THE CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Medium in length and width between the ears.
As seen from the side, the forehead line is moderately arched. The occipital bone is well developed but not conspicuous.
It’s difficult to define medium length, but the skull should never appear elongated, as it does in some hound breeds. The standard defines medium length as being of medium length in relation to all other head measurements such as depth, width, overall length from occiput to nose, and volume.
The occipital bone is well developed but not conspicuous.
The occipital bone is in the back of the skull. This bone is very pronounced and visible in some hunting breeds. Because the upper part of the neck is so well-muscled and the top of the skull is so flat in the Rottweiler, the occipital bone can be felt but not seen. It is “inconspicuous.”
The skul of the occipi. This bone is highly prominent and visible in several hunting breeds. In Rottweiler,
The occipital bone can be felt but not seen since the upper section of the neck is so well-muscled and the top of the skull is so flat. It is “inconspicuous.”
Stop: Make a strong stop. The frontal groove should not be overly deep.
By relatively forceful halt. The standard specifies that, unlike other breeds such as a Colie or a German Pointer, the frontal groove should not be excessively deep. Instead of being a reasonably strong characteristic in many heads, the halt has become prominent, and in some cases overpowering. We must keep in mind that the frontal groove should not be too deep and should never be concave (more typical of a Bullmastiff or Boxer). According to recent medical findings, a concave stop is more likely to be paired with a short muzzle.
Rottweiler heads must be able to work efficiently while yet remaining attractive.
When under working pressure, this compresses the soft palate tissue at the back of the throat and can interfere with the dog’s natural capacity to breathe. When breathing heavily, some Rottweilers with extreme head shapes akin to that of a Pug or Boxer may sound like a small tractor. Because of the lack of natural space, this highly molossoid head shape is frequently accompanied by smaller or crooked teeth. Conclusion: The correct Rottweiler head type must be able to perform efficiently while while remaining attractive.
FACIAL REGION: The Rottweiler is a uniform breed, which means that all Rottweilers deemed typical should be uniform. Breeders seek for stability in all cosmetic features, unlike in other breeds. As a result, these characteristics become breed characteristics that must be maintained in order to retain the correct breed type. The facial region contains a large number of these consistent features. The expression comes from the face region, and, like with most breeds, it is the expression that draws us in.
The nose is strongly formed, more broad than round, with relatively prominent nostrils that are invariably black.
Sometimes it is obvious that something is wrong with the expression.
However, many people overlook the possibility that the problem is with the nose, such as a nose that is too small in relation to the strength of the muzzle or a nose that is too round. Inadequate nose pigmentation is a significant issue today. We sometimes use “winter nose” as an excuse. It is known as butterfly nose in several breeds. However, the guideline stipulates that black should always be present, not only occasionally. A well-developed nose and nostrils are a valuable asset to the Rottweiler when working.
Muzzle: The foreface should not be too long or too short in proportion to the cranial region. The length of the muzzle to the length of the skull ratio is approximately 1 to 1.5. Straight nasal bridge that is broad at the base and mildly tapered.
The following are some examples of foreface dimensions in relation to the cranial region. A decent rule of thumb for proportions is 1 to 1.5 muzzle/skull. Or 40 to 60, although the overall impression is more important than precise measures.
Lips: black, close fitting, no apparent corners of the lips, gum as dark as possible
Clean and dry lips with no loose flews not only serve to make a correct head more attractive.
However, keeping these characteristics will benefit the dog’s working capacity. When working, dogs with a heavy lipliner and copious loose flews are more likely to bite their own lips.(Many Rottweilers with this flaw have used their upper canines to bite a hole right through the upper lip.) Aside from the fact that we have a large molosser breed, our Rottweiler has a propensity to pant a lot. When the standard specifies as dark as possible black lips and gums, this is a pigment trait that considerably aids in expression.
