However, it’s important to remember that dogs aren’t just here to tug at our heart strings and impair rational thought. Many dogs earn their keep by working; in fact, it’s a necessity to give your dog something to do to fulfil his natural instincts and prevent boredom setting in. One instinct that all dogs possess is to act as a guardian to their owner, but even so some are better than others. Let’s take a look at which breeds make a fine guard dog, but bear in mind the difference between a pet that will bark at the postman, and a slavering hell-hound trained to go for the throat on sight. That’s an attack dog, and Dream Dogs recommends that such animals are best left to professionals who can get away with setting them on people, such as the police.

The Rottweiler

Bit of an obvious pick, this. This breed makes a great family companion, and their protective instincts make for a great guard dog. They do not usually bark without good reason and their size – they can grow to around 27 inches (69 cm) and weigh 110 lb (50 kg) – can deter even the most determined of intruders. They learn quickly but are strong willed and so require a lot of discipline. Even so, if they’re good enough to protect the Antichrist in the Omen movies, they should be good enough for your 52” LCD TV.

The Doberman

Being the attack dog of choice for moviemakers everywhere fuels the Doberman’s fearsome reputation, but in real life they’re affectionate, loving pets. They’re a favourite with military and police forces due to their intelligence, obedience and trainability rather than a predilection for ripping out windpipes, and pretty much like the Rottweiler, the mere sight of one should send an interloper packing. Unless you’re unlucky enough to have Cesar Millan burgling your house, that is (although we don’t believe Cesar engages in such activities, so you should be ok).

Bull Mastiff

This cross-breed can grow as tall as a Rottweiler, but can weigh as much as 10 kg more. They tend to protect their owner by refusing to let a stranger past them, and will go so far as to knock someone down and stand above them, Muhammad Ali style. Bull Mastiffs are fiercely loyal and wary of strangers, so early socialisation is crucial to check any aggression towards innocent parties.

German shepherd

German shepherds (or Alsatians if we’re talking circa WWI) are actually quite gentle, especially around children, but don’t let this fool you. Combining high intelligence with notable ferocity, they can be trained to attack and release on demand. With courage to spare, they’re highly affectionate towards their owners, but can experience separation anxiety if left alone for long periods. It’s no coincidence that the police use German shepherds to catch burglars, they’re good at it!

The Puli

The Puli may look like a docile, well used mop head, but the opposite is true. Originally bred to herd sheep in Hungary, they’re not an overly aggressive breed but are highly intelligent and have a sensible, suspicious nature which makes for an excellent watch dog. Weighing in at 28 – 33 lbs, they’re also a great choice if you don’t want a pet as big as Bull Mastiff or one that eats more than Homer Simpson at an ‘all you can eat’ buffet.

It’s funny old life being a rock star or a member of a band. When you’re not holed up in a studio, recording your 152nd take on a backing vocal because you still can’t get it right, filming a reality TV series about your dysfunctional kerr-azy family or twitching in a gutter outside a nightclub after overdoing the Columbian marching powder, you’re more than likely you’re on tour, spending months away from your home and family.

This hardly seems like the behaviour of a conscientious dog owner. We all know that your pet needs love and attention, not to mention feeding, watering and exercise. Luckily for the average rock multi millionaire, he’ll have hired help on hand to assist with the day to day care of his pet, whether it’s an elderly English retainer or a young Filipino manservant. This leaves you free to pose with your pooch for photographs for Hello’s exclusive 8 page spread of your brand new Hampshire mansion.

Of course, this is a sweeping generalisation. In a profession where image is everything, sycophancy abounds, teen idols have a shelf life measurable in weeks and talented people never seem to get the success you think they deserve; the unquestioning loyalty and friendship that your dog will give you can be beyond compare. Let’s have a gander at some of the more famous warblers who have a pet dog.

Robbie Williams

Not long back in the UK after his American UFO hunting jaunt, the one time Take That bad boy and now new Take That bad boy owns several dogs. Due to quarantine laws, he had to leave his pets in Los Angeles for six months when he moved back to Blighty, but this didn’t stop him from spending time with his Labrador/Pitbull cross, German Shepherd, Bull Mastiff, Rottweiler and a wolf called Sid. He shelled out £4,000 per month on first class, 11 hour flights to see his pets. The dogs were eventually allowed into the UK as they were free of rabies, but the jury is still out on Robbie.

Girls Aloud

The girl band is famous for loving dogs, and went to the aid of the Dogs Trust as part of Nintendo’s puppy simulator Nintendogs. Band member Sarah Harding is so attached to Corker, her French bulldog, that she asked the rest of the group if she could have a dog crèche on tour as she couldn’t bear to be apart from him.

Jon Bon Jovi

The rocker who, with breathtaking modesty, named his band after himself, is consistently named as one of the world’s most beautiful people. Once the epitome of American stadium rock, he single-handedly propped up the global hairspray industry during the Eighties. However, beneath the twinkly-eyed, double-denimed cowboy image beats the heart of a big softy; his Rottweiler/Shepherd cross Copper was rescued from the dog pound after Bon Jovi couldn’t bear to see him locked up.

Shania Twain

The Canadian singer, whose real name is Eileen Edwards, loves dogs so much she even married a guy called ‘Mutt’. She currently owns two brown Newfoundlands called Coal and Mocha. A devout vegetarian, she has been reported not to feed her dogs meat, and her previously pet Tim, a German Shepherd, even had his own dog flap on her tour bus!

Ozzy Osbourne

The mental Brummie singer, who once cocked his leg on the Alamo war memorial whilst wearing his wife’s dress, has an amazing 18 pet dogs. His talent show judge wife Sharon is rarely seen without her Pomeranian Minnie, and Ozzy’s bulldog stole the show on his reality show by pooping wherever and whenever it could. In 2009, Ozzy’s Pomeranian Little Bit was taken by a coyote whilst the family watched the Michael Jackson memorial show. So far, Ozzy has restrained himself from biting the heads off any of his pets.

Keep your peepers peeled for tomorrow’s top five list…

Typical Rottweiler facts

Height: 23-27 in (58-69 cm)
Weight: 90-110 lb (41-50 kg)
Average litter size: 8
Life expectancy: 9-12 years
Good with children: Yes
Kennel Club classification: Working

Colour of a Rottweiler

A Rottweiler is mainly black on the body with tan markings on the face, chest and legs.

Grooming a Rottweiler

The Rottweiler has a short coat which doesn’t require large amounts of grooming, although some essential care and maintenance is needed to keep him happy. Rottweilers have a double coat which sheds heavily twice a year, which is when you will want to groom him using a slicker brush and comb to collect most of the fur-rather than your vacuum! At other times, a daily brush will suffice. The teeth should be cleaned once a week with meat flavoured toothpaste, which is made especially for dogs, as well as keeping the nails trimmed. Rottweilers don’t tend to require bathing as often, so three or four times a year should be adequate unless he rolls in something particularly unsavoury.

Rottweiler common ailments and health issues

Rottweilers are a particularly strong breed and don’t seem to suffer from many ailments. They are hardy and will very rarely become ill. There are genetic illnesses that large dogs are particularly prone to, such as Canine Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia, although with a reputable breeder who has routine tests performed this should be a rare occurrence. Ensuring your breeder is reputable and has paperwork to show that the parents have been tested is essential.

Keeping the dog at a healthy weight is advisable to avoid unnecessary pressure on the joints. Bloat is something that can affect large, deep chested dogs and Rottweilers can be prone to bloat. This is where the stomach becomes swelled up with gas and fluids, with the stomach twisting. This can be fatal and veterinary advice should be sought immediately if suspected. To avoid bloat in Rottweilers you should not exercise them up to an hour before feeding time or up to two hours after food. The tail of a Rottweiler was commonly docked in previous years but it is now usual to leave the tail natural.

Temperament of the Rottweiler

Unlike the image created by the media, the Rottweiler is a placid animal that is loyal, devoted and very good natured. However, there is no denying that they are protective and assertive as well as being capable of showing their temper. Firm handling, which combines a training regime with good socialisation skills, will produce a fine specimen of a Rottweiler who is good natured.

Rottweilers are not happy being left alone as a guard dog and are happier with their pack or family. As with any powerful breed, conscientious owners who invest time in the training and exercise of a Rottweiler will have a happy dog with very few issues. Rottweilers who have been in the media tend to have been neglected with very little training and exercise, with poor socialisation skills, having been used as guard dogs by their owners.

Training a Rottweiler

Rottweilers are highly intelligent and quick to learn, responding well to a training regime. Firm handling is essential, as well as obedience training. Many Rottweilers do exceptionally well in agility or other competitive sports as they learn very easily and are eager to please. Some form of activity which will enable them to utilise their natural herding skills will help to drain their energy and keep them calm.

Exercise for a Rottweiler

Rottweilers require large amounts of exercise which should take the form of at least two daily walks, but can also be combined with agility or another activity that will drain energy. A bored, frustrated Rottweiler will look for some way to relieve the boredom and may result in him chewing your shoes and furniture. Some Rottweilers will be content with two daily walks, of a reasonable duration, combined with a short training session followed by a lazy day on the couch.

History of the Rottweiler

The Rottweiler history dates back to ancient Roman times when a mastiff type dog was used as a Roman drover to herd cattle during the times when the Roman army was travelling. These dogs were also used to pull carts, utilising their vast strength. When the Roman soldiers were sleeping, the dogs would guard them, alerting the soldiers at the first signs of danger. Some of these drover dogs were left in Germany and the people there decided to breed them to make use of their talents as guards and herders.

In the town of Rottweil, Germany, these dogs became known as the ‘butcher’s dog’ as they were used to herd and control animals being brought for slaughter. As the job of pulling carts and barges to transport goods came to an end with the advent of railroads, the Rottweiler became almost extinct. However, as its skills were recognised, the Rottweiler became popular in many areas and remains so today. The Rottweiler is used as a police dog, for search and rescue, herding, guarding and also for therapy work. The Rottweiler enjoys working and still enjoys activities that require mental and physical stamina, providing a challenge for his strength, both physical and mental.

Famous Rottweiler dogs

A series of wordless children’s books by Alexandra Day feature a Rottweiler named Carl, who entertains children with his antics and is immensely popular. Another Rottweiler who is well known played the part of Snot in the movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation in 1989.

The Rottweiler also appeared in the horror movie ‘The Omen’, where it was controlled by the Devil, which led to the portrayal of the Rottweiler as a vicious dog and helped to give it a negative media image.

Useful Rotweiler Links

The Rottweiler Club

Rottweiler Rescue Trust

Rottweiler Welfare Association

The British Rottweiler Association

A chicken named Mabel has taken its love of extreme sports to the max, and has adopted a litter of Rottweiler puppies. This it did after losing a fight with a horse that resulted in it injuring its foot, causing its owners to allow it to sleep inside the house – where it found the puppies.

Mabel, and her puppies, live on a farm in Shrewsbury. Mabel keeps her new charges warm by ‘sitting’ on them while they are asleep in her basket. Mabel is dicing with death because the puppies aren’t actually orphans; they have a mother named Nettle. Mable waits for Nettle to leave them before entering their basket and sitting on them.

The owners of the courageous chicken, and the Rottweiler puppies, are Ros and Edward Tate.

Edward Tate explains the bizarre situation:

Mabel was hatched here about a year ago. She would have gone onto someone’s dinner plate but we saved her and brought her into the house.

Unfortunately, she got into an accident with a horse, which accidentally trod on her foot. Because of that, she gets terribly cold during the winter so we decided to bring her into the house.

And then we had puppies about three weeks ago. Mabel observed Nettle’s behaviour and, as soon as there was a chance, she hopped into the dog basket to roost on the pups. She keeps them and herself warm, while Nettle is outside on the yard.

It seems that Mabel isn’t at all concerned that Nettle could be a protective mother, as most dogs are with their pups. Mabel is determined to help out, regardless of the risks to her own personal safety.

It was within a week Mabel was jumping in the box with them and brooding over them. She took to them like they were her own chicks.

Nettle was a bit startled to say the least – but she didn’t mind too much eventually. She’s happy to have a helping pair of wings.

We were amazed when we first it happen – my 13-year-old daughter first saw it happen and called us to come and have a look. And when we saw Mabel here roosting on the pups – we just laughed.

We’re hoping that soon Mabel will have her own chicks to look after but I don’t think Nettle will be returning the favour when that happens.

A lot of dogs love chicken, but Mabel and the puppies are taking this love to extremes.

Ernie is an 11 month old Rottweiler and when a fire broke out in the cooker in his terraced home’s kitchen in Tonge Moor, the dog jumped over a child’s safety gate, nosed open the upstairs window and jumped 12 feet to the ground to escape the blaze.

Passers-by were astonished to see the puppy vault from the upstairs window and he was taken care of by the All Breeds pet shop staff until his owner came home.

31 year old Steve Bowers, Ernie’s owner, commented:

“It is amazing. I always thought he was a pretty clever puppy but I didn’t expect him to be able to do that. I think it must have been instinct. He is a bit shaken after his ordeal, and smells of smoke, but he seems all right in himself. I am very proud of him. I am just glad that he is OK. We will have to do something to treat him. A big slap up steak meal or something like that.”

24 year old Stephanie Hogg, Mr Bowers’ girlfriend told the paper that they usually would lock all the windows but by pure chance, they had left the top bedroom window open by an inch so Ernie was able to nose it open and jump out.

When fire crews arrived on the scene, Watch commander Paul Norris said:

“He did very well. I have been in the fire service for 20 years and I have never seen anything like this before. Sadly, I have been to lots of incidents where dogs have died in fires.”

It is amazing what some dogs are able to do in the face of danger.

Pictured here sharing a stick is the eighteen month old Rottweiler Ulrok and his companion Beldaran, a young female wolf.

Heather Grierson is the director at the Kisama Preserve in Maine, America, where the pair are living.  Ms Grierson said:

‘It’s a true love story that has touched the hearts of everyone who visits.  You just can’t be in a bad mood when these two are around.’

Ulrok has been playing the protective father role for Beldaran for the last two months since she was rejected only days after she was born.

Ms Grierson added: ‘Ulrok stepped up. It worked out brilliantly. He would clean her and, when she was making whimpering noises he would bound over to investigate.’

Sixty-two-year-old Gerald Mitchell had collapsed in an industrial estate in Workington, Cumbria. His two dogs, both Rottweilers, stayed by his side and protected him from any passersby, which included the police and emergency services.

Sadly the police had to shoot one of the dogs, and Taser the other, so that ambulance crew could reach the fallen man. Mitchell was taken to the nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The second dog was taken to the vets to be destroyed.

It’s a sad story of two dogs’ loyalty, one without a happy ending for neither the dogs nor the owner.