Rottweilers are one of the most popular breeds in the dog world. These cuties are one of those dog breeds that have a lot of misconceptions connected to them because of their intimidating appearance.
Yes, we do agree that their big and muscular body can be scary at first glance, but their personalities are something else.
They are truly considered to be gentle giants. They love to spend a lot of time with their owner, and receive a lot of kisses and cuddles.
Rottweilers are amazing with kids and other animals, but you need to make sure you start with the socialization process early on.
There are a couple of types of Rottweilers, but whichever you choose, you need to know that you are getting an amazing dog. There is even a long-haired Rottie which not a lot of people have heard about.
These dogs can be stubborn, and if you don’t show them that you are the pack leader and that they need to listen to your every word, they might show some signs of aggression.
When you establish all the rules, you will get the best friend in dog form.
When it comes to owning a dog, there are a lot of questions that may pop up. One of those questions may be connected to how much these big dogs can eat. We can understand that because it can get a bit confusing.
But, lucky you! We prepared a Rottweiler feeding chart that will help you figure out how much your Rottie needs to eat.
Rottweiler Feeding Chart By Age
| Age | Quantity of food a day | Number of meals per day |
|---|---|---|
| 2-4 weeks | mothers milk | Depending on the mother |
| 2 months | 2-3 cups | 3 |
| 3 months | 2-3 cups | 3 |
| 4 months | 3-5 cups | 3 |
| 5-6 months | 3-5 cups | 2 |
| 7-8 months | 4-6 cups | 2 |
| 9-10 months | 4-6 cups | 2 |
| 11-12 months | 4-6 cups | 2 |
Rottweiler Puppy Feeding chart; Two Weeks Of Age
Rottweiler puppies at two weeks of age should only be fed their mother’s milk. It is very important to leave them to nurse while the mother is willing to provide them with her milk.
Mother’s milk is full of healthy and important nutrients, which are the key to their growth, immune system, and health.
There can always be a possibility that one puppy is left out or that the mother refuses to feed a puppy. In those cases, you should not turn to solid dog food, but rather, find a baby formula that can replace the milk.
The frequency of their nursing is dependent only on the mother. She has the natural instinct to give her puppies enough milk.
You should always monitor the puppies and the mother just in case you see one puppy struggling to get to her breast.
Rottweiler Puppy Feeding Chart; Four Weeks Of Age
Since the Rottweiler is a large dog, puppies grow quite a bit in just a couple of weeks. They will eat a bit more than they used to when they were two weeks of age.
They still need to be dependent on their mother’s milk because they are still growing and need all those important nutrients. You can introduce them to some puppy food, but the main thing the puppy has is the milk.
When introducing puppy food to the puppy, don’t be surprised if they refuse it. They probably won’t show much interest, but that isn’t anything to be worried about.
In the next couple of weeks, they will grow a lot, and their appetites will grow as well.
An interesting thing that may occur is that the puppy will refuse dog food, but will enjoy treats you give him. Don’t force too much dog food on them if they refuse because they might get diarrhea at night or even start to vomit yellow.
If you want to give them some food other than mother’s milk, try only a quarter of a cup.
Rottweiler Puppy Feeding Chart; Six Weeks Of Age
The puppies are a bit bigger and their mother can handle the capacity of their nursing. By this point, she has probably lowered the amount of milk she gives them, and is starting to introduce them to the process of weaning.
What is weaning? Well, the easiest way to explain it is that the mother is slowly getting them off of nursing. She is preparing them so that her milk will no longer be the main resource of food.
Because of this, the puppies will begin to show some interest in dry dog food. If the puppies get completely weaned, you will need to give them a cup of food that you will need to divide into three meals a day.
If the puppy is still getting some of the mother’s milk, you will need to give them less than a cup that you will also divide into three meals a day.
Rottweiler Puppy Feeding Chart; Eight Weeks Of Age
At this point, the puppies will change in size, but their appetite will still be the same for the most part. They will be fully weaned from their mother’s milk and fully rely on puppy food. Even though they will grow in size, their stomach will still be small.
The amount of food you should give them is still the same as at six weeks of age, which is a cup a day divided into three meals throughout the day.
The magic eight-week-mark is the moment when new dog owners come to get their new puppy. What you need to keep in mind is that the puppies have gotten used to a certain type of food that their breeders were giving them.
Always ask the breeder which food they use, but if you want to change it, you are more than free to do so. However, if you decide on a change, you need to do it gradually.
Rottweiler Puppy Feeding Chart; 10 Weeks Of Age
When your Rottie puppy turns 10 weeks of age, it will probably weigh somewhere around 20 to 30 pounds. Their appetite will grow as well.
At this point, you will notice them carrying or nosing their bowl around the house. This can be a sign of them showing you that they are hungry, but don’t be fooled.
They might do this because they just want more food, and you don’t want to overfeed your pooch.
When they come to this age, they will eat three cups a day, which you need to divide equally throughout the day. Our advice is to split it into two or three meals a day.
Rottweiler Puppy Feeding Chart; 12 Weeks Of Age
At this point, the puppy will weigh anywhere from 30 to 40 pounds depending on the sex of the dog and its genetics. Your puppies will grow intensely from this point on.
At this age, you will be able to see if you are overfeeding or underfeeding your puppy by its ribs.
You will be able to feel the ribs normally. If you can’t feel them that easily, it means that you are giving your puppy too much food. If you see them poking out, it means that you are not giving enough food to your pup.
Your doggie will need to eat three to five cups of food daily, which you can distribute into two or three meals a day.
Rottweiler Puppy Feeding Chart; Three To Six Months Of Age
Your Rottie will grow immensely from three months old to six months old, and its appetite will get bigger. When it comes to the feeding process, it can depend on many things like their gender, size, genetics, and activity level.
In this period, you can give your Rottweiler three to five cups, or four to six cups that will be divided into two or three meals per day.
You can see in the previous feeding chart how we suggest dividing their food, but as we said, the dog’s dietary needs will depend on the dog as an individual.
You can always see the chart on the food label, or you can ask your vet for some advice.
Rottweiler Feeding Chart; Six Months To One Year Of Age
During this period, your Rottweiler will be developing its adult weight, but its dietary needs will stay the same. Giving your Rottweiler four to six cups a day that are divided into two meals a day will be just fine.
We suggest you always monitor your dog’s weight. Sometimes, owners might think that giving their puppy more food is fine because they are growing fast, but this is not the case.
We understand that this is just out of pure love, but it can cause your dog to develop obesity.
Large breeds can not lose all that extra weight easily, so you need to ensure that you are giving your pooch the right amount of food. Giving them treats is fine, but don’t overdo them.
Adult Rottweiler Feeding Chart
From the time they get to their first year until their third year, they might look a bit awkward, and you might even think that they are malnourished at some point.
Don’t worry – this is nothing strange and nothing you need to be concerned about.
This is a breed that grows muscles and mass until they are three years old. Because of this, they will have periods where they look fully grown, but without their characteristic muscles and build.
You can think of this period as the awkward teenage stage for your pooch.
After the three-year mark is when your Rottie is considered to be an adult dog. You need to make sure that you are using top-quality dog food for adult dogs.
If you decide on giving them homemade food, you should check with your vet on what to give them.
It is important for them to get all the right nutrients or they can develop some health issues. They should be eating twice a day.
The amount is approximately four to six cups, but that depends on a few factors like their activity level, their gender, and their build.
Rottweiler Feeding Chart; The Golden Years, a.k.a., Seniors
As it is with humans, your Rottie will go through some physical changes as it grows older, and that is perfectly normal. With those changes, there will be a need for some adjustments to its diet.
Rottweilers are considered as seniors when they turn 7.5 years of age. The best thing to do is ask your vet when you should change your doggie’s diet.
The most important thing is that the food should be low in sodium, low in fats, and have all the right nutrition.
When it comes to snacks, your senior Rottweiler would appreciate something that is healthy and full of antioxidants and vitamins, which will help their body fight any inflammation. Some of those snacks are carrots and blueberries.
You should avoid giving your senior dog any leftover food from your lunch because it could harm its health. If the food is full of spices (especially salt) and fats, it will greatly impact your dog’s health, which can be life-threatening.
Factors That Can Determine A Rottweilers Dietary Needs
A Rottweiler diet is not a thing that is determined for every Rottie in the world. Every dog is different even if they are the same breed. Because of this, there are some factors you need to consider when giving your dog a certain amount of food.
Some dogs are born with a faster metabolism while others have a slower one, and we are the ones who need to figure that out. We know that this might be a bit overwhelming, but don’t worry – we are here to help you out.
We listed a couple of factors that will help you determine how much food a Rottweiler needs.
The previous feeding chart is a good guide, and the differences are not that big, but it is always good to know some information if your dog is, for example, all of a sudden getting thinner.
And, we want to say that you don’t need to bust your head. We are sure that you are doing everything amazingly when it comes to your dog, and that if you see some changes in your dog’s appearance, you will react immediately and find the proper diet.
It is a process, and there will probably be some smaller mistakes made, but that is normal in the process of the discovery of your dog’s perfect diet.
Size
Rottweilers can grow to be anywhere from 22 to 27 inches, and weigh 77 to 132 pounds according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).
The size can vary from dog to dog. Some dogs can be a bit bigger than 132 pounds while others can be a bit smaller than 77 pounds.
It is always good that your dog is within the standards of the breed, but there are always some exceptions. Unfortunately, dogs that are not within the standard are a sign that they might either be a bit overweight or underweight.
This is why it is good to know how big your Rottie can get. But, you need to monitor his growth process. Your Rottie can naturally be somewhere in the middle.
If that type of dog gets to the 132-pound mark, it means that you are giving it too much food for its general appearance.
These dogs are muscular, so if they do get a bit chubbier, it will be difficult to notice in the beginning, but after a while, it will be very noticeable.
When it comes to not giving them enough food (and as a result of that, your dog will get thinner), that is something that is more easily noticeable.
They will lose their muscle mass, and they will quite noticeably be thin. If you are not sure as to how much food to give your dog based on its weight, we prepared a feeding chart according to its weight that might help you out.
If you are not sure if your Rottweiler is growing properly, you can always check out the Rottweiler growth chart to make sure that everything is alright.
Rottweiler Feeding Chart By Weight
| Weight | Cups per day | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 30-40 lbs | 3 - 3 and 3/4 cups | 1268 - 1574 |
| 50-60 lbs | 4 and ½ - 5 cups | 1861 - 2133 |
| 70-80 lbs | 5 and ¾ - 6 and 1/3 cups | 2395 - 2647 |
| 90-100 lbs | 6 and ⅔ - 7 cups | 2790 - 2933 |
| over 100 lbs | 7 and 1/3 cups for every | 2933 + 143 for every 1/3 cup |
Age
Age is the key factor, and we went through it in detail. These dogs are a large breed, and they grow immensely right in front of our eyes. Every stage of their life needs to be covered correctly, especially from their birth until they turn one year old.
These stages are important because giving them too little or too much food can be dangerous. A puppy needs all the nutrients, so it can grow correctly and maintain its health.
The diet needs to be full of protein, so its muscles can grow properly.
The calcium-and-phosphorus ratio needs to be in balance, so its bones get nice and strong, and also to avoid any bone and joint problem.
As we already saw, as they grow, their dietary needs change, and with that, their nutritional needs have to change as well, both in amount and in nutrients.
If your doggy grows to be a bit on the bigger side, and active as well, you will need to accommodate the meal plan to this.
Two Important Nutrients That Your Puppy Will Need
Puppies grow a lot and fast, and because of that, their diet should be made in a way to make sure that they grow and develop.
Besides nutrients such as fat, protein, and carbohydrates, the two main nutrients that your puppy will need in order to stay healthy, develop an immune system, and provide them with healthy bones and brain are:
Phosphorus: This is an essential mineral that your pup needs for maintaining and developing its bones, joints, and skeletal system. It is important to give the proper calcium-and-phosphorus ratio, which is Ca: Ph=1:1 or 1:3.
Calcium: This nutrient provides your dog with good eyesight, immune system, bones, brain, and teeth. Vitamin D and phosphorus are good for increasing calcium absorption.
Calcium content should not be more than 1.5% (or 3 grams per 1000 kcal).
Health
Health is one of the most important things that we, as dog owners, need to keep a good look at. Health and your dog’s diet go hand in hand with one another.
If you give your dog proper food and high-quality food, you are helping him maintain his health and avoid any potential health problem.
Since these dogs are muscular, all that healthy weight from their muscles can be hard on their bones sometimes. Because of this, the food that you decide on giving your dog should have ingredients that will keep their bones strong.
Another thing connected to their bones is being overweight. You need to portion your Rotty’s food correctly; otherwise, they might develop elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, or ligament rupture.
Another health problem that your Rottie can face is bloat, and this can be life-threatening for your pooch. There aren’t certain reasons as to why this condition appears, but there are some things that you can do to try to prevent it.
What you need to avoid is low-quality food, too much food, and extra carbs. All of these can cause your dog to bloat.
Some of the things you can do if your dog gets bloated is give them smaller but more frequent meals, and avoid meals just before and after exercise.
Pregnancy
Pregnant dogs will need to eat more food at a certain point than they usually do. This is important for maintaining the safety of the pregnancy and keeping the puppies nice and healthy in the tummy.
It is not a good thing to overfeed your pregnant dog because she can get bigger than normal.
This will make her pregnancy harder to carry through until the end. But, not giving your pregnant dog enough food can be catastrophic. This can be fatal for her health and her puppies’ health as well.
If the momma is not getting enough nutrients, her puppies won’t either.
This can lead to losing the pregnancy. When you have a pregnant dog for the first time, the surest thing you can do is contact the vet and ask for advice.
Until the third trimester, your pregnant dog will have the same dietary needs as she usually has. When she hits the third trimester, her appetite will increase by 30% to 60%.
You will need to feed her eight cups a day, and divide that into two meals.
Sometimes, it might even be more than eight cups, but that depends on the size of her litter. If there are more puppies, she will need more food for their last stages of development, which is the most crucial for the health and well-being of the puppies.
Activity Level
Rottweilers are in the medium-energy dog breed category, but they can turn out to be high-energy dogs as well. You will not know their energy levels until they get a bit older.
If your dog has high energy, he will be much more active, burn more energy, and need more fuel than dogs that aren’t as active. But, giving your high-energy dog a lot of food that doesn’t have the right ingredients can be bad.
If you give them food that is high in fat and low in protein, you are not providing them with enough energy that they need when they are being active, which can lead to lethargy and even being overweight.
Dogs that are less active will need 2/3 of the food that your active dog will need. This means that your less-active dog will need four cups of food while your active dog will need six cups of food daily.
Gender
As with every breed, male Rottweilers will be bigger than their female counterparts. Males are usually bigger by 30 pounds in some cases. Since males are bigger, they will need to eat more food than female Rottweilers.
The difference is not that big. If your female is eating four to six cups a day, your male Rottweiler might need a bit more food than that, but it is not mandatory.
If you have both a male and a female, you can keep them on the same diet because the difference that the males eat is just by half a cup.
If you don’t give the male that half a cup, there will not be that big of a difference in its appearance, and it will not affect his health.
If there is a big difference between your male and female, then you should consider giving your male a bit more food than you give your female.
Spayed Or Neutered
The dog that got fixed will experience some changes in its metabolism for some time after the surgery. Their dietary needs won’t permanently change, but in the beginning stages, you will need to alter them a bit.
The dog that has been spayed or neutered will need only 75% of the food that they were eating before the procedure.
You should ask your vet when to start feeding them normally. Sometimes, you will see the appetite grow by yourself, but it is always best to ask a professional.
RELATED: When To Take The Cone Off Of A Dog After Being Neutered? Tips To Make Your Dog Comfortable
What Is The Best Type Of Food To Feed A Rottweiler?
This is one of the biggest dilemmas when it comes to your dog and food, and to be honest, there is no right answer.
As we mentioned a couple of times before, the main thing that dog food needs to fulfill is proper nutrients, especially when they are puppies.
What type of food you should give your pooch is only up to you and your preference. This can be nerve-wracking and overwhelming for some people because some experimenting needs to be done.
Don’t worry – nothing will be wrong with your dog during the experiment process.
This is mainly to figure out what your dog likes the best. If your dog seems to like everything… LUCKY YOU! This is the best because your dog is not picky, and you can give them anything you want, which is a relief at times.
If your dog ends up preferring any of these, you can consider that a good thing as well. You will know what your dog likes and will stick to.
The best would be not to mix the types of foods that you give your dog that often because it can cause them some stomach issues. But, a change here and there is fine, and we are sure your dog will love it as well.
We will list all the possibilities from which you can choose. Some people might prefer some type of food over another for their dogs, but that doesn’t mean that it is the best for your dog as well, so don’t let that discourage you.
Sometimes, our choice is based simply on convenience because some types of food are for sure more convenient than others, and that is okay as well.
1. Store-Bought Dog Food
Store-bought food is for sure convenient, and it is the easiest way to go. Your only job is to go to the store, buy the food that you decided on, and bring it back home.
You won’t need to worry about the nutrients because they are all written on the back of the package.
Store-bought food can be formulated for many different needs like for puppies, large dogs, dogs with a sensitive stomach, and many more. It can get overwhelming because there are many options from which you can choose.
There are two types of food that you can get from the store:
– Dry dog food (or, in other words, kibble)
– Wet dog food
Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food is made out of 75% water, and because of that, it got its name. Wet dog food is a real treat for every taste bud in dogs, both adults and puppies.
When it comes to wet food, even though it can be given to your dog by itself, we recommend mixing it sometimes with kibble.
They come in different tastes, which is a real treat for dogs. The flavors are more prominent in wet food than in dry food.
If your dog eats too much wet food, it might get diarrhea, and you need to watch out for that because diarrhea is hard to clean off a carpet.
This type of food goes bad easily, so you need to make sure that the date is good, and that it does not sit for a long time in a bowl.
The can should not be left on the counter for long if the temperature is high in the room. Store it in the fridge.
Kibble – Dry Dog Food
Dry dog food is the more popular option, and a lot of dog owners decide on this type of food for their dogs. Kibble can last longer than wet food, and it is safer for dogs.
There are also many flavors you can choose from, but they will not be as prominent as with vet food.
Because of the mechanical abrasion that happens when the dog eats this type of food, you can be sure that their teeth will have benefits. Kibble can keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy.
Kibble can also be used as dog treats when you are teaching your dog something new or if you just want to reward good behavior. Make sure that you buy food that is intended for large dogs because it has more nutrients that large dogs need.
There is a grain-free option that is more expensive than the other kind of kibble because it is richer in protein and it has other ingredients like rice and corn that replace the grains.
You can always mix dry kibble with wet food, but if your dog hasn’t gotten used to the wet food, you need to do it slowly. Bringing new food into your dog’s diet can cause some stomach issues.
One of the best dry dog food brands is Royal Canin, which you can find on Amazon and in every pet store.
2. Homemade Dog Food
When thinking about homemade dog food, this does not include table scraps that you may give your dog from time to time. This means that you are preparing your dog’s meal every day with human-food ingredients.
This type of dog food takes some effort and time, and it can be too much for some people, which we understand.
It can be hard to develop a proper menu with homemade meals because you need to know that all the nutrients are in the meal.
If you are not sure, you can always ask the vet or find some online blogs in which people tend to leave their recipes and advice.
RELATED: 7 Vet-Approved Homemade Dog Food Recipes For Kidney Disease
Home-Cooked Dog Food
This is the one that takes the most time and effort. As we already said, you need to make sure that your dog is getting all the needed nutrients.
Preparing a meal for your family is tiring enough, so adding your dog to that equation is quite tiring.
Because of that, we admire you!
Some of the foods that are most common are different types of meat like chicken or beef, brown rice, normal rice, carrots, broccoli, fish oil, green beans, sour cream, and many more ingredients.
Some of the things that your dog should not eat are spicy food, jalapenos, and blue cheese. There are many different recipes online that you can check out, but make sure that your dog has no food allergies.
Raw Food (Or BARF)
BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods, and it brings some controversy. Giving dogs like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, or Pitbulls raw food is considered to bring out the wild side in them.
If they eat raw food, people think that the dog will become more aggressive. This is neither proven nor denied, but there are many dog owners who have decided on the raw diet, and their dogs turned out to be just fine.
This diet consists of meat, bones, and sometimes vegetables. When it comes to preparation, there is none, of course. This is as easy as giving them wet dog food.
But, you need to be careful because raw meat contains some bacteria that can be harmful to your dog.
It can also go bad easily, so you need to store it properly, and make sure that the dog eats it quickly so it does not stand in the bowl for too long.
RELATED: How Much Raw Food To Feed A Puppy—Everything You Need to Know
FAQs
What Is By-Product Meal?
It is considered to be dog food that has animal by-products that are not edible and should not be in our pet’s food. For example, if liver is not cold-stored after the slaughter, it can not be given to humans.
Manufacturers can legally put liver that has been stored in a hot container for 24 hours in dog food, even though it is not considered to be edible. Some of those parts are the brain, liver, peak, head, lungs, kidney, stomach, etc.
Some animals that have been dead for a long time or that have some disease are not fit for human consumption, but are unfortunately given to our dogs.
This is why you need to find the best dog food, so you can be sure that your dog is eating well.
Do You Need To Make A Feeding Schedule?
It is important to make a feeding schedule for your dog. This way, they know when they eat and when they can expect food. This is also one of the first things that your dog will learn, and it is a good learning startup.
This is also good for owners because they can not get confused as to whether or not they gave the dog their meal. When dogs get used to a schedule, they don’t beg for food as often as dogs with no feeding schedule do.
To Sum It Up
What food you give to your Rottweiler is very important. It is not the most important thing if you decide on wet, dry, or homemade dog food. The more important thing is the nutritional value of that food.
Your Rottie puppy will need food that is made for them to grow and stay healthy. When they get older and start on their adult food, the rules will change – your dog will eat more, and less frequently.
Because of these things, we hope that our Rottweiler feeding chart has helped you out if you had any dilemma concerning the way and how often you should feed your precious pooch.
Read Next:
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