Can you explain WHY???

[TrishB]

I've heard it so many times: "Oh, MY Rottie is (insert German, American, Canadian, etc.) because his head is bigger."

Can someone explain to me just WHY a huge head is supposed to be a selling point on your dog?!?!?! It gives me this mental picture of a rottie with this head that's sooooooo big, he tips forward, head resting between his feet while he’s still standing! :p Why is a big head so wonderful?

Why is a HUGE rottie, WAY above the standard weight and height spoken about as if it's such a great attribute to have? :p

I'd love for someone to say: "My Rottweiler is 28 inches at the shoulder and is completely balanced!" with the same excitement and enthusiasm!

(Of course, we're talking about Joe-Schmoe here, not reputable, good breeders who would say that!! ;))

It's so sad when people think that a flaw, bad or disqualifying trait in a breed is a good thing. :(

[rottnelmo]

Elmo is 25" at the shoulder and very lean. Right now he is at 85 pounds...he lost weight with a baterial (sp) infection. He is normally 90 pounds. I know that in the conformation ring he wouldnt be looked at twice...why? because they like them heavier.

I totally agree that just because a Rottie is huge, it does not make them better. I hate when people walk in, take a look at Elmo and go boy is he little. Ummm, no...he's just not FAT!

We have one guy who works in our advanced classes and when his dogs runs the fat literally jiggles on his dog, a rottie. He thinks his dog is soooo much better because his dog is "bigger"...may he is FATTER! this dog goes at 130 pounds but is only 25"...so why is his being heavier than Momo better?

Okay...enough of a rant!

Beth

[norcal420]

Here are two of my guess (to your questions TrishB):

1) Because they're uneducated

2) Size = Power to many people

I usually walk away (after hearing those comments) and say; "That's nice". Sometimes I try to explain breed standards, but it rarely gets through....

[Miabella]

I have people at our dog park comment all the time about how my female is "really small for a Rottweiler." I'm sorry, but she is 90 lbs and 23.5 inches, NOT small at all for a Rottie bitch. Check the standard. I think that part of the problem is that lots of breeds, not just Rotties, are being bred much larger than their standards. Labradors and Golden Retrievers should not weigh 100 lbs, but you'd surprised how many out there do.

[TrishB]

It makes you wonder how many people actually KNOW the standard!

Canadian Standard:

Size:

Dogs 24 - 27 in. (60 -68 cm). Bitches 22 - 25 in. (55-63 cm).
Proportion should always be considered rather than height alone. The length of the body, from the breastbone (sternum) to the rear of edge of the pelvis (ischium) is slightly longer than the height of the dog at the withers, the most desirable proportion being as 10 to 9. Depth of the chest should be fifty per cent of the height.

I believe it's the same as the American and German Standards.

[mario sepulveda]

Your stateing in your post what I was trying to say in my post under American Rott ,,,,when some people see my female they dont think she is a rottiweiler and automatically say shes ''mixed'' because she isnt huge or have a block head or dark markings,,,,When I got her I was told that there was a difference between German and American rotts in looks and size so I always tell people that she is a American rott and that was why her head is smaller with a slightly longer snout ,,,at 6mts her weight is 60+ lbs and height is 22'' which I feel is fine,, I read the posts that Jonandmichelle suggested in my post,,, I didnt think or know about the breeding factor over time, the post stated that all rotts are rotts regradless of where they are born but the breed blood lines in the German breeds where more kept up than in the states,,, where they have been mixed up,, so even if the parents of my rott where both unpapered rotts and had all the looks and markings of a rott(mother appox. 90lbs father appox.110lbs) there could have been a mix somewhere down their family tree,,,Does this make sense or am I still not right with the american vs german looks thing((if there EVEN is such a thing))?????I mean to me its no big deal cause I love her either way,, its just that it ticks me off when someone says'' Oh shes not a rottiweiler but she sure looks close''........

[Marie & Muttley]

I don't suppose there's a way to get people to call those super size dogs something else? My girl weighs around 100 lbs and people are always assuming she's not grown yet, or just too small.
My favorite is, 'she's so pretty you could breed her if she was big enough.'
like all a dog needs is a pretty face and extra weight to be bred?
I'm considering discussing thier genes in the same way. 'If you were taller, you'd make a great mom. Too bad about the glasses, though.'

she does have her faults, but the people who think she's too small don't seem to notice.

[CarolineS]

Originally posted by norcal420
Sometimes I try to explain breed standards, but it rarely gets through....

To explain the breed standard, you'd have to go on the assumption that these idiots know the definition of the words "breed standard". After almost six years of owning a "miniature" rottie girl (23", 85 lbs) I've just about given up.

It never ceases to amaze me the total lack of manners in some people who feel they can just walk up to you and start insulting your dog. Someone should denfinitely do something about their "breeding"!

[SASSY'S DAD]

well one of mine fall within all the standards but my other one doesn't he is too tall but I have seen some really laughable rotts around rott with fur like a collie or rotts with a head shaped like a greyhound narrow and pointed is easy to say your dog is within a stadard but is it within all the standards?from what I have seen not many are there are standards for the shape and size of the skull on a rott there are standards for the height and weight as well as coat length and color not to mention mouth color teeth even how they run.and on top of that there is a temperment standard how a rott interacts with others is very important.If anyones dog meets most of the standards and you are happy tell the people that the dog makes you happy and that is what counts.Only about 1 in 50 pups is show quality the rest make wonderful pets and loyal family members.

[mario sepulveda]

In the newspaper here I see(backyard breeder) ads for rottwiliers pups claiming to have 30''tall 150lb parents for $450,(which is fine if thats what your looking for),but it does feed into the misconception that a rottwiler ALWAYS has to be a overly HUGE dog.....

[poohbearsmom]

I took the dogs for a ride in the van the other day, and stopped to get gas. Deiter (115lbs) was riding shotgun, with his big ole cowhead splooging up the window... then Pooh (85lbs) jumped in the driver's seat (that's another story..)...
A man walked up to me and said,"Nice looking dogs. That big one the mother? How old is the puppy?" LOL
Trying to keep a straight face, all I could think of to say was - well, the little one is a female, 4yrs old - and her mother is a male, 21mos.
He also replied, "Wow, she sure is small".....
People are silly.

[livertw]

I don't suppose there's a way to get people to call those super size dogs something else?

I call them ROTTAPOTAMUSES. Fat jiggling, saliva slinging, panting, wheezing, can't jump into the car, Rottapotamuses. One guy called my 88-pound furgirl "puny." Heck, an 88 pound dog is a BIG dog by any definition. I had to bite my tongue to keep from calling his black and tan blimp "FAT."

[TrishB]

If I hear one more reference to "King" Rotties - I'm going to toss my cookies.

If King = Bloated, Mutant, Monster, Ill Bred, Ill Tempered
then maybe I'll agree to it....

[Gryphon]

I took Gryph to Pet's Mart the other day and I got some of the same types of comments from about 8 different people. I think it must have been a full moon or something because people usually just stay away from him there but this particular day, it seemed everyone had some stupid comment to make or another.

One lady insisted that Gryph's breeder must of lied to me about him being breed in the US because with his dark markings there was no doubt that he was obviously German breed.

Several others also commented on the fact that he must be German because of his darkness...

One of the employees thought that Gryph, at his 27", 5 lb over weight, 130 lbs was way to small to be German because he got his Rotts from a great breeder he found in the paper. His dogs were 180 lbs and much taller than Gryph because they were German. I guess he must of measured/weighed them with one standing ontop of the other. Besides, his breeder would never lie in a news paper add

[JonandMichelle]

Some people find bliss in ignorance

You could hit these people upside the head with a frying pan, and it still wouldn't sink in:(