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The friendship of a dog is without a doubt more intense and
more constant than that of man
- Montaigne
Welcome to Vom Drakkenfels
Rottweiler Kennel of Polk City, Florida. My name is Kimberly Cardona and I have been
a Rottweiler Breeder and an All breed Show Handler/Trainer for over 20
years.
I am a Member of the
American Rottweiler Club (ARC),
Lakeland/Winter
Haven Kennel Club (LWKC) and the
Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler
Klub (ADRK - Germany). This site is dedicated to sharing with you the knowledge that has been gained
and useful links to help you learn more about the Rottweiler breed.
Vom Drakkenfels
(Dragon Mountain) is a 5 1/2 acre playground for my Rottweilers
in the middle of the Florida green belt, centralized between Orlando and Tampa,
just a few minutes from Lakeland Florida. Dogs from my breedings are AKC Registered, OFA
Certified or HD/ED rated, CERF, Cardio checked. Puppies are
sold with Contractual agreements, microchipped, Health Certified by state law
with continuous Breeder support over the years. My dogs and I travel and
learn together the many sports and activities
for the Rottweiler Breed worldwide, including Shows with the American Kennel Club
(AKC), Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), German Style
Shows
with the RKNA, USRC, ARV, AIRK, Landesgruppe, IABCA-UCI
International, FCI International, ADRK- Germany and Specialty Shows such as Medallion Rottweiler Club, Colonial Rottweiler Club,
and the American Rottweiler Club. My Dragons and I hope that your visit with us will be a good one
that you will share with others and
please feel free to stop in, Email us and
ask questions or check for updates
anytime. Thanks for visiting us and enjoy the site.
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 UCI
Int'l CH, UKC Ch., Multi V1-Rated, USRC-SER'05 Best Puppy Arushka vom Drakkenfels, CGC, TT, USRC SE Regionals Best
Puppy Female '05
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Elka winning First with Muriel Freeman
in 1994, Elka was my first Rottweiler Show Dog |
Kim with Lady and Bora 3rd generation foundation bitches for vom Drakkenfels,
2005 |
Apache, Beau's brother, co-owned by
Allen Clausen, at USRC Show under Jean Vanderyke in 1995 |
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Tabu vom Drakkenfels Pictured winning Winners
Bitch for a 3 pt Major at 15 mo |
vom Drakkenfels Breeder:
Kimmy Cardona |
FCI & UCI Int.Ch, Ven CH.PR Gr Ch, Latin Am Ch, BKC Ch, UKC Ch. Multi V-1,
USRC-SER'05 Best Puppy Male, AKC/CKC Mjr. Ptd. A'Damien vom Drakkenfels, SchH1,
BH, BST, CD, RE,AD,TT,CGC,CI,CT owned by Quinn Webb of Florida |
Kali, another Beau daughter, winning
Specialty Sweeps in 1999, after which she earned her FCI Int. Champion Title in
Japan with back to back CACIB for her new owner |
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Chaz winning Best Puppy with Harry
Meister at the USRC Southeast Regional Show in 2001 |
Hex pictured winning V-2 with Josef
Hedl and Xaver Meixner at the 1998 ARV NE Regional Sieger Show. Hex was a Dingo
vom Schwaiger Wappen grandson |
Storm winning 2nd in Futurity at
the Medallion Rottweiler Club Specialty featuring the IFR Show in 1997 He was
the son of Benno. |
Multi V1 rated Sasha vom Drakkenfels, Daughter of BiS, BISS,
Multi Ch. Brito od Dragivica, IPO1 |
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Multi V1, UCI Int. Ch. UKC/AKC Ch. Jarci vom Drakkenfels, TT,
HIC, CGC, AIRK National Best Femela puppy 2008 pictured with Judge Mr. Donald
Booxbaum. Daughter of Int. Ch Djuke vom Vilstaler land who is one of the first
tailed American Champions. Jarci is owned by Sina Norris of North
Carolina. |
Multi BOB,BOS+V1, UCI Int.Ch, AKC GCH-Bronze/Can Ch./UKC Ch.
Lothar vom Drakkenfels, TT,
CGC, HIC. Winner of 2010+2011 AKC Breeders Showcase Working Group 1, Multi
Best in Speciality Sweeps Lothar is owned by Lynn Murdocca of Florida |
Multi V1, FCI and UCI Int.Ch, LAtin Am Ch, PR Ch,UKC BIS Ch. Lucia vom Drakkenfels,
AD,CGC, TT,CI,
RN. Lucia is owned by Quinn Webb of Florida |
Multi V1, USRC SE Reg.Best Male puppy 2010, AIRK National Youth
Sieger 2011, Quake vom Drakkenfels pictured with his owner Danny McGuire of
Virginia |
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AKC GCh. Multi BOB, BOS+V1,UCI Int Ch.UKC Ch. Jazz vom Drakkenfels, CGC,HIC
2010 USRC SE
Reg. Select Female Daughter of Int. Ch Djuke vom Vilstaler
land who is one of the first tailed American Champions. Jazz is owned by Tammy
Bruns of Ohio |
Multi V-rated UKC Ch. Odmanouk vom Drakkenfels,
CGC, Manouk is the son of Karthago vom Vilstaler Land who is a tailed Am Champion. Owned by Denise
Tomlinson of Virginia |
AKC Maj ptd. (7) UCI Int.Ch Reserve Best in Show, Krista vom
Drakkenfels, CGC |
UKC Ch. AKC ptd (8) Kaiya vom Drakkenfels, CGC, TT,
HIC owned by Lynn Murdocca of Florida |
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The
Character of the Rottweiler
"Every
living creature is enmeshed in the totality of its relationships, possessing
qualities which it requires for self-assertion"
--
Hermann Keyserling
Nature gave
the wild forbears of our dogs not only the physical, but also the mental and
spiritual powers which they needed in the struggle for existence. With
domestication the urge and the occasions for the use of these powers grew less,
under the influence of the human will. This unquestionably brought about a
change in the mental attributes of the dog in the course of many thousands of
years; the basic elements have remained the same, but their character and their
functional capacity and intensity have been altered in a greater or lesser
degree. For example, the instinct of flight was immensely more important among
the primitive ancestors of the dog than it is today among breeds in which for a
long time other instincts, e.g. the fight instinct, have been preferred. Another
example is offered by our hunting dogs, which possess characteristics which are
in part quite contrary to those of their forbears which hunted for their living.
The nature of the dog was formed, stabilized and up to a certain point made
uniform, according to the wishes and needs of man, by breeding, selection, and
rejection. We may therefore speak rightly of the specific qualities of character
of a breed by which they are more or less distinguished from other breeds.
The account given here of the character of the Rottweiler in its essential
features is based upon many observations and comparisons in every kind of
situation, upon exchanges of experience and opinion with those best qualified to
judge, and last, but by no means least, in the knowledge that there are always
gaps between those qualities which are generally present and the ideal, which is
the aim of responsible and conscious breeding to close so far as possible. For
it is upon the preservation of his good character that the Rottweiler must
depend if he is to retain his circle of faithful adherents. His place is where
mere external, elegant, or grotesque exaggeration of form do not set the
standard, but when a dog with particularly well-marked qualities of character is
desired and esteemed. This is not only nor in the first place a question of the
use of the Rottweiler as a working dog, but also and above all, the question of
the dog as a domestic pet in the home, in business, and in the workshop - the
watchdog, companion and guard dog. To this sphere the Rottweiler, as a result of
long domestication, brings a great measure of trustfulness, loyalty, and
adaptability, qualities which greatly ease his absorption into the course of
domestic life, his adaptation to the customs and procedures of business, etc.
Distrust is a quality which is not very strongly marked in the character of the
Rottweiler as with all courageous dogs. He remains, however, always reserved and
watchful towards all newcomers and strangers, though mostly not to an excessive
degree and without unnecessary barking. His ability to learn and especially his
capacity for adapting himself to his environment is very great and is much prized
by professional dog handlers. That a breed which has so long been bred for use,
possesses an exceptional willingness to work is as self-evident as the
Rottweiler's capacity to retain what he has learned in the course of training.
It is not for nothing that trainers who are familiar with other breeds are often
heard to say, "When the Rottweiler has once grasped a thing, it sticks." A
quality which is particularly striking in such robust and courageous dogs is
their tractability both in and out of doors, generally combined with patience
and with cheerfulness which is hardly ever disturbed. He is, so to speak, always
in a good mood. Consider for example, the way in which this strong and valiant
fellow puts up with children or how tolerantly he lives with other domestic
animals once he knows them.
The Rottweiler is a tough dog. This applies not only to his physical needs, but
also to his mental disposition. By a tough dog we mean one that soon forgets
unpleasant or painful experiences and does not allow himself to be influenced by
them in his subsequent behavior. Despite this toughness, most Rottweilers are
very tractable, i.e., they easily subordinate themselves and are exceptionally
obedient. The Rottweiler's reaction to external stimuli is generally deliberate
and seldom hasty. He has a certain moderation of temperament, a quality which is
both desirable for a working dog and for a pet. Nothing can cause more
disturbance or annoyance, if not serious danger, than a dog with a very highly
strung or excitable temperament. The Rottweiler behaves calmly and peacefully in
the family, at home, in public and in traffic. He does not bark on every
insignificant occasion and when left alone readily accepts the inevitable. He
does not need an undue amount of exercise and for this reason he is a quite good
dog to keep, even in a town. Moreover, he is easily house trained and does not
push himself forward or make a fuss. Where there is an opportunity to let him
run about free, one need have no hesitation in allowing him this pleasure,
because when let out alone he has little inclination to fight, pays little or no
attention to what goes on around him, and is not much given to chasing things.
The diminution of certain instincts as a consequence of domestication is in many
ways a good thing, but it has it's limits, e.g. good nature should not
degenerate into stupidity and lack of resolution; calmness and peaceful
temperament should not change into laziness and undue love of comfort. The
decline of the tracking instinct must also be avoided in the interests of the
working qualities of the dog and the preservation of a harmonious character. The
Rottweiler still possesses exceptional powers of scent and often gives proof by
his ability to track. The preservation of these valuable qualities undiminished
must be the task of breeding, supported by practical work and careful judgment
of each animal.
How stands it with the Rottweiler in regard to the quality called sharpness, a
quality of the working dog which even today is often misunderstood and wrongly
interpreted? By sharpness we mean (Following the definition of Dr. Menzel) the
constant readiness of the dog to react most rapidly and in a hostile way to
external stimuli. If one reflects upon this definition, one is led to the
conclusion that in working dogs, whatever the purpose for which they are used, a
very high or exaggerated degree of sharpness is not a desirable thing. Jean Sir,
the well known expert on working dogs, considered for example, that a guard dog
should possess normal sharpness and that this, as far as practicable, should not
be exceeded. This requirement, the validity of which has been demonstrated a
thousand times in practice, is fully satisfied by the Rottweiler. Dogs which are
too sharp can easily cause uproar and danger without any serious reason. Such
dogs often possess little or no courage; they flare up, but do not stand their
ground in the face of danger.
The courageous dog is one which meets resolutely and without fear the dangers
which threaten it and its human companions. Courage is a quality which is
unmistakable in the Rottweiler. This fact is of inestimable value for only a
courageous dog possesses the true instinct to guard, i.e. readiness to protect
his master against dangers without being compelled and without regard for his
own safety. The firmer a dog's courage is, the more pronounced is his instinct
to guard and the more reliable his performance as a guard dog.
Now we often observe dogs whose qualities of courage and sharpness cannot be
denied, but which only show moderate readiness to guard and ward off danger.
These dogs lack the impetus to attack: the fight instinct. A dog with strong
fighting instinct takes up the fight without regard for pain and danger and sees
it through whatever may befall. The Rottweiler is well endowed with the fighting
instinct; without this valuable quality he could not have survived or have been
able to fulfill his tasks, which were often connected with fighting. The
important task of preserving and strengthening the established nature of the
Rottweiler was fortunately recognized at an early stage by breeders. The
qualities of character are taken fully into consideration and no Rottweiler is
used for breeding unless he has been thoroughly tested.
Let us once again sum up the character of the Rottweiler and it's principal
features: He is a faithful and obedient dog, loyal to home and master,
possessing medium temperament and sharpness; a bold and fearless dog who keeps
the peace for a long time, but in case of need attacks swiftly and without
regard for consequences, who combines joy in battle with readiness to guard, but
soon changes to a peaceful mood and possesses firmness of nerves in all
situations, that is the Rottweiler.
There is one thing that he is not: he is not a dog to be kept in captivity or on
a chain. Naturally one can occasionally keep even a Rottweiler in captivity or
tie him up for a short time, but if this is done all the time his character will
be ruined. The more he can be in the company of men, the more intimate the
family relationship, the more firmly does he attach himself to man, and the more
do the good, useful and amiable sides of his character reveal themselves. Thus
there arises as Paul Eipper has so well expressed it, "A beautiful relationship
based on reciprocity which may grow and deepen in an unimaginable degree."
For more information contact:
vom Drakkenfels
Kimberly Cardona
Rottweiler Breeder, Show
Handler and Trainer Polk City, Florida
(407) 460-0089
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