12/12/2025
My 2 cents on head type in this breed.
First, if you have not seen the dog from a full profile (side) view, you cannot possibly measure muzzle to topskull ratio. Most of these massive fat heads are shot from angles that accentuate the deep stop and because most have excellent fill in the zygomatic arches (they are not 'dish face' or narrow where the muzzle and face meet) and wide muzzles, the camera angles help exaggerate how extreme the dog is in type. If you are unsure of this, please come with me to some dog shows and meet these dogs in person and then decide your opinion. All of you, in this day and age, understand how important angles are in getting a good selfie or photo and most of you know you don't look like that in real life!
Second- it is a pity that I have to keep reminding everyone that there is a dog attached to the head. If you only focus on one aspect of the breed as a breeder, you have already failed the dog. What you SHOULD be asking about are hip and elbow scores, heart echocardiograms, JLPP results, genetic screening, bite or dentition, and overall conformation of the dog. If you have a dog that had has a head type that you love, but his feet turn out, his shoulder lay is off predisposing him to elbow dysplasia, he is lacking rear angulation exposing him to hip dysplasia, and he has a sway back increasing his chances of spondylitis, or he dies a horrible, slow death from JLPP, is that really what you want???
Third, and probably most important to me. What is INSIDE the head is far more important!! Is he a balanced dog? Nervous? Anxious? Intelligent? Biddable? Trainable? All of this matter so much more than any physical aspect of the dog and if you don't think so, they this is NOT the right breed for you.
Fourth, maybe if us Americans had bot worked so hard to RUIN a breed of dog that was a National treasure to Germany, there would not have been so much pushback. Due to poor breeding, refusing to do health, genetic or temperament testing, and basically just breeding any 2 dogs that had the correct "parts" we created a dog here in the US that no longer remotely resembled the German Rottweiler in type, size, substance, build or character. We took a strong, powerful breed of dog with a clear and balanced mind, unwavering courage and unyielding loyalty and made such a watered down version in every way, but especially inconsistencies in character/temperament that serious breeders had to look to Germany/Europe to find quality worth breeding.
I personally agree very much that an overdone dog is not for me; but neither is an underdone dog lacking bone and substance with an elongated, narrow, houndog head that couldn't catch a ball if it hit him in the head and cannot be trusted. I try very hard in my breeding program to focus on the TOTAL ROTTWEILER, avoid extremes in any direction. If my type or my breeding program is not for you, no worries, I am not offended. But bashing a dog without even knowing the dog, seeing him in person, handling him, or watching him work- honestly, that is just ignorance and I can only hope you do not judge humans with the same shallowness based off of a short video clip or photo.
