I'm not thinking of getting one, if I get a rottie (highly likely at some point) - it will be a rescue. But! Are there many show breeders who also test their breeding stock with work? For example Schutzhund qualifications? I don't know what else there is in the UK to work these types of dogs and there is a rottie at my SchH club.. I believe they're quite popular in the USA for things like SchH.
If not, why not?

There are a number of owners who do work their Rotts and I know of a couple of breeders who dont show but purely worh their dogs.

Some say you need German or other European lines to get a good working dog - this is a myth!! Its down to the individual dog and handler whether they will be any good or not. A well-bred Rottweiler will always be the complete rottweiler

They are a few clubs now dotted about the country doing Rott Obedience up to SHC level.

One of my owners does competitive obedience with all 3 of her rotts and is currently training the youngest in Working Trials, with great success and barely a European dog in the pedigree

It has long been a bone of contention with some UK rottie folk as to the importance of taking rotts right up to SCH III. I guess its up to the individual, rotties doing this has always been more popular in Europe - I think partly because the dog must reach a certain level before being considered for breeding, but not here.

Character Assessments have always been done - its up to the individual owner to do this with the dog - not the breeder. If the dog passes 3 seperate tests under 3 different Assesors, it gains a full 'pass' of character.

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So it's not seen as important to "prove" working ability, drive and nerve? Or just that you think you don't need to do SchH?

Not so much in the Uk its not, although many do work their dogs in one discipline or another, other than ringcraft. Many will do obedience but stop short at he SCH levels - its a hotly debated subject within rottie folk, people seem to be firmly in one camp or the other, lol!

Many seem to think that because dogs are primarily not 'worked' that the UK does not produce the 'complete' rottweiler, and those that say that is rubbish and just because the majority arent worked, doesntm ean they cant.

I kind of sit on the fence, I like to see the dogs worked and see nothing hugely wrong in doing up to SCH levels, if done correctly. But on the other hand, we have a general public that is terrified of the breed to start with, so training rotts to 'attack' probably wouldnt help that already biased image.

Most rotts sold, even from show breeders, are much loved pets, who do no disciplines at all, again, unlike the rest of Europe.

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I see it's quite similar to the debate amongst GSD show folk then. I don't know why this popped into my head actually. Do you have any photos of the differences between German line and English line show Rotties?

Thanks for answering my questions

There are a handful currently competing in working trials, the one I know of personally I believe is bred from schutzhund working lines.

Do you mean UK dogs of german lines or dogs actually in/from germany?

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To be honest I don't know, I was told by the owner the chap that bred the bitch does schutzhund.
She was bred in the uk.

I meant my question for Shrap,lol!

Is the guy at your club Eylaurhof by any chance??

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oops sorry.