20 Things You Didn’t Know about The Roman Rottweiler
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Dog breeders are often business owners. As a result, it isn’t uncommon for them to breed their dogs to better appeal to a particular segment of potential customers. Sometimes, they will go as far as to give their dogs a different name that is similar but not the same as that of an established dog breed.
For proof, look no further than the Roman Rottweiler. It isn’t what the kennel clubs would consider a true Rottweiler. Even so, the people behind the Roman Rottweiler call it by that name because of name recognition. If you are interested in the Roman Rottweiler, you should be extra thorough when gauging whether you can trust your dog breeder of choice or not.
1. Not an Official Rottweiler
The Roman Rottweiler is not official. Generally speaking, kennel clubs decide whether a dog belongs to a dog breed or not. The more influential the kennel club, the more relevant its decisions become. None of the most important kennel clubs consider the Roman Rottweiler to be a true Rottweiler.
For instance, it does not fit the description of what the AKC considers a Rottweiler. Similarly, it does not fit either the KC’s standard or the FCI’s standard. As a result, if you want everyone to recognize your dog as a purebred dog, you shouldn’t get a Roman Rottweiler.
2. Kind of a Rottweiler Anyway
With that said, it is possible to argue that the Roman Rottweiler is a Rottweiler anyway. It descends from that dog breed. The main difference is that dog breeders have made it bigger through crossbreeding.
Even though the Roman Rottweiler also descends from other dog breeds, it still looks like a Rottweiler for the most part because that is one of its biggest selling points. Due to that, if you don’t care what the most important kennel clubs have to say on the matter, you might consider the Roman Rottweiler a Rottweiler anyway.
3. There Is No Real Standardization
Be warned that the lack of official recognition tends to come hand-in-hand with a lack of standardization overseen by an authoritative organization. You can count on purebred dogs from a reputable source to fit the standards of their dog breeds because they have undergone extensive breeding for consistency.
In contrast, you cannot count on the same for Roman Rottweilers, particularly since there isn’t even a standard for how these dogs are supposed to look and behave.
4. You Need to Know the Dog’s Exact Background
The Humane Society says you should ask how your dog was born and raised if you buy from a dog breeder. When you do so, you should also ask questions about the Roman Rottweiler’s exact lineage. Dogs descended from more than one dog breed can inherit characteristics from more than one dog breed.
Thanks to that, you can expect your Roman Rottweiler to have Rottweiler characteristics. The issue is that you can also expect your Roman Rottweiler to have characteristics from the rest of its lineage. Becoming informed about that lineage makes you more capable of treating your Roman Rottweiler right.
5. Has Several Other Names
Roman Rottweilers aren’t always called Roman Rottweilers. The lack of standardization means it is very common for dog breeders to use other names for marketing purposes. For example, Roman Rottweilers sometimes bear the name “King Rottweilers” to emphasize the great size of these dogs.
Similarly, Roman Rottweilers sometimes bear the name “Gladiator Rottweilers” to emphasize the great ferocity of these dogs. It is a good idea to exercise increased caution when confronted with an excess of marketing language.
6. Has German Roots
These dogs trace their roots to Germany. That doesn’t mean every Roman Rottweiler was born in Germany. The relevant point is that the dog breed came into existence in Germany, meaning every Rottweiler and every Rottweiler-related dog can trace its roots to that country. Rottweiler indicates someone from the town of Rottweil in Southwestern Germany.
7. Might Have Roman Roots
People often claim that Rottweilers have Roman roots. The idea isn’t an unbelievable one. The Romans brought their dogs with them throughout the Roman Empire.
That would have included the region now surrounding the German town of Rottweil, which once hosted what The Perseus Encyclopedia of Classical Sites calls the Roman settlement of Arae Flaviae. Furthermore, the ancients engaged in a great deal of trade, meaning Roman goods spread far beyond Roman borders. Of course, having Roman roots means very little.
European dogs were never replaced in the same way as the Pre-Columbian dogs of the Americas. As a result, pretty much every dog breed that originated in either Europe or the Asian and African parts of the Mediterranean Basin can claim Roman roots.
8. Supposed to Be a Reversion to Its Roman Roots
The people behind Roman Rottweilers sometimes make claims about Roman Rottweilers being reversions to their Roman roots. Unfortunately, those claims don’t make much sense. The Roman Empire was around for more than one-and-a-half millennia.
Furthermore, we know it had different kinds of dogs even though its selection was nowhere near as extensive as ours. As a result, there isn’t a single Roman form for Roman Rottweilers to revert to. Never mind how we don’t have a clear understanding of how dogs changed over time in a not particularly important part of the Roman Empire.
9. Presumably Meant to Look Like the Molossus
Still, chances are good that at least some of those people were thinking of the Molossus. Wikipedia says the Molossus was an ancient Greek dog that became very popular with the ancient Romans, so much so that the latter proceeded to spread these dogs throughout their territories.
Some of these dogs were hunters, while others were livestock guardians. Whatever their role, they were united in being huge, powerful, and muscular animals.
10. Often Descended From the English Mastiff
Some kennel clubs use the term “Molossoid” to refer to mastiffs and livestock guardians. Given that, it doesn’t seem like a coincidence when Rottweiler Life says most Roman Rottweilers are descended from English Mastiffs. Amusingly, it isn’t clear whether English Mastiffs have Roman roots.
It is possible, particularly since much of Great Britain was once a Roman province. However, most sources talk about descent from ancient British dogs, which were powerful enough to receive mention in Roman sources for that exact quality.
11. Being Bigger Isn’t Necessarily a Good Thing
Being bigger isn’t necessarily a good thing for dogs. PetHelpful and other sources agree that Roman Rottweilers have higher chances of experiencing orthopedic issues because of their increased size. That is not a good thing if you want to get one of these dogs.
After all, if your dog develops a serious medical problem, you will need to pay for treatment. Even then, it is a well-known fact that big dogs live shorter lives than small dogs.
12. Unscrupulous Dog Breeders Can Worsen the Problem
Of course, unscrupulous dog breeders can do a great deal to worsen the problem in the name of maximizing revenues and minimizing expenses. For example, careless breeding can increase the chances of a puppy inheriting genetic conditions. Similarly, poor treatment can lead to both physical issues and behavioral issues.
If you want a Roman Rottweiler, you should get one from a reputable source. Oftentimes, that means checking out the dog breeder’s operations for yourself to see if there are any glaring issues.
13. Born With Tails
Roman Rottweilers are born with tails. That isn’t unique to them. Most Rottweilers are born with tails, though there are some with natural bob-tails. If you see a Roman Rottweiler with a bobtail, chances are good that it had its tail docked.
Once upon a time, that was standard practice. Nowadays, tail docking is extremely controversial, as shown by the places that have banned or otherwise restricted the practice.
14. Aren’t Necessarily Bred For Placidity
Rottweilers have a somewhat unfair reputation for aggressiveness. They have natural protective instincts, which is why they are popular choices for guard dogs. Unsurprisingly, that means Rottweilers sometimes attack when they believe their charges are under threat.
On top of this, people sometimes fail to properly train and socialize these dogs in the same way they sometimes fail to properly train and socialize other dog breeds. A tendency that contributes to the stereotype when these Rottweilers behave poorly.
In any case, standards often emphasize breeding Rottweilers to be placid and otherwise good-natured to minimize the chances of something going wrong. The lack of standardization means you cannot count on the same being true of Roman Rottweilers.
15. Some Are Very Good-Natured Anyway
Of course, dog breeders offer good-natured Roman Rottweilers. Most people have an intuitive understanding of why a huge dog with aggression issues is a bad thing. As a result, even when large dogs have jobs in which they have to face threats from time to time, there is often an emphasis on making them friendly toward their family members.
Roman Rottweilers are no exception to this rule. For that matter, English Mastiffs have a reputation for being gentle giants, so those who lean toward that side of their heritage are likelier to be good-natured.
16. You Need to Train and Socialize These Dogs
You always need to train and socialize your dog. Our canine companions are a mix of nature and nurture, meaning they need early training and socialization to prevent them from becoming fearful, aggressive, and otherwise problematic. That is particularly true for Roman Rottweilers for a couple of reasons.
One, mixed-breed dogs are always a bit unpredictable, so you need to weigh the odds in your favor as much as possible. Two, bigger dogs are much more destructive than their smaller counterparts when they haven’t been properly trained and socialized. Roman Rottweilers are even bigger, thus making this even more important of an issue.
17. Comes in Various Coat Colors
Some dog breeds are very lax when it comes to coat colors. Rottweilers aren’t one of them. In contrast, Roman Rottweilers are a bit more varied in this regard. Various combinations of black and tan are extremely common. Furthermore, you can find Roman Rottweilers with red, blue, and solid black coats.
Other colors exist, though those tend to be even rarer. People often treat unusual coat colors as a selling point. As a result, it makes sense that Roman Rottweilers are more varied in this regard.
18. Needs Daily Exercise
Rottweilers need daily exercise because they are working dogs. Unsurprisingly, the same is true for Roman Rottweilers. A lot of these dogs need not one but two sessions of daily exercise. Without that, they can get bored, which is always problematic because more energetic dogs will find something to do on their own.
Since Roman Rottweilers are bigger, that exercise is even more important for preventing them from becoming overweight. Extra weight means extra stress on the joints and other parts of the body, which is bad news for dogs already prone to problems in this regard.
19. Tends to Be Trainable
Working dogs tend to be trainable. Thanks to this, you should be able to teach a Roman Rottweiler to do a wide range of things. There is a potential issue in that these dogs are sometimes stubborn. Still, you should be able to overcome that through firm, consistent leadership.
Positive reinforcement is a useful tool. In contrast, negative reinforcement is always bad for training dogs. Never mind something as big as a Roman Rottweiler.
20. Should See the Veterinarian For Regular Checkups
The increased chance for Roman Rottweiler to experience health issues means you should take yours to see a veterinarian for regular checkups. These dogs aren’t limited to suffering from just orthopedic issues. They are also prone to eye problems, certain kinds of cancer, and certain kinds of heart disease.
Good breeding can reduce the chances of these things happening, but it is far from being enough to prevent every single issue. Regular checkups are a good way to head off potential problems as soon as possible.
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