Rottweiler breed standards compared
Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.
Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.
Size
| Measure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height at the withers, male | 61–68 cm | 61–68.6 cm | 61–68.6 cm | 63–69 cm | 61–68.5 cm |
| Height at the withers, female | 56–63 cm | 55.9–63.5 cm | 55.9–63.5 cm | 58–64 cm | 56–63.5 cm |
| Weight, male | 50 kg | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Weight, female | 42 kg | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Height to length | over 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Skull to muzzle | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | No ruling |
Conformation
| Form | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiteScissors bite | Standard (“complete dentition (42 teeth) with scissor bite”) | Standard (“meeting in a scissors bite”) | Standard (“meet in a scissors bite”) | Standard (“complete dentition with scissor bite”) | Standard (“meeting in a scissors bite”) |
| BiteLevel bite | Fault (“Bite: Pincer bite”) | Fault (“Serious Faults - Level bite”) | Fault (“Serious Faults: Even bite”) | No ruling | Fault (“Faults considered serious are: Level bite”) |
| BiteOvershot | No ruling | Disqualifying (“Disqualifications - Overshot, undershot”) | Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Two or more missing teeth. Overshot, undershot, or wry mouth”) | No ruling | Fault (“Overshot, undershot or wry bite”) |
| BiteUndershot | No ruling | Disqualifying (“Disqualifications - Overshot, undershot”) | Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Two or more missing teeth. Overshot, undershot, or wry mouth”) | No ruling | Fault (“Overshot, undershot or wry bite”) |
| BiteWry mouth | No ruling | Disqualifying (“wry mouth; two or more missing teeth”) | Disqualifying (“Overshot, undershot, or wry mouth”) | No ruling | Fault (“Overshot, undershot or wry bite”) |
| DentitionFull dentition | Standard (“Strong, complete dentition (42 teeth)”) | Standard (“Teeth 42 in number (20 upper, 22 lower)”) | Standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”) | Standard (“Teeth strong, complete dentition”) | Standard (“The teeth are 42 in number (20 upper and 22 lower)”) |
| DentitionMissing teeth | No ruling | Disqualifying (“two or more missing teeth”) | Disqualifying (“Disqualifications: Two or more missing teeth”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Ear carriageDrop (pendant) | Standard (“Medium-sized, pendant, triangular, wide apart, set on high”) | Standard (“Ears of medium size, pendant, triangular in shape”) | Standard (“The medium-sized ears are triangular pendants”) | Standard (“Pendant, small in proportion rather than large”) | Standard (“Ears should be pendant, proportionately small, triangular in shape”) |
| Ear setHigh | Standard (“wide apart, set on high”) | No ruling | Standard (“set high and wide apart on the head”) | Standard (“set high and wide apart”) | No ruling |
| Ear sizeMedium | Standard (“EARS: Medium-sized, pendant”) | Standard (“Ears of medium size, pendant”) | Standard (“The medium-sized ears are triangular pendants”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Ear sizeSmall | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“small in proportion rather than large”) | Standard (“pendant, proportionately small, triangular in shape”) |
| Eye shapeAlmond | Standard (“Of medium size, almond-shaped, dark brown in colour”) | Standard (“Eyes of medium size, almond shaped”) | Standard (“The almond-shaped eyes are medium-sized”) | Standard (“Medium size, almond-shaped, dark brown”) | Standard (“Eyes should be of medium size ... almond-shaped”) |
| Eye shapeRound | Fault (“Also too full and round eyes”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Eye sizeMedium | Standard (“Of medium size”) | Standard (“Eyes of medium size”) | Standard (“The almond-shaped eyes are medium-sized”) | Standard (“Medium size”) | Standard (“Eyes should be of medium size”) |
| Eye setDeep-set | No ruling | Standard (“moderately deep-set, neither protruding nor receding”) | Standard (“moderately deep set”) | No ruling | Standard (“moderately deep set”) |
| Facial profileStraight | Standard (“Straight nasal bridge, broad at base”) | Standard (“Bridge is straight, broad at base”) | Standard (“with a straight nasal bone”) | No ruling | Standard (“The bridge of the muzzle is straight”) |
| Facial profileRoman (convex) | Fault (“Roman nose (convex nasal bridge)”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Facial profileDished (concave) | Fault (“dish-faced (concave nasal bridge)”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Muzzle shapeTapered | Standard (“Straight nasal bridge, broad at base, moderately tapered”) | Standard (“broad at base with slight tapering towards tip”) | Standard (“broad at the base, gradually narrowing towards the tip”) | No ruling | Standard (“broad at the base with slight tapering towards the tip”) |
| Muzzle shapeSnipy | Fault (“Foreface: Long, pointed or too short muzzle”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“slight tapering towards the tip but not snipey”) |
| ToplineLevel | No ruling | Standard (“The back is firm and level, extending in a straight line”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“The topline is firm and level”) |
| Tail carriageLevel | Standard (“strong, level in extension of the upper line”) | Standard (“gives an impression of elongation of the topline”) | Standard (“It is carried horizontally, giving the impressions that it is an extension of the topline”) | Standard (“Carried horizontally”) | Standard (“normally carried in a horizontal position”) |
| Tail carriageLow (hanging) | Alternate (“at ease may be hanging”) | Alternate (“Undocked, ... may hang at rest”) | Alternate (“at ease may be hanging”) | Alternate (“May hang down when at rest”) | Alternate (“at ease, may be hanging”) |
| Tail carriageSabre | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Alternate (“carried in a half moon or sabre fashion when moving”) | No ruling |
| Tail carriageRing | No ruling | Fault (“Faults - Tails with kinks, strong lateral deviation, or ringtails”) | Disqualifying (“Disqualification: Kink tail, ring-tail, with strong lateral deviation”) | No ruling | Fault (“A kinked tail or a ring is undesirable”) |
| Tail shapeKinked | No ruling | Fault (“Faults - Tails with kinks”) | Disqualifying (“Disqualification: Kink tail”) | Fault (“Kinked tails and tails with lateral deviation undesirable”) | Fault (“A kinked tail or a ring is undesirable”) |
| Tail lengthLong | Standard (“the tail reaches approximately to the hocks or is a bit longer”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| FeetCat foot | Standard (“Front feet: Round, tight and well arched”) | Standard (“Feet are round, compact with well arched toes”) | Standard (“The feet are strong, round and compact, with well-arched toes”) | Standard (“Strong, round and compact with toes well arched”) | Standard (“Feet are round, compact with well-arched toes”) |
| ChestBroad | Standard (“Chest: Roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“The chest is roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“The chest should be roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“Chest roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“The chest is roomy and broad”) |
| ChestDeep | Standard (“Chest: Roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“The chest is roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“The chest should be roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“Chest roomy, broad and deep”) | Standard (“The brisket should be deep, reaching to the elbow”) |
| Tuck-upNone (straight underline) | Standard (“Belly: Flanks not tucked up”) | No ruling | Standard (“the flanks should not be tucked up”) | Standard (“flanks not tucked up”) | Standard (“The flank should not be tucked up”) |
Markings
| Marking | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tan points | Standard (“Black with clearly defined markings of a rich tan”) | Standard (“Always black with rust to mahogany markings.”) | Standard (“It is black, with clearly defined tan markings”) | Standard (“Black with clearly defined markings as follows”) | Standard (“always black with rich tan to mahogany markings”) |
| Pencil marks | No ruling | Standard (“penciling on toes”) | No ruling | Standard (“Black pencil markings on toes are desirable.”) | Standard (“Black penciling markings on the toes.”) |
| White markings | Fault (“White markings.”) | Fault (“white marking any place on dog”) | Disqualifying (“White markings anywhere on the dog.”) | Fault (“White marking is highly undesirable.”) | Fault (“White markings any place on dog”) |
Cropping, docking and other procedures
| Procedure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tail docking | No ruling | Alternate (“Docked, the tail is short, close to the body”) | Alternate (“Natural or docked, without preference”) | Alternate (“Docked: Docked at first joint”) | Alternate (“The tail may be docked short close to the body”) |
| Dewclaw removal | No ruling | Standard (“Dewclaws must be removed”) | Alternate (“Dewclaws may be removed”) | No ruling | Alternate (“dewclaw removal is suggested”) |
The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live. See where each procedure is banned or allowed.
Rottweiler colors and patterns
What each club's breed standard says about every Rottweiler color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.
Breed standards describe the Rottweiler in Black and Tan. Standard patterns: Tan point.
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Standard (“Black”) | Standard (“Black & Tan”) | Standard (“black”) | Standard (“Black”) | Standard (“Black”) |
| Tan | Standard (“markings of a rich tan”) | Standard (“Black & Tan”) | Standard (“rich tan markings”) | Standard (“Colour of markings from rich tan to mahogany”) | Standard (“markings of a rich tan”) |
| White | Disqualifying (“White markings”) | Fault (“white marking any place on dog”) | Disqualifying (“White markings anywhere on the dog”) | Fault (“White marking is highly undesirable”) | Disqualifying (“White markings”) |
| Albino | Disqualifying | Disqualifying | Disqualifying (“Albinism”) | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Blue | Disqualifying | Disqualifying | No ruling | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Red | Disqualifying | Disqualifying | No ruling | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Patterns | |||||
| Tan point | Standard (“Black with clearly defined markings of a rich tan”) | Standard (“Black & Tan”) | Standard (“black with clearly-defined rich tan markings”) | Standard (“Black & Tan”) | Standard (“Black with clearly defined markings of a rich tan”) |
| Sable | Disqualifying | Fault (“sooty markings”) | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Solid | Disqualifying | Disqualifying (“absence of all markings”) | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark brown | Standard (“dark brown in colour”) | Standard (“The desired color is a uniform dark brown”) | Standard (“dark brown in color”) | Standard (“dark brown in colour”) | Standard (“dark brown in colour”) |
| Light brown | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“light eye undesirable”) | No ruling |
| Yellow | Disqualifying (“yellow eyes”) | Fault (“Yellow (bird of prey) eyes”) | Fault (“Yellow eyes”) | No ruling | Disqualifying (“yellow eyes”) |
| Patterns | |||||
| Odd-eyed | Disqualifying (“different coloured eyes”) | Fault (“eyes of different color or size”) | Fault (“Eyes of different color or size”) | No ruling | Disqualifying (“different-coloured eyes”) |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Standard (“always black”) | Standard (“always black”) | Standard (“The nose is broad and black in color”) | Standard (“always black”) | Standard (“always black”) |
| Pink | Fault (“pale or spotted nose”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“pale or spotted nose”) |
| Patterns | |||||
| Butterfly nose | Fault (“spotted nose (butterfly nose)”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“spotted nose (butterfly nose)”) |
What the rulings mean
- Standard
- Described by the club's breed standard.
- Fault
- Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalised.
- Disqualifying
- The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this colour or pattern.
- Not recognised
- The club does not accept this colour or pattern for the breed.
Color changes
How a Rottweiler's colors can change over its life.
Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGrey
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Tan pointchanges toSaddle
Coat · With age · from 6 to 156 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back
Sources
Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.