weight

[Barbara Surplus]

Originally posted by Judi W
None. I just know my lines are not going to be bodied out, the girls - until about 3 and the boys age 4. Most Rottweilers of any lines are not physically mature until age 3 plus. I simply do not ask or expect them to look mature at an earlier age therefore I don't try to stuff them up. The boys who (not be design particularly) are pretty big kids, make me laugh because although they have their heigth and structure, look like they've been run over by the road roller in width until age 3. So what do I do? Well, they get obedience titles and go herding and do tons of things while learning to stack and bait but they don't go into the breed ring until they're ready. Takes patience if all one has as a goal is the breed ring. If you want a well-rounded dog with letters before and after their names, there is a lot to do while waiting. I am disturbed at the loaded with fat youngsters trotting around the ring with their backs bouncing up and down and rolls of fat behind the shoulders just because an owner is in such a hurry. They've not even had their certifications yet but they're out there spending a fortune, the pup is living on the road, and yes, many finishing before you even know what you have. You don't have to be smart to fatten up a dog. You do have to be patient to let them mature naturally and for Pete's sake have a life!

Thanks, Judi. You've made many good points here as well as given lots of great advice. And, of course, you make me laugh - road roller indeed! I've seen a few of those! (Not in my backyard, thank goodness! ;) )
Barbara

[CarolineS]

Road roller! ROTFL!! Pretty good analogy.:) When I look at Maggie and my new little one, there isn't a huge difference in height, or even length. Looking down on the two of them from above though, the difference is amusing. Maggie is quite heavy boned to begin with and is a pretty solid girl. Dres is so slim in comparison that she does look like she's been flattened sideways by a road roller (very cutely flattened, I might add)! She is, of course, only 10 months old and has another couple of years to fully mature. Good to know the road roller look is in in young Rotts. ;)

[ROTTSVILLE]

Thanks for all the replies, but i have just discoevered a slight gremlin in the system, which highlights some of my misunderstandings. Thanks German for the statistics, however this has pin pointed part of my confusion. There is more than one breed standard !!!!! The uk breed standard states ; dogs 63cm to 69 cm 25-27 inches bitches 58 cm to 63.5 cm and believe it or not it does not state any weight at all !!!!! From the info i have in front of me adrk states dogs 61-68cms 65 to 66 cm ideal and bitches 56-63cm ideal 60 -61 and weight ; male 50kg and bitch 42 kg...then theres th american kc..........again slightly different.........i would presume the adrk is the truest of them ????????:)

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by ROTTSVILLE
Thanks German for the statistics, however this has pin pointed part of my confusion. There is more than one breed standard !!!!! The uk breed standard states ; dogs 63cm to 69 cm 25-27 inches bitches 58 cm to 63.5 cm and believe it or not it does not state any weight at all !!!!!

I think that if you look carefully and analyze the desired height measurements stated by A.D.R.K. and F.C.I., they are within the U.K. own standards.

The weight issue is a controversy that appears to have three different types of criteria and followers. Allow me to elaborate a bit more:

One is the working dog. That is a muscular-lean-agile kind of Rottweiler, expected to weight in between the middle of the weight range (90 to 130 lbs.), where the 100 to 110 pounder male dog is preferred by working dog enthusiasts

The second one is the show dog, which is, at least for many judges, the plumpier dog; thus favoring male dogs in the "heavy weight" class, as the most impressive looking ones... Indeed they may be, but can heavy dogs work?!... :p That's really the question ;)

The third one is the huge large dog, which the Rottweiler breed is actually not meant to be! However, some people erroneously look for oversized Rotties. This is a very large Rottweiler that weighs more than 140 lbs (150, 160). This way it satisfies the "size craving" for some people. This particular group of people couldn't care less for the standards of the breed. All they want is a huge dog at the expense of the breed's traits, health, form and soundness. It may be that those extra-large Rottweilers are ego-boosters for some people :p Who knows. Whatever the reason may be, is unfair and wrong for our beloved breed.

As for me, personally, I prefer a Rottweiler within the desired standards of the breed :)

[MikeMac]

My dog George is eleven months old and weighed 97lbs about a week ago...reading all of this makes me worry we will have a really huge dog by the time he is four!

He's 25-26" tall and very big boned, though. We can easily feel and see his ribs, so I don't think he looks like he's been run over with a road-roller!

Mike.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by MikeMac
My dog George is eleven months old and weighed 97lbs about a week ago...reading all of this makes me worry we will have a really huge dog by the time he is four!

He's 25-26" tall and very big boned, though. We can easily feel and see his ribs, so I don't think he looks like he's been run over with a road-roller!

I don't think so. Actually, it sounds quite allright to me!:)

[ROTTSVILLE]

Yes, i agree german, but what a confusing debacle it is, especially the uk jennel club not even specifying a range of weights ! In the uk almost all breeds only exist as show dogs, there are virtually no breeders who breed for working dogs. And god forbid anyone should say they have a desire to train and compete their dog, that notion is generally met with horror. As the vast majority encourage and want rots that cannot work or would not even confront a burglar/attack . Believe it or not they actually stipulate that they'd be unhappy if their dog bit a burglar ! So my point is that there are mainly show dogs in the uk, and consequently UK ROTS seem to be bigger, thus making one of working size look even smaller !!!! Many Gsd's over here are well over standard some make rots look small ! Dont you find it amazing the uk has no weight standard, as a breeder of large stock can use this as leverage in his arguement. SIZE ISNT EVERYTHING, AS I SAY TO MY WIFE !!!!

[Michael C.]

Keep in mind that these dogs grow at different rates. You can't compare your dog to someone elses. You really need to look at the parents of your dog to get some kind of idea on what size your dog will end up. Our girl has had a very slow but consitant growth rate. I have been told since she was a pup that she is too small for a Rottweiler. She is now 2 1/2 years old and just hit 80 lbs.

[CarolineS]

Originally posted by Judi W
I just know my lines are not going to be bodied out, the girls - until about 3 and the boys age 4. Most Rottweilers of any lines are not physically mature until age 3 plus. I simply do not ask or expect them to look mature at an earlier age therefore I don't try to stuff them up. The boys who (not be design particularly) are pretty big kids, make me laugh because although they have their heigth and structure, look like they've been run over by the road roller in width until age 3.

If I may be so bold, ;) I think some of you have misunderstood Judi W's comment about road rollers. A young Rott who looks like he's been run over sideways is a good thing! Shows that he's attaining his height and structure, but hasn't been stuffed full of food in an attempt to make him look "big" before he's fully mature.

Also, a comment about "show dogs". Admittedly, I don't attend too many conformation shows, but those that I have seen in the last couple of years do not have rings full of overweight Rotts. I think this is an unfair generalization. I remember seeing heavier dogs quite a few years ago, but the trend has changed. Most of the experienced owners/handlers realize that a fit dog moves a lot better than an unfit, fat dog. A fit dog handles the show circuit much better than an overweight dog. I'm not saying that these dogs could go out and compete in an endurance event, but they are certainly not the obese butterballs that seems to be the common misconception.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by ROTTSVILLE
Yes, i agree german, but what a confusing debacle it is, especially the uk jennel club not even specifying a range of weights ! In the uk almost all breeds only exist as show dogs, there are virtually no breeders who breed for working dogs. And god forbid anyone should say they have a desire to train and compete their dog, that notion is generally met with horror. As the vast majority encourage and want rots that cannot work or would not even confront a burglar/attack . Believe it or not they actually stipulate that they'd be unhappy if their dog bit a burglar ! So my point is that there are mainly show dogs in the uk, and consequently UK ROTS seem to be bigger, thus making one of working size look even smaller !!!! Many Gsd's over here are well over standard some make rots look small ! Dont you find it amazing the uk has no weight standard, as a breeder of large stock can use this as leverage in his arguement. SIZE ISNT EVERYTHING, AS I SAY TO MY WIFE !!!!

You just answered your question yourself. It's too bad, indeed.

By the way, here in my hometown, last week end my two Rottweilers, with the assistance of an alert GSD, frustrated a burglary to a neighbor's house... One of the two criminals got caught by my dogs... The perpetrator was later arrested by the police, after paramedics provided him with First Aid ;) The crook went to jail with a pending criminal case for the felony offense of burglary

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by CarolineS
Also, a comment about "show dogs". Admittedly, I don't attend too many conformation shows, but those that I have seen in the last couple of years do not have rings full of overweight Rotts. I think this is an unfair generalization.

Well sorry Caroline, but as you admittedly stated that you haven't attend enough conformation shows, then you would admitt too that you have a limited exposure to dogs competing in show rings, would you?!... Besides, in all fairness, I did not say that show dogs were overweight. What I said was that many show judges prefer the plumpy stockier dogs (more impressive looking). The overweight or oversized dogs I referred to, were the ones bred and/or fed to be huge, out of the standards of the breed, to satisfy the personal taste of certain people that like their dogs bigger than the rest. BIG difference, isn't? ;) :)

F.Y.I. The nicer show dogs I seen compite in the Sieger German style ring. However, I think that most AKC judges like plumpier dogs ;)

[RottnKid1]

Originally posted by MikeMac
My dog George is eleven months old and weighed 97lbs about a week ago...reading all of this makes me worry we will have a really huge dog by the time he is four!

He's 25-26" tall and very big boned, though. We can easily feel and see his ribs, so I don't think he looks like he's been run over with a road-roller!

Mike.

I agree with German. Your dog won't get much taller - the growth plates usually close by 13 mos. of age and you shouldn't see any big growth spurts at this age. George still has plenty of time to fill out, but his height will most likely stay about where it is already.

[CarolineS]

Well, German, it's pretty much the same crowd at every show, so you don't need to go to a lot of shows to get an idea of what's out there. As an example, a bitch that did quite well at the last show I went to also competes in agility. Not a plumpy stockier dog. Another young dog that placed well is in SchH training, not a plumpy stockier dog either. This is not unusual, the dogs on the whole are much trimmer these days and the conformation ring in Canada has changed. Of course, maybe the Texans haven't been as quick on the uptake? ;)

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by CarolineS
Well, German, it's pretty much the same crowd at every show, so you don't need to go to a lot of shows to get an idea of what's out there...

You mean in your hometown?! Or you travel around to attend dog shows?!... I have attended dog shows in the U.S.A., Mexico, Germany, Spain and Italy. Not that I'm bragging, please! Just lucky me that I have had the opportunity to do so ;) Take it easy

[Lora Lee]

Originally posted by ROTTSVILLE
Many Gsd's over here are well over standard some make rots look small !

Now that's a sad day!