Puppy Selection Guide

Selecting the Breeder:

The selection process in picking a puppy begins with choosing a breeder that you trust and have confidence in. 

When you select a breeder, try and get a feel for his interest in the breed and his experience.

Working vs. Show Lines

There is a big  difference between the German Show lines and the German Working lines.

My advice is that you should be looking for breeders who aim to breed intelligent, capable and healthy dogs that also are true to breed type. 

Many people are excellent trainers. They can title dogs for show or sport, when in fact the dogs are not genetically as good as their upbringing. So its important that novice handlers understand that a schutzhund or show title does not in and of itself mean that this is a good dog.

Pedigrees

A good idea is to ask to see the pedigree and discuss it with the breeder. See if he is familiar with the dogs in the pedigree. A breeder should be familiar with the genetics of his own dogs. A good breeder should be able to talk in depth about the characteristics of the dogs in his pedigree and how it has contributed to his breeding program.

The Selection Process:

Your selection process should begin with understanding the Rottweiler Breed Standard. The question you should answer when looking for a litter of puppies is; how closely does this breeding resemble the standard? How closely is the Breeder aiming to meet the objectives depicted by the Standard?

A Male or a Female?

This answer to this question obviously varies. Here are some things to consider:

1. Females are smaller, the females are a little easier to live with as a house dog.

2. Females are usually easier for novice trainers and handlers to control.

3. Females come in season 2 times a year. On the other hand a male is going to have real distraction problem every time he smells a bitch in season.

4. As a general rule males are tougher. Females can do Schutzhund work just fine, but males are more suited for good police/service work.

5. If you want to compete at the top level of Schutzhund, buy a male. Very few females make it to the top levels of the sport.

6. Females do not lift their leg on the shrubs and flower beds in your yard.