The Rottweiler has a massive, powerful body. Muscular and athletic, it has a broad head and rounded forehead. The muzzle is well-developed with a scissors bite. The Rottie is calm, trainable, courageous, and devoted to their owner and family. They have a reliable temperament. Protective, he will defend his family fiercely. These are strong fighters that seem immune to pain. Serious, steady and confident. The Rottweiler is a large, powerful, a mastiff-like dog who crossed the Alps herding and guarding cattle from predators both man and beast as well as fighting in the Roman wars with the Romans. It had to be big enough to protect and move the cattle that fed the Roman legions and strong and rugged enough physically and mentally in the harsh mountain terrain. They had to be intelligent, willing to work, and have a strong guarding instinct. When in Rottweil they had to herd the cattle, guard the cattle, keep order in the herd, tame the bulls, get the mean vicious bulls to move, and guard his master and his master’s property including his money bag which he tied around his Rottweiler’s neck, these were no easy tasks. There were others who wanted to preserve this large dog’s powerfulness, guarding abilities, transportation, and big game hunting and fighting abilities.
The largest of the Japanese Spitz-type breeds, the Akita, pronounced a-KEE-ta, is a powerful, solid, well-proportioned and distinctive looking dog. Strong and muscular with a flat, heavy head and strong, short muzzle. The Akita is docile, but sometimes spontaneous. Careful and very affectionate with its family. Intelligent, courageous and fearless. It is very willful and needs firm training as a puppy. The Akita is a first class guard dog. Japanese mothers would often leave their children in the family Akita's care. They are extremely faithful and thrive on companionship. The Akita is very aggressive to other dogs and animals and should therefore never be allowed to run off its lead around other animals. The breed has had many uses, first as an Imperial guard dog, then as a fighting dog, hunter of deer and bear, for sledding, and for police, army and guard work. The Akita has keen hunting abilities and can even hunt in deep snow.