They have large, heavy paws with high knuckles, and are never flat-footed. Their legs are straight, not bowed outwards, and typically stand such that their shoulders are even with or slightly higher than their hindquarters. Their necks are thick, nearly the same diameter around as their heads. The tail is usually docked (cut short), but not always, so the presence of a long tail cannot automatically disqualify a Rottweiler from being a purebred Rottweiler.
The ears of a Rottweiler will always fold down with a triangular shape, similar to but smaller than a Labrador Retrievers, and they will never stand upright like a German Shepherd Dog or hang like a Basset Hound.
Rottweilers will never have underbites like English Bulldogs.
It is also important to consider that, like people, some Rottweilers are overweight, and will resemble more of a barrel shape than a tapered athlete. This does not mean the dog is not a Rottweiler, just that it has been spoiled with food.
Rottweilers can be very gentle and loving dogs, but they require a lot of training and guidance from an early age. Without proper training as a puppy, Rottweilers can become destructive pets who bark constantly and chew up your furniture or dig in the yard.
This pattern is so unique to the breed that it is simply called “Rottweiler color,” even when found on mixed breed dogs. The only other breed to have this coloration naturally is the Doberman Pinscher, which also originated in Germany, but the Doberman Pinscher is very lean, long, and tall, as it was bred for running more than for fighting and intimidation. The Australian Kelpie has very similar markings, but as with the Doberman Pinscher, it is more elongated with its features and more athletic in its activity and prowess.
Some dogs may also have white markings on them. This is considered a fault by the breed standards, but nonetheless some purebred Rottweilers may have white on the chest, between the shoulders, or on the face or paws. Sometimes older dogs will develop white in these areas as well. In these cases, the white is not a fault, but simply an effect of aging. The white on older Rottweilers will typically look more grizzled than pure white, however.
A red Rottweiler conforms to all the breed’s physical standards, but is all brown or red instead of having the typical black and red coloration. A Rottweiler is said to be “blue” when the guard hairs of the coat are a lighter color than the undercoat, resulting in an overall bleaching effect that washes out the entire color.
A mastiff mix with a Rottweiler will often have jowls or cheeks that hang below its chin when the mouth is closed, and will have excess skin and wrinkling around the face and head.
A lean dog with a long, thin muzzle and Rottweiler coloring may be mixed with a Labrador Retriever or Doberman Pinscher.
Also, a Rottweiler with a curly tail will always be a mix of some kind. [8] X Research source
The paperwork will most likely come from the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the United Kennel Club (UKC), the two largest registration organizations in the United States for purebred dogs.
