Hey, Rottweiler pet parent! Welcome to my ultimate guide to feeding a Rottweiler.
In this guide, I will cover how much to feed a Rottweiler, how often to feed your Rottweiler, when to feed your Rottweiler, what foods to feed your Rottweiler, what foods to avoid feeding your Rottweiler, and other questions you may have about your Rottweiler’s nutrition.
You can read the article to the end, or go through the table of contents below and jump to the section that answers the questions you have on your mind.
- Rottweiler Nutritional Requirements
- Factors Affecting the Feeding of Your Rottweiler
- Rottweiler Feeding Amount
- Rottweiler Feeding Frequency
- Rottweiler Feeding Schedule
- The Kind Of Food Should To Feed Your Rottweiler
- The Kind of Food To Avoid Feeding Your Rottweiler
- When Should I Switch My Rottweiler From Puppy to Adult Food?
- Why Your Rottweiler Isn’t Eating
- Why Your Rottweiler Is Always Hungry
- Frequently Asked Questions on Feeding A Rottweiler
- Final Thoughts on Rottweiler Feeding Guide
Rottweilers are one of the most unique and healthy dog breeds out there, and as such, you will have a lot of questions about their diet. This article will answer your question based on my experience with a Rottweiler during my internship with a veterinarian.
Rottweilers are strong muscular dogs with a good skeletal frame. All these qualities come together to make your dog a very athletic, protective, and intimidating dog. To keep their energy and health levels high, they require a strict regimen of healthy and balanced foods.
Let’s jump into the article.
Rottweiler Nutritional Requirements
The nutritional requirements are of the utmost importance when you are choosing the best dog feed for your Rottweiler. While there are a lot of cheap brands of dog food out there, you should be really careful as most of these brands have a low content of quality nutrients.
Poor nutrition in your pet’s food can cause Malnutrition leading to problems like osteoarthritis, gastrointestinal issues, poor athletic ability, dandruff, skin disorder, and muscle wasting.
Your Rottweiler meal for health growth should consist of 25% Protein, 18% Fats, Carbohydrate, Vitamin and Minerals
Your Rottweiler’s source of fiber should come from Carrots, Broccoli, Cabbage, and Beets while its source of protein must come from animal flesh like fish, chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, and organ meat and its source of fat must come from vegetables and fish oil.
Nutritional Requirements for a Rottweiler Puppy
The diet of a Rottweiler puppy should consist of 28% protein, 18% fat, and 6% fiber. Your puppy would need a large amount of these nutrients when compared to other stages of development to facilitate growth and strong bones.
Nutritional Requirements for an Adult Rottweiler
The meal plan for a mature and adult Rottweiler should consist of 22-25% protein, 16% fat, and 4% fiber. Your adult dog will require a lower percentage of nutrients at this stage to prevent them from gaining excessive weight that would affect its athletic abilities.
Nutritional Requirements for a Senior Rottweiler
The food your pet will eat at this stage of its life should ideally consist of 28% protein, 10% fat, and 7% fiber. A Rottweiler at this stage of life needs a larger percentage of these nutrients in their meal to prevent certain health issues that may arise as a result of old age.
Factors Affecting the Feeding of Your Rottweiler
There are some factors that will affect the diet of your Rottweilers such as the size of the breed, its age, its activity level, and its underlying health conditions.
Let’s take a quick look at those factors before we jump into the quantity of food to feed your dog.
Size consideration
The average length of a Rottweiler is 22 to 27 inches (56-69cm) from the sole of its feet to its shoulder. The weight of the male is around 110 to 132 pounds (50-60kg), while that of the female is around 77 to 106 pounds (35-48 kg).
Due to the Rottweiler’s large size, they tend to have a large appetite and as pet parents, you should ensure that your dog is effectively food trained to prevent them from becoming overweight.
Age consideration
Rottweilers of different ages need a specific set of nutrition. Rottweiler puppies will need a lot of protein in their diet to enhance growth and put on muscle mass. Adults, depending on their activity level will require different amounts of calories.
Rottweilers are fast growers, as senior dogs, they will need specific nutrition to maintain health and agility.
Activity Level
Rottweilers are athletic dogs and as such will have a different diet than a more laid-back dog breed, as pet parents, you should ensure that the feed you are going to buy is designed for energetic dogs.
You should avoid feeding your dog foods high in sodium and fat; foods like this are usually cheap and will potentially have an adverse health effect on your precious buddy.
Health Consideration
Rottweilers are prone to certain health conditions that are mainly genetic, such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis dissecans, and cranial cruciate ligaments. Most of these problems are genetic and orthopedic.
Given that most of the health problems plaguing Rottweilers are related to their bones, their diet should contain a healthy number of amino acids and minerals to maintain healthy muscles and bones.
Avoid feeding your dog cheap food, as these foods can trigger some of these health issues. It might look smart to select cheap food, but in the long run, your dog will get sick and you will have to spend the money on special treatments.
Rottweiler Feeding Amount
Your Rottweiler, just like any other dog breed, will require different amounts of food according to their stage of development. According to nutritional requirements, the amount of food required by a puppy differs from that required by an adult.
On average, feed your puppy Rottweiler 2 to 5 cups of food that has 1000 to 2300 kcal per day; feed your adult Rottweiler 4 to 6 cups per day that has 2000 to 2,500 kcal per day, according to its activity level; and feed your senior Rottweiler 3.5 to 4 cups per day that has 1,800 to 2000 kcal per day.
I will provide you with charts below to help you plan your dog’s meals from its puppy years to its senior years. However, this meal plan is not one-size-fits-all. It’s just a general guideline that should be followed based on your dog’s needs and recommendations from your vet or dog nutritionist.
How Much To Feed A Puppy Rottweiler
For your puppy and adolescent to grow into healthy adults, the meal should be high in protein and low in fat, which can be obtained from animal meat.
A Rottweiler puppy should be given 1 to 3 cups of food per day that contains 1,000 to 2,000 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.
The feeding requirement of your puppy is given in detail in the charts below:
| Age | Daily Food Quantity (Cups) | Kilocalories(per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 2–3 months | 2 – 3 | 700– 1000 | 24 – 28% | 14-18% |
| 4 – 5 months | 3– 5 | 900 – 1150 | 24 – 28% | 14-18% |
| 6 – 9 months | 3 – 6 | 1600 – 2000 | 24 – 28% | 14-18% |
| 10 – 12 months | 4–6 | 1700 – 2300 | 24 – 25% | 14–18% |
Following the guidelines above will aid in bone development, promote muscle growth, and strengthen their immune system to fight off common bacteria and viruses that can lead to some health complications.
How Much To Feed An Adult Rottweiler?
The nutritional requirements of an adult Rottweiler differ from those of a puppy. The food of a mature Rottweiler should have a lower percentage of proteins and fats to prevent obesity.
A mature and adult Rottweiler puppy should be given 3 to 4 cups of food per day that contain 1,700 to 2,400 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.
The chart below will give you an understanding of the daily consumption needs of an adult Rottweiler and help you with their meal plan.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 1 – 7 years | 6 – 8 | 2100 – 2500 | 22-26% | 16% |
How Much Should You Feed A Senior Rottweiler?
Senior Rottweilers are generally less active than their younger counterparts due to fragile bones and joints. This means their meals will contain lesser quantities of calories, protein, and fat.
Geriatric Rottweilers often have a host of health issues, like sensitive stomachs, and tend to be picky eaters when it comes to commercial dog food and their favorite kibble.
Senior and geriatric Rottweiler puppies should be given 3.5 cups of food per day that contains 1,300 to 1,600 kcal of nutrients based on their age, weight, size, gender, and health issues.
The table below gives you some details about the meal plan of an older Rottweiler.
However, you must still ensure that they get the essential nutrients they need.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 7 years and above | 3-4 | 1800 – 2000 | 28% | 10% |
You can continue giving your senior dog the same food you gave them as an adult, only in a lesser quantity, as they don’t need as many calories as adult dogs. However, you should still consult your vet or pet nutritionist to be on the safe side.
Rottweiler Feeding Frequency
Your Rottweiler’s meal frequency will vary the same as the feeding amounts, which are majorly dependent on its age. Below is a list of how often to feed your Rottweiler:
How Often Should You Feed Your Rottweiler Puppy?
- During the weaning process or at 8 weeks old and below: feed them four times a day at equally spaced intervals.
- 8 weeks to 9 months old: feed them three times a day at equally spaced intervals.
- 9 months to 12 months old: gradually transition to feeding them two times a day with 12 hours of spacing between meals. Ideally, one meal would be in the morning and the other in the evening.
How Often Should You Feed Your Adult Rottweiler?
You should feed your adult Rottweiler two times a day, with 12 hours of spacing between meals for easy digestion.
How Often Should You Feed Your Senior Rottweiler?
You should feed your senior Rottweiler two times a day except given a specific schedule by a vet.
Rottweiler Feeding Schedule
- Rottweiler puppies should be fed in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night due to a faster metabolism in comparison to their adult colleagues
- Adolescent Rottweilers should be fed in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help them transition properly into adults.
- Adult and senior Rottweilers should also be fed in the morning and in the evening, unless stated differently by your vet or pet nutritionist.
As a general rule, you should feed your Rottweiler a few hours before going to bed in the evening, so they have enough time to digest the food before going to sleep.
In total, we shouldn’t spoil our companions with treats as they may grow too attached to them. Treats should be heavily used as a reward when training your dog.
The Kind Of Food Should To Feed Your Rottweiler
The food you feed your Rottweiler should specifically cater to large breeds and contain the required nutrients necessary for a strong and healthy dog.
The kind of food to feed your Rottweiler includes dry dog food, wet dog food, a home-cooked diet, and biologically appropriate raw food to ensure your dog eats a balanced diet.
Let me touch on these few points to help you understand what to feed your dog:
- Dry Food: Dry dog or Kibble is a portion of commercial pet food made by grinding and mixing up ingredients like meats, grains, and nutritional additives which are then shaped into little kernels and cooked at high temps to remove the water content. Dry Dog contains more carbs, less fat, less water, and sometimes less protein and is often recommended by vets due to its lower cost, dental health benefits, convenience, weight loss support, and playtime perks.
- Wet Food: Wet dog food, or canned food is made by mixing up and cooking the ingredients before adding or extracting varying amounts of water. Unlike dry dog food, wet dog food contains more water, fewer carbs, more fat, and often, more protein. They are recommended by vets due to their high water content, taste, ease of eating, and high nutritional profile.
- Home-Cooked Diet: Home-Cooked diets are a great option for pet parents who are not into commercial dog food, and want to go the extra length to prepare the meal for their furry companion. Feeding your dog a home-cooked meal will give you control of its nutrition and can put you at ease knowing that you will always give your dog the best treatment.
- BARF Diet:Biologically Appropriate Raw Food is a type of food that contains raw meat, raw eggs, crushed animal bones, fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and other natural ingredients. BARF diets are used as a substitute for processed foods with preservatives. However, consult your vet before feeding your pet raw diets to avoid health complications from harmful substances.
The Kind of Food To Avoid Feeding Your Rottweiler
We should take caution before giving whatever food we’re eating to our Rottweiler. They have large appetites, which makes it tempting to hand them whatever we find ourselves eating.
There are certain human foods, fruits, and vegetables to avoid feeding your Rottweiler because these foods contain toxins that are harmful to your pet that could lead you to frequent trips to the vet.
Human food to avoid feeding your Rottweilers includes chocolates, coffee, gums, peanut butter, candies, cooked bones, etc.
The Fruits and vegetables to avoid feeding your Rottweiler include grapes, avocado, garlic, onions, etc.
You should always check the ingredients on the food label to see if these ingredients are present in the food. Or you can simply consult a vet or pet nutritionist to check the ingredients with them.
When Should I Switch My Rottweiler From Puppy to Adult Food?
You should transition your Rottweiler puppy from puppy food to adult food when he’s around 18 months old.
Transitioning your adolescent Rottweiler from puppy food to adult food is an important stage in your dog’s development. Puppy food contains more calories and nutrients than adult food to meet the nutritional requirements at that stage of life.
However, feeding your adult puppy food will fill them with more protein and fat than their body requires and will lead to obesity due to the high fat content the body doesn’t need for optimum growth.
Why Your Rottweiler Isn’t Eating
Your Rottweilers will not eat if they have one or a combination of factors, the major ones being anxiety, fear, stress, dental problems, and spoiled food.
Always be aware that what you think of as stress is not the same for your dog. Your best move will be to consult a vet if your dog keeps acting this way; there might be an underlying illness.
Why Your Rottweiler Is Always Hungry
Rottweilers have a habit of eating till they are stuffed, which is why it may seem they are never filled and will still beg for treats or table scraps. I will advise against overfeeding your dog and loading them on treats, overfeeding them can lead to them becoming overweight and having a lot of health complications.
Giving your pet treats all the time is wrong; this will encourage the dog to become a picky eater and always beg for treats, and loading them with treats will not incentivize them to train quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions on Feeding A Rottweiler
Do Rottweilers eat a lot?
However, it’s not advisable to stuff your dog with whatever food you can lay your hands on. You should know its nutritional requirements, when and how much to feed it to prevent health complications, and make frequent trips to the vet’s office.
Can Rottweilers become vegetarians?
However, you should consult a pet nutritionist or veterinarian to plan a vegan diet for your dog breed to prevent health complications that can arise from an uncertain practice.
Can Rottweilers eat bones?
However, you should follow some guidelines laid down by the American Kennel Club before giving bones to your dog. One of the guidelines is to throw away the raw meat bones given to your furry friend after three to four days.
What human food can I feed my Rottweiler?
What fruits and vegetables can I feed my Rottweiler?
Should you give your Rottweiler supplements?
Final Thoughts on Rottweiler Feeding Guide
Rottweilers are powerful, energetic dogs, and as such, it is on you as the pet owner to take extra care of what you feed your pet. Rottweilers are not for everybody, but if you must get one, ensure you get a trainer’s guide, as irresponsible training can lead to a Rottweiler becoming dangerous and easily irritable.
Options such as dry, wet, raw, and homemade diets are all great for them. Free-feeding them or giving them too many treats can lead to severe health problems.
It is also essential to know what foods are healthy and should be avoided; most human foods and desserts are toxic.
However, if you are still unsure how to create a feeding plan for your pet Rottweiler, consult a certified veterinarian.
