modern Rottweiler originated in Germany where they initially worked as cattle drovers to assist in keeping herds under control and guarding them against predators. Although their ancestors can be traced back as hard as the Roman Empire, the breed has changed little since 1901 when the first German breed standard was drawn up.

With the rise of the railroad during the 1800s, Rotties were used less for herding and guarding cattle. They quickly moved into other jobs and found work as police dogs, guard dogs, and all-around working dogs on farms, in factories, and more. Rotties also served heavily in WWI as police and security dogs.

A hard-working and intelligent dog breed, the Rottweiler is a top-tier police dog, service dog, search-and-rescue dog, or guard dog. The AKC recognized the Rottweiler in 1931 as a member of the Working Group. Over the years, the Rottweiler has become one of the most popular dog breeds and even reached the top of the AKC’s Most Registered Dog Breed list in the mid-1990s.