[BostonRott]

Here is my answer on another forum. I know there was an active K9 Rottweiler on the Cape, and my trainer says he was one of the best tracking dogs he's ever seen. Supposedly a Dingo grandson still alive at 14! I've been trying to chase down the pedigree, but never gotten very far.

"An adult GSD male is often around 70-75lbs, an adult Rott male is around 100+. Females are rarely used b/c of the whole heat cycle issue, though it is not unheard of.

As a handler, you must be able to lift your dog into windows, toss him over fences, etc. If you dog is stuck, you must put him over your neck and carry him out.

Which would you rather carry?

GSDs have longer muzzles than Rottweilers. Heat exchange is done through the upper palate, and GSDs have a greater surface area for said exchange, and thus tolerate heat better.

GSDs are much more resiliant to corrections in training, handler errors in training, and repetitive training. Most K9 officers are not dog people and have no clue about dog training until they get onto the unit. Such novice handlers are better suited to a dog like the GSD where they can make mistakes and the dog will "forgive" them, vs. the Rottweiler who is less forgiving. I mean "forgiving" not in assigning human emotions to the dog, but in terms of the dog's reactions to the handler/same situation in which the error was made. Nail a Rottweiler with an unfair correction, he'll remember it and let you know. Do the same for a GSD and you may get a momentary reaction, but not a lasting impression.

Rottweilers do more damage with their biting, especially as they tend to take things to ground and shake them. More damage = more liability for the department.

Rottweilers have a lesser tendancy towards active aggression than GSDs. They won't put on a huge barking show just because you said so, they often need to see a visible threat. It's much harder (relatively speaking) to get a Rottweiler to bite an innocent looking bystander than it is a GSD.

Re: slower maturity, that is usually in relation to mental maturity, not physical. I've never seen a Rottweiler with still open growth plates at 2 years of age, or even at 18mos of age. Joints are formed and mature, or OFA would not allow evaluation at this age. I worked at a vet for 4 years and never saw large breed dogs with open growth plates much beyond 8-10 months. I've xrayed all my dogs between 6-10 mos of age to see how their plates are doing, and whether or not they're ready for road work, and they have been closed.

I train with K9 officers and the opinions and observations offered above are based on my experience with them, and my own questioning of them on this very issue. "