Among the oldest of herding breeds is the Rottweiler (yes, you read that correctly), a breed with an ancestry that most likely dates back to ancient Rome. This is a unique breed in that it’s been described by various sources as having been of the Molosser/Mastiff type, but other experts dispute this and don’t believe Rottweilers have a close relationship with any surviving breeds other than the Swiss Mountain Dog. Some cynologists have even put the breed in with the Pinscher/Schnauzer family. We can’t know with certainty since the breed was created when virtually no records were kept about dog breeding, and what we do know comes from a time that came much later in the breed’s history.

Early ancestors of the Rottie descended from Roman Cattle Droving Dogs that accompanied Roman armies extending their empire. As they traveled, the dogs drove massive herds of cattle needed to feed the legions. Settlements were established along the way, and one of them was the village of Rottweil. It became a major market mostly centered around the production of beef, and the dogs used to drive and herd the animals – the descendants of the Roman Cattle Drovers – would come to be known as, “Rottweil Metzgerhunds,” or Butcher’s Dogs of Rottweil. 

The Swiss also used large dogs for the same purpose. It’s said that these dogs (called Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs) were so good as cattle drovers that word of their skill crossed borders, and these dogs were exported across Southern Germany. Some believe that that Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs influenced the development of the Rottweiler. 

To this day, the Rottweiler has maintained its herding instinct, and is among the breeds eligible for an AKC Herding Title.

Image: “Rottweiler in Rottweil by Shawn Shea is available for purchase here