How to Breed Rottweilers for Shows

The Rottweiler is a working breed, descended from the dogs that helped drive the herds over the Alps with the Romans when they invaded Europe. The breed was also useful for guarding. This protective, insightful breed thinks before acting and is extremely loyal to its family, but these excellent traits quickly become aggression, shyness, and unpredictability in poorly bred dogs. Health problems increase with poor breeding as well. Good breeders aim to improve the breed and are very selective about which dogs are bred. They show their dogs so experienced judges can determine how well they meet the breed standard. The conformation ring is not just a beauty pageant. Ideally, all dogs that don't meet the standard should be neutered.

Instructions

    • 1

      Research Rottweiler genetics as thoroughly as possible. You must know your breed and its lineage thoroughly if you want to produce show-quality puppies. Improper and unethical breeding contribute to dog overpopulation, poor temperament, and heritable illnesses. Know your other breeders' lines thoroughly, as well as your own. Study the development and care of puppies and their socialization needs; a puppy will be a poor show prospect and a poor pet if its socialization needs aren't met.

    • 2

      Select your first Rottweiler. With your research under your belt, you'll have a good idea of what to look for and where to look. Tell any prospective breeder you're looking for a Rottweiler you can breed for show. If you buy a puppy with show potential, you'll have the fun of watching it grow up, but there can be no guarantee that it's going to be a champion when it's grown. It may be better to buy an adult so you know you definitely have a champion to start your foundation stock. Expect to pay a few to several thousand for such a dog.

    • 3

      Take your dogs to the veterinarian for a careful exam, letting him know you plan to breed and show them. Include a test for brucellosis, a serious disease that's sexually transmitted in dogs. Brucellosis causes abortion in dogs -- and can be spread to people by way of the dead fetus. Male and female dogs alike must be tested for brucellosis before each breeding, even if both were recently tested negative.

    • 4

      Join the state and national Rottweiler Club and learn its requirements for breeders and the health clearances that are expected of them, such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or PennHip. A show breeder should maintain membership in both national and state breed clubs. Rottweilers are susceptible to a variety of diseases, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cherry eye, entropion, cancers and more. The breed club gives breeders guidance and recommendations for preventing such diseases, as well as opportunities to participate in breed studies that study inherited diseases.

    • 5

      Locate your stud or bitch. Research and document this choice as seriously as you've done with your dog. Ask to see the pedigree and veterinary records of any dog you're considering. Since you're new to breeding and showing Rottweilers, your best bet is to choose a mate for your dog from an experienced Rottweiler breeder/exhibitor. This breeder can help in making the right selection of a mate and also will provide a wealth of knowledge to assist in the entire breeding process.

    • 6

      Breed the dogs two or three times, if possible. There should be one or two days between mating. Experts vary on the best days of the female's estrus to breed, but it's typically between the ninth and 14th days. Sometimes the female's first day of heat is not known exactly, so the dates may be slightly off.

    • 7

      Supervise the dogs closely when breeding. Either dog may become aggressive initially or during the process. Also, the pair will "tie": the male swells inside the female, tying them to each other for up to 30 minutes. Never leave them alone during this time, because the male can be injured if they struggle to free themselves.