If you are a Rottweiler owner you’ve probably been asked this question several times- “Is your dog an American Rottweiler or a German Rottweiler?” Something to think about, isn’t it?

Interestingly, if you ask around you are likely hear a long list of characteristic traits that distinguish a German Rottweiler from an American Rottweiler. The descriptions of these traits vary from one person to the next; the more people you ask, the more confounded you are likely to be.

A chance conversation with another Rottweiler owner piqued my interest and I thought I’d test out my own theory and this is what I heard- American Rottweilers are taller and leggier than their German counterparts, who were shorter and stockier. German Rottweilers have blockier heads as compared to American Rottweilers and they have bigger ears too. This was followed by a long list of other variants- bigger teeth, smaller ears, longer tails. Anyone listening to the long list of comparisons is likely to be completely baffled and wonder, “Is my dog really a German Rottweiler or an American Rottweiler?

Highly intrigued, I decided to get to the bottom of this. After all, I was just as interested as everybody else in knowing the antecedents of my Rott. Here’s what I found out – while it is true that there are distinctive German Rottweilers and American Rottweilers, they are not classified as such by their physical traits. The only factor that determines whether your Rottweiler is German or American is his place of birth; the physical similarities or differences are only incidental.

So, plainly put, all Rottweilers born in Germany are German Rottweilers and all Rottweilers born in America are American Rottweilers. Interesting!! I am now wondering of course – are Rotteweilers born in England, English Rottweilers and those born in Canada; Canadian?

The next time you are walking your Romanian-born Rottweiler down the streets of New York City and somebody asks you whether your Rottweiler is American or German, send them for a loop and tell them your Rott is Romanian! Stop by and let me know how that went!