:: Rottweiler Movement ::

The Rottweiler is a trotter. His movement should be balanced, harmonious, sure, powerful and unhindered, with strong fore reach and powerful rear drive.

Exemplary gait can only be achieved as a result of exemplary structure 

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The motion is effortless, efficient and ground-covering. Front and rear legs are thrown neither in nor out, as the imprint of the hind feet should touch that of the fore feet this can only be achieved through a balanced, harmonious muscular/skeletal system in accordance with the blueprint of the standard.

When a Rottweiler is correct in construction, according to the blueprint of the breed standard, this balanced skeletal architecture produces an unrestricted, harmoniously flowing powerful gait.

The more “imbalances” or incorrect construction the dog possess in its angulations and ratios, the more impedance occurs to free flowing gait. The best perspective to assess locomotion is to view the dog, going away, coming towards and in the side gait.

When the dog moves going and coming, we assess its lateral displacement, which has influence on the lateral center of gravity. A correct front and rear assembly stabilizes the dog and prevents him from excessive side-to-side movement, similar to the effect of torsion bars in a car. Incorrect construction such as, out at the elbow, east–west feet, crossing over, moving wide and fiddle fronts etc., destabilizes the center of gravity. These incongruities produce impedance, which requires more energy, puts stress on the bones and muscles and leads to fatigue.

The side gait, we assess all the moving parts working together. Once in the trot and at a reasonable speed, neither too fast or slow, the mechanics of the muscular/skeletal structure is set in motion. Here, we can observe the reach, the drive of the rear, the spring of step, the amount of ground covered, and temperament in the dog’s “willingness to perform” which is also an important element. Within the side gait we observe many examples of locomotion from exemplary to the unharmonious. 

Occasionally, we encounter a dog that appears to be sound in structure when standing still, but during the examination of the side gait, they show a short stride of the front legs and rear legs, or a mix of this with a correct front stride, but short rear drive. Here, a problem may exist that does not easily reveal itself. That is why gaiting in a small ring or by moving the exhibits once around does not do justice for the complete assessment of a Rottweiler. Adding to this mixture is the exhibit that is pushed or cajoled around the ring, outwardly the dog appears good in construction and theoretically should gait correctly but for some reason it has “no willingness to perform” this is one example of how temperament plays a factor in gait