Our Breeds
Nurturing Tiny Paws into Perfect Pets
Rottwiellers
What was the rottweiler bred for originally?
The Rottweiler breed dates back to the times of the Roman Empire. Rottweilers ancestors were once working dogs who accompanied the Roman legions to protect and move their herds. Centuries after the Roman Empire’s collapse, the descendents of these dogs were taken to use by cattle farmers in the town of Rottweil. Their cattle work continued well into the 1800s, when they were made redundant by the railroad cattle cars. Rottweilers then found work protecting and moving cattle from the fields to the market, the role these dogs played wasn’t dissimilar to the duties of their ancestors in the Roman army. During their time as working dogs in Rottweil, the German Rottweiler was born - the dogs earned their name Rottweiler Metzgerhund, Butcher’s Dog of Rottweil. These useful, strong and reliable working dogs have worked as police dogs, guard dogs, guide dogs as well as search and rescue dogs. Many Rottweilers are still used as working dogs but mostly their main role in today's modern world is as a pet which they have adjusted well to.
​
What is the Rottweiler personality like?
​
Rottweilers are strong-willed, independent and loyal family dogs. They are quick learners with minds that crave tasks, training, thrive when mentally stimulated and love to be in the company of their owners. With strong leadership, training and early socialisation they make a loyal, playful and affectionate addition to your household.
​
Do Rottweilers shed?
Rottweilers have a double coat - the overcoat is straight, coarse, medium in length and lays flat. Despite their short, glossy black coat, Rottweilers do need a little grooming, but it’s not high maintenance. Rottweilers shed all year round, brush your Rottweiler weekly to prevent shedding all over your house, and release any hair that’s ready to come out. They also have two key shedding seasons over the year. These are often around spring and autumn, At this time it is recommended to brush more often.
​
Energy levels
Once adults, they’ll require a good walk each day with lots of mental stimulation through sniffing as well as social stimulation visiting different places. Rottweilers also enjoy mental stimulation at home with toys and enrichment activities
Poodles
Poodle dog breed history
According to the Kennel Club, Poodles originated in Germany, The word ‘Poodle’ stems from the German word ‘pudel’ or ‘pudelin’, which means ‘to splash about in water’. The ancestors of this breed were various water dogs of Europe. Poodles have a rich history, an energetic personality and an incomparable love for their two-legged companions. They might be adorable domestic fluff balls now, but from the 17th century onwards, Poodles were water retriever working dogs. Their roles were to retrieve ducks and other waterfowl, which explains why they love the water! Over the years, Poodles have also been adopted into circus-based roles, as well as truffle hunting. Some waterfowl hunters still work with the help of Poodles today.
Coat and grooming
The trim, which is sometimes viewed as a fashionable fancy trim for show dogs, is in fact traditional and very practical: the hindquarters being clipped to aid the dog’s propulsion in swimming and the protective bands of hair ( called pom-poms) left on the joints and tip of the tail for protection from cold.
As all of us dog lovers know, Poodle coats are pretty special. They’re highly sought after in the dog world because they’re hypoallergenic, meaning they’re very unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction from any two-legged friends (hence why so many Poodle mixes Rottles are emerging!). And unlike most of our other canine companions, Poodles only have one single coat layer which is popular for its ability to stay attached (i.e. it doesn’t shed very much)! Because of their intensely curly coat, Poodles need much more grooming than most other dogs and are prone to collecting dirt and matting, so regular grooming, clipping and trimming is needed to avoid this.
If you plan on taking your Poodle to the groomers every now and then, it’s important to get your new pal prepared beforehand. It can be a bit of an unsettling experience for your pup, so get them used to having their ears, eyes, nails, teeth and tail touched beforehand. You could also settle your pup by paying a visit to the groomers before any grooming happens, just to get them used to the sights, sounds and smells. Reward your pooch with their favourite treat so they can associate grooming with something they love.
What are the Poodle breed characteristics?
Despite their reputation as the fashionistas of the canine world, these curly pooches are energetic, friendly and the complete opposite of territorial. They are full of love for their two-legged companions, make perfect therapy dogs and are happiest when they spend all day with you. Although they do like using their voice, they are calm, alert and playful most of the time.
Bernese mountain dogs
The Bernese Mountain Dog is from Swiss working dogs known as Sennenhund, (sennen being an alpine herdsman). Their ancestors probably came over the Alps with the Romans and were used as cattle drovers. As they spread through Switzerland each community developed the type of dog most suited to its particular needs. The Bernese is the second tallest of these breeds being described in the standard as 23 inches at the shortest bitch to 27 inches high in the tallest male. Weights are approximately 50 kg up to about 65 kg for dogs and 45 to about 55 kgs for bitches. The Bernese is quite late maturing and although they will reach their full adult height by about 12-15 months but can take a further 2 or 3 years to reach full maturity.
As they were bred to be working closely with their owner they are loyal family members who are most happy in and amongst their family environment. They were strongly expected to stay within the family home area without being restrained by fencing or leash and play a part in family life by warning against strangers approaching.
By enlarge their working history has adapted readily into the modern world making them great family members, preferring to live and spend time with their owners living in a family environment. They love to be with people and be given affection; Once mature they are not constantly on the move in the house, not demanding objects or retrieving objects to be thrown for them. When visitors arrive at the house they may bark and demand attention from them but after a little while they will settle down and rest. Their mature temperament is very affectionate, patient and especially good with children. For all their size they are very active and take a lively interest in all that is going on.
The amount of exercise an adult Bernese requires varies between one dog to the next, depending on his fitness and how he has been reared. They are very accommodating and they will accept if their exercise has to be temporarily restricted, they do not become neurotic about such things.
Bernese are generally good eaters and very willing to please their owners and therefore fairly easy to train, especially when rewarded with treats from an early age and the association with treats and good behaviour established at a young age. The Bernese has a head start with his desire to be a part of the family and most owners soon wonder how their lives were ever complete without one.
Our Breed
Exceeding Your Expectations
Rottle
Rottle is a hybrid breed that has been around for about 30 years. It is a mixed breed dog, with their parents being a Poodle and a Rottweiler. Because the Poodle parent can be either a standard or a miniature, the size of these dogs can vary between a medium and large sized dog.
The Rottle does not have an official breed standard, so there is a lot of variation in how individual Rottles look and act.
Rottles may be first generation crosses (called F1), second generation (F2), third generation (F3), and so on.
An F1 Rottleis a 50-50 cross between a purebred Rottweiler and a purebred Poodle. The resulting puppies in an F1 litter are quite variable. Some may look more like Rottweilers and some may look more like Poodles. Some puppies might look like a mix between the two parent breeds, and some might look nothing like either parent breed. Coat type and level of shedding can be all veriable in a litter of F1 Rottle puppies.
F2 Rottles result by crossing two F1 Rottles.
F2 Rottles also have variable coat types. Some breeders introduce more Poodle into the bloodlines to help achieve more consistency in coat type. This is called backcrossing and is indicated by a B (for instance, F2B). Rottles that are 25% Rottweiler and 75% Poodle are more likely to have a low-shedding or non-shedding coat.
Temperament
Rottle is an incredibly brave and sweet-natured dog that loves to play with everyone. They are typically very affectionate and fun with a gentle disposition and funny personality. They are loyal to their family and love to please, so love training. They do have a hunting instinct, due to their genetics, and may chase the local wildlife around. They will bark to let you know of an intruder’s presence but they are otherwise quiet and calm. Training them is easy and they pick up on commands quickly.
Exercise requirements
Rottle do have high energy requirements and mental stimulation activities are great for this breed. Some of their favourite activities include long walks, running, swimming, playing flyball or frisbee, agility training, and hiking. They also love to play with other dogs, which also helps teach social skills.
As our poodle is a standard our puppies will be considered large dogs, we are considering breeding a medium sized Rottle in the future.
Bernedoodle
​Photo for example purposes only, first litter coming soon
The Bernedoodle is a hybrid breed created by crossing Bernese mountain dogs with Poodles, the 1st Bernedoodle was bred in 2003. Standard poodles are most commonly used however a miniature could be used. Every Bernedoodle is an individual with a unique personality, but you can generally expect that this dog will be fun, cuddly, friendly, and playful. The Bernedoodle is an attractive breed known for its affectionate and friendly personality. These dogs make great family pets because they can get along well with children and other pets, and are calm, loyal, intelligent, and trainable dogs.
The Bernedoodle does not have an official breed standard, so there is a lot of variation in how individual Bernedoodles look and act.
Bernedoodles may be first generation crosses (called F1), second generation (F2), third generation (F3), and so on.
An F1 Bernedoodle is a 50-50 cross between a purebred Bernese mountain dog and a purebred poodle. The resulting puppies in an F1 litter are quite variable. Some may look more like Bernese mountain dogs and some may look more like poodles. Some puppies might look like a mix between the two parent breeds, and some might look nothing like either parent breed. Coat type and level of shedding will vary with each puppy in a litter of F1 Bernedoodle.
F2 Bernedoodles result by crossing two F1 Bernedoodles. F2 Bernedoodles also have variable coat types. Some breeders introduce more poodle into the bloodlines to help achieve more consistency in coat type. This is called backcrossing and is indicated by a B (for instance, F2B). Bernedoodles that are 25% Bernese mountain dog and 75% poodle are more likely to have a low-shedding or non-shedding coat.
Bernedoodles have similar exercise requirements to their parents, and like their looks and personality it will be very individualised.
Some Bernedoodles shed and mat a lot, some shed moderately, and some shed very little or not at all. The higher the percentage of poodle in the mix, the better the likelihood of a low-shedding coat. Depending on the nature of an individual Bernedoodle’s coat, it may be less likely to cause issues in people with dog allergies.
Grooming requirements for the Bernedoodle vary depending on the type of coat. Although most Bernedoodles have wavy to curly coats, some have straighter coats. Coats that are more straight than wavy tend to shed more, so need more frequent brushing—daily or every other day—to remove loose hair and prevent matting. Curlier coats shed less, but also need regular brushing to keep the coat untangled. Brush wavy and curly coats a few times a week.
Bernedoodles are great dogs that combine the qualities of Bernese mountain dogs and poodles.