Rottweiler

The Rottweiler /ˈrɒtwaɪlər/ is a medium/large size breed of domestic dog. The dogs were known in German as Rottweiler Metzgerhund, meaning Rottweil butchers' dogs, because they were used to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat and other products to market.

The Rottweiler was employed in its traditional roles until the mid-19th century when railways replaced droving for herding livestock to market. While still used in herding, Rottweilers are now used as search and rescue dogs, as guide dogs for the blind, as guard dogs or police dogs, and in other roles.

History

Although a versatile breed used in recent times for many purposes, the Rottweiler is one of the oldest of herding breeds. A multi-faceted herding and stock protection dog, it is capable of working all kinds of livestock under a variety of conditions.

The breed's history likely dates to the Roman Empire. It is likely that the Rottweiler is a descendant of ancient Roman drover dogs, a mastiff-type dog that was a dependable, rugged dog with great intelligence and guarding instincts. During their quest to conquer Europe, the Roman legion traveled in large numbers across the continent. The non-existence of refrigeration meant the soldiers had to bring herds of cattle with them on their excursions for food. These drover dogs were not only used to keep the herds of cattle together, but to guard the supply stock at night. Around A.D. 74 the Roman army travelled across the Alps and into what is now southern Germany. For the next two centuries the Roman drover dogs were continually used in herding and driving cattle for trade even after the Romans were driven out of the area by the Swabians.

Rottweiler (film)

Rottweiler is a 2004 science fiction horror film directed by Brian Yuzna and starring Paulina Gálvez, Paul Naschy and Ivana Baquero.

Plot

In the near future (2018), a prisoner named Dante (William Miller) escapes from jail after having been arrested for illegally entering Spain. Forced to kill a prison guard, he is hunted down by the prison's dog, a monstrous Rottweiler police dog that sadistic prison warden Kufard (Paul Naschy) had revived and cybernetically enhanced after a fatal injury. Believing his Spanish girlfriend Ula (Irene Montala) was sent to work as a prostitute in Puerto Angel as punishment, Dante looks for her, but is exhausted by the chase and wounded by the Rottweiller. As a result, he starts having hallucinations and being haunted by the repressed memories of his and Ula's arrest. As he reaches Puerto Angel and can't find her at the brothel, he finally remembers that Ula got killed when Kufard let his dog loose on her, which led Dante to shoot the dog, which was then turned into a cyborg. Dante kills Kufard as the Rottweiler catches up with him, and they fight to the death among the burning remains of Kufard's helicopter. The morning after, firemen find the skeletons of Dante, Ula and the Rottweiler on the beach.

Rottweiler (disambiguation)

Rottweiler can refer to: