Meet the breeds! This section is dedicated to those animals we love. Look for different breeds in each magazine. Information taken from www.akc.org. For more information, visit https://www.akc.org/ dog-breeds
The Rottweiler is a robust working breed of great strength descended from the mastiffs of the Roman legions. A gentle playmate and protector within the family circle, the Rottie observes the outside world with a self-assured aloofness. A male Rottweiler will stand anywhere from 24 to 27 muscular inches at the shoulder; females run a bit smaller and lighter. The glistening, short black coat with smart rust markings add to the picture of imposing strength. A thickly muscled hindquarters powers the Rottie’s effortless trotting gait. A well-bred and
combining the gentle attentiveness of a toy breed with the verve and athleticism of a sporting spaniel. The Cavalier’s all-around beauty, regal grace, and even temper mark him as one of dogdom’s noblemen. A toy spaniel no more than 13 inches high, the Cavalier draws you in with his face: The sweet, gentle, melting expression emanating from large, round eyes is a breed hallmark. Another is the silky, richly colored coat that can be one of four distinct varieties (described in this page’s History section). Cavaliers may be aristocrats, but they gladly
descend from their royal high horse for a backyard frolic or a squirrel chase. They get along nicely with children and other dogs. Adaptable Cavaliers do equally well with active owners and homebodies; they can be upbeat athletes or shameless couch potatoes, depending on an owner’s lifestyle. History Toy spaniels were the province of European nobility from at least Renaissance times. Two 17th-century British monarchs, the ill-fated King Charles I and his son Charles II, were especially devoted to a black and tan variety of toy spaniel that eventually was named in the latter’s honor. According to the famed diarist of the Restoration era, Samuel Pepys, Charles II seemed more concerned with breeding spaniels than ruling Britain. Toy spaniels remained a great favorite of British aristocrats into the early 19th century. Among their upper-crust partisans of this era was the Marlborough family, who bred a line of red-and-whites at Blenheim Palace. Later in the century, in the age of Victoria, the breed was crossed with Asian toys, probably Pugs and Japanese Chin, and became what is known in America as the English Toy Spaniel (or, in the United Kingdom, the King Charles Spaniel). This new-style toy spaniel had a domed skull and a flatter face than those of Charles’s time. Before long, this type came to dominate, and the traditional toy spaniel of the Restoration was rendered nearly extinct’ but not forgotten. Fanciers of the 1920s wondered whether there still existed the old-type toy spaniel immortalized in ancestor portraits hanging in the stately halls of English manors. A wealthy American named Roswell Eldridge offered a cash prize to British breeders who could produce ‘Bleinheim Spaniels of the Old World type.’ The prospect of prize money drove breeders to revive the old style. These dogs were dubbed Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. (The name Cavalier is a nod to the monarchist party that supported the Stuarts during the civil war that cost Charles I his head.) The breed is notable for its four distinct color patterns, each of which, at various times, was associated with a particular noble family: Blenheim (chestnut markings on a white background), Tricolor (black markings on a white background), Black and Tan (black with tan markings), and Ruby (a rich red).
properly raised Rottie will be calm and confident, courageous but not unduly aggressive. The aloof demeanor these world-class guardians present to outsiders belies the playfulness, and downright silliness, that endear Rotties to their loved ones. (No one told the Rottie he’s not a toy breed, so he is liable plop onto your lap for a cuddle.) Early training and socialization will harness a Rottie’s territorial instincts in a positive way. History The Roman Empire was the organizing force behind Western Europe’s formative years, and dog breeding was among the many pursuits forever altered by the Roman genius for practical problem solving. When conquering Roman legions marched to far-flung corners of the world, they brought their herds with them as food on the hoof. The army required tough, durable dogs to move and guard the herd. Utilizing Asian mastiff types as breeding stock, the Romans developed the distant ancestor of today’s Rottweiler. For centuries the legions struggled to contain Germanic tribes, the so-called barbarian hoards, massed on the Empire’s northern borders. The dogs the Romans brought to these areas became foundation stock for many German breeds. In the centuries after the empire’s collapse, the Roman drover dogs found work in the cattle town of Rottweil. It was here, moving herds from pasture to market and protecting all concerned from bandits and rustlers along the way, that they earned the name Rottweiler Metzgerhund, or Butcher’s Dog of Rottweil. The Rottie’s career in livestock ended with the rise of the railroad cattle cars in the 1800s. They found new work as police dogs, personal protectors, and all-around blue-collar dogs capable of performing various heavy-duty tasks. Rotties were among the first guide dogs for the blind, and in more recent times they distinguished themselves as search-and-rescue workers at such disaster sites as Oklahoma City and the World Trade Center. Considering the many roles the breed has played during its long history, it is remarkable that the Butcher’s Dog has changed little in form and temper since its first German breed standard was drawn up in 1901
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel wears his connection to British history in his breed’s name. Cavaliers are the best of two worlds,
Missouri Pet Breeders Association | Page 18
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