If you are searching for the perfect new pet and want a purebred Rottweiler, then you need to be able to tell by its appearance if it is indeed purebred.
Dogs don’t have to be registered to be purebred because one of the parent dogs may be the perfect size and shape of a Rottweiler without papers.
This means the puppies can’t be registered if one of the parents isn’t. Read on to find out how to tell if the puppy or adult dog you are considering is a purebred Rottweiler.
How To Tell If an Adult Dog is a Purebred Rottweiler
Checking the dog’s appearance against the American Kennel Club (AKC) standards can tell you if a dog is purebred. Adult Rottweilers are versatile, gentle, and loving dogs with great strength, power, intelligence, and the ability to protect their family at all times. They have short, smooth coats that are shiny and very muscular bodies.
The Rottweiler’s General Appearance
A Rottie, as they are affectionately known, has a laid-back disposition and makes a great military or police dog due to its personality and qualities. They are considered a large breed of a dog built solidly with a mellow demeanor.
The Rottweilers Body Size and Shape
An adult male Rottie will be about 95 to 135 pounds and 24 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder. An adult female is a bit smaller and weighs 80 to 100 pounds with a shoulder height of 22 to 25 inches tall.
The body is generally bulky-looking and compact, and males will have a larger bone structure than females.
Their height-to-length ratio is 9:10, meaning they are almost square looking, with the length being slightly longer from the chest to the beginning of the tail than the shoulder height.
A Rottweiler’s depth of the chest-to-height ratio is 1:2. The depth of the chest is measured on the front of the dog from side to side on the chest and compared to the shoulder height.
The Rottweiler’s Coat and Markings
Rottweilers are double-coated with an undercoat and an outer coat. The undercoat can’t be seen through the outer coat, which is straight and course.
The outer coat is medium-length and very dense. It is a course to the touch and lies flat and straight. On the ears, head, and legs, the cost is shorter.
A mixed-breed Rottie may have a longer coat, which may not be as short or lie flat. It is likely not purebred if you see this on a prospective new family pet.
Rottweilers have distinctive markings on their coats. The body is primarily black, with either tan or mahogany markings on the chest, legs, and face.
You will also notice two markings of tan or mahogany right above the eyes, like eyebrows, that give this breed of dog a brilliant appearance, which can also be playful.
The Rottweiler’s Head Shape
The head is boxy and square because it is about the same size and width. The spacing between the ears is broader than in other breeds of dogs.
The Rottweiler’s Eyes
Rottweilers have expressive eyes of a dark brown color and are medium-sized and almond-shaped.
These are the only standards for the eyes. If you notice yellow eyes on a dog you are looking at to try to determine if it’s a purebred Rottweiler–this is a huge sign that it is not.
Rottweilers also have hair on the rims of the eyes, which is another dead giveaway if they lack this trait, which means they are a mixed breed.
The Rottweiliers Ears
A purebred Rottie has medium-sized ears set far apart from each other on the sides of its head. They are triangular and fold forward with the tip of the triangle downward.
The Rottweiler’s Tail
Some breeders dock Rottie puppies’ tails shortly after they are born. If the dog has a docked tail, it will be short and close to the body. The dog you are considering may not have had its tail docked. If not, the tail will be black with a slight curve and hangs down to the rear hocks.
The Rottwielers Temperament
Rotties are loving and compassionate dogs that are usually very calm, although they can act quite goofy when young. It would be best if you were the dominant pack leader to train this dog breed properly because it can sometimes be a bit strong-willed.
In training, Rottweilers are very intelligent and learn commands much more quickly than other breeds. They are playful and gentle while being highly loyal to their families.
If you get a purebred Rottweiler puppy, make sure you start training it immediately because it is a mighty dog as an adult, and you don’t want to let it jump up on your or small family members.
The Rottweiler’s Lips and Mouth
To be a purebred Rottie, your dog or puppy should have black lips with a dark color of pigmentation in the mouth. The dog is not purebred if there are pink spots on the lips or inside the mouth.
The lips should close entirely at the corners and not hang down lower than the bottom jawline. A dog with huge jowls is not a purebred dog.
Acceptable Deviations From The Rottweiler Standard
Just as you see in children, a litter of Rottweilers can have some that differ slightly from others in size and appearance. Some adults may be leaner, taller, or stockier than others and still be considered purebred Rottie.
How to Tell If a Puppy is a Purebred Rottweiler
Suppose you are considering a Rottweiler puppy for your new family member and want to ensure it is purebred. In that case, you can examine all the characteristics in the breed standard to make your determination.
Sometimes it’s harder to tell if a puppy is purebred because the cuteness gets in the way of your examination. Fortunately, there are other ways to know if a dog or puppy is purebred.
Other Methods of Identifying a Purebred Rottweiler
Let’s say you are looking at a dog or puppy and are told they are purebred but have no registration papers.
You can quickly look up the documents of the parent dogs online or ask the breeder to see their reports. If the breeder refuses, you should walk away from this scam.
If there are papers for a dog or puppy, examine them closely and ensure they were registered with the correct organization to be purebred. To be purebred and registered, a dog’s papers should be through the AKC only.
The Continental Kennel Club (CKC) will allow the registration of mixed-breed dogs and pure breeds. So if the papers are from CKC, you should look elsewhere.
You should be able to request health clearances from a reputable breeder on both parent dogs that were done before they were bred.
This will alert you to any diseases or other items that may be inherited from either parent in the future. You should also request a health clearance for your puppy and look at it closely.
DNA Testing Puppies and Dogs
A DNA test will tell you if a dog or puppy is a purebred Rottweiler. You can easily use an at-home kit and follow the instructions to swab the inside of the cheeks. You then mail it off and get the results back within weeks.
Your veterinarian can also perform a DNA test for you, which usually requires a blood sample.
Your test results may say 100% Rottweiler, or it may sound like a lower percentage of being a Rottie, which means it isn’t purebred–but depending on the estimated rate, it could be very close.
Problems With Non-Purebred Dogs
Purebred Rotties are lovely family members who get along well with anyone of any age and with other pets.
If you get a dog or puppy that is not purebred, you can’t be sure of its temperament as it grows. Other breeds can also have genetic or congenital problems, and you may not be able to predict the size when your puppy or dog is full-grown.
How Much Does a Purebred Rottweiler Cost?
As in all dog breeds, a registered dog or puppy costs more than a purebred that is not registered. A Rottweiler puppy that is registered costs between $1,400 and $3,500.
Females cost more than males, and puppies cost more than adults. If the dog or puppy has champion bloodlines, they will be on the high end of the spectrum in price because the breeder expects your dog to be a show dog.
Step away from the dogs or puppies if you are unsure about a breeder and his credentials or if anything seems wrong. Unethical breeders will charge you the same price for a champion dog that is not purebred.
If it’s a puppy you are looking at, ask to see the parent dogs to determine if they are purebred puppies as well.
Mixed Genes May Not Be So Bad
Suppose your dog or puppy has mixed genes from many generations ago, and the newer generations have all been purebred or registered Rottweilers.
In that case, your dog or puppy might be very close in appearance and temperament to a purebred Rottie.
Your particular dog may have a pink or brown marking on the black nose or a slight underbite like a bulldog. These signs indicate it is a mixed breed from somewhere in the genetics.
Final Thoughts
If you purchase a puppy or dog on the assumption that it is purebred, do a DNA test, and find out it’s not purebred, you should consider some items.
First, take your new pet to the vet to be checked over thoroughly for any defects that need attention.
Don’t treat your dog any differently than if it were purebred and spayed or neutered, so it doesn’t produce more mixed breed puppies and is not true to the breed standard.
