Rottweiler vs Mixed Breed
The check that settles it
Black-and-tan mixes are labelled Rottweiler on colour alone. The pattern of the markings and the heavy build are the checks.
Confirming a rottweiler
- Black with clearly defined rust markings above the eyes, on the muzzle, chest and legs.
- A broad head with a well-developed stop and a medium muzzle.
- Heavy, compact and slightly longer than tall.
- Triangular drop ears set high and carried forward.
Confirming a mixed breed
- No consistent set of breed characters — features from several types, or none in particular.
- Frequently medium-sized, short-coated and drop-eared, which is where mixed ancestry tends to land.
- Documented pedigree absent, which is what a breed actually is.
- Generally fewer of the concentrated health problems that come with closed breeding populations.