Figuring out how much to feed a Rottweiler can be an overwhelming process. Luckily, we have created this comprehensive Rottweiler feeding guide that walks you through how much to feed your Rottweiler during all phases of their lives.
First Watch This Adorable Rottweiler Drooling Over Their Dinner:
How Much To Feed A Rottweiler Puppy
Bringing home a Rottweiler puppy is a thrilling process for any dog owner. While a Rottweiler puppy is sure to be adorable, it is important to remember that your puppy won’t be tiny for long. Owners need to know how much to feed their Rottweiler puppy.
Large breed puppies quickly grow out of their puppy stage as they rapidly gain weight and grow into their adult bodies. Therefore, owners need to be mindful of this fact so they aren’t blindsided by the growth of their large breed puppies.
Let’s discuss how much to feed a Rottweiler puppy based on their age so you know exactly what to expect.
2 Months Old
Eight weeks old is the time at which most owners bring their new Rottweiler pup home. This is an exciting time for dog owners, but it can be an overwhelming experience for your Rottie puppy.
Rottweiler pups in a new home will need several days to acclimate themselves to the major life change that they just underwent. So, don’t be surprised if your Rottie doesn’t want to eat much during its first few days.
Even if your canine companion isn’t interested in eating during its first couple of days at home, it is still wise to try offering the recommended amount of food for your 8-week-old Rottweiler puppy.
How much should your 2-month-old Rottweiler puppy eat? Rottweiler pups that are this age should be consuming 2 to 3 cups of food every day. Feed a Rottweiler puppy three different meals a day. Feeding raw food–otherwise known as a “barf diet–or a meat meal to your puppy may initially be easier to digest than kibble.
If your pup isn’t hungry enough to eat all of its food on a given day, do not worry. There will be some days when your Rottie isn’t hungry for all of its food.
At this point in your Rottweiler’s life, be sure to feed it large-breed puppy food. You will continue to feed your dog large breed puppy food until they become an adult.
On the flip side, there will be other days when your pup is ravenous and easily consumes all of its food. So long as owners consistently offer similar amounts of food every day, a Rottweiler puppy will flourish.
3 Months Old
After a month of owning your Rottweiler puppy, you will likely notice that your furry friend has grown a little bit. However, they likely have not increased their size by a huge amount at this point.
Nevertheless, continuing to feed Rottweiler puppies a well-balanced diet is essential to their growth and prosperity.
So, how much should you be feeding a 12-week-old Rottweiler pup? Dogs that are this age should be getting fed about the same amount of food that an 8-week-old puppy receives.
Therefore, continue feeding a Rottweiler who is 12 weeks old 2 to 3 cups of food every day. At this point, your puppy will likely be consuming close to 3 cups of food. You can try to incorporate raw feeding into your pup’s diet at this time.
4 Months Old
Rottweiler puppies should weigh around 40 pounds by the time they are 4 months old. Some of the larger puppies may even surpass 50 pounds by the time they are this age.
No matter the size of your Rottie pup, they are sure to be ravenous as they are nearing the end of an age where they rapidly put on weight and size.
Though your puppy’s growth rate may slow down after they reach 4 months old, their appetite will continue to increase as they begin to require more than a puppy quantity of food. Feed your 4-month-old Rottweiler 3 to 5 cups of food every day.
Owners won’t want to feed their 4-month-old Rottweiler any less than 3 cups of food per day, as they are at a crucial point in their lives. If they don’t receive enough food, they may fail to keep up with the expected weight and size thresholds.
Therefore, if your Rottweiler puppy seems to still be hungry after eating 3 cups of food, offer them additional food.
At this point in your Rottweiler pup’s life, you can decrease their daily meals from 3 to 2.
5 To 6 Months Old
At 5 to 6 months old, Rottweilers will be in the teenage stage of their lives. At this point, they have not yet reached their adult size. Rather, they may be long and gangly at this point as they continue growing into their bodies.
Owners will want to ensure that their Rottie pup receives plenty of food to help fuel their growth. Therefore, those who have a 5 to 6-month-old Rottweiler puppy should be feeding a Rottweiler at this age 3 to 5 cups of food daily. It is best to break this food up into 2 separate meals.
You can start by offering your 5 to 6-month-old Rottweiler 3 cups of food every day. If it seems like they are devouring this amount of food, gradually increase the amount of food that they receive until they seem satiated.
The last thing an owner wants to do at this time is feed their Rottie an inadequate amount of food. Doing this could limit the growth of your pooch.
7 to 8 Months Old
When your Rottweiler puppy reaches 7 to 8 months old, owners will again want to increase the amount of food that their puppy is offered. This is so because a Rottweiler will be getting close to their adult size at this time.
At this point, your Rottweiler pup is no puppy anymore-it is nearly a full-grown pooch.
As your Rottweiler grows into its adult body, it is vital to ensure that they receive proper nutrients and sustenance.
Plan to feed your Rottweiler 4 to 6 cups of food every day to support their continued growth. Rottweilers can continue having their daily food amount broken up into 2 meals.
9 to 12 Months Old
This point in a Rottweiler’s life is the final stage before adulthood. As your dog gears up to become an adult, you’ll want to continue to feed it plenty of food. Pay close attention to your dog’s size at this time.
If your Rottweiler seems to be a bit slim, try to increase their food consumption by 0.5 cups per day and see if that helps.
Likewise, if your Rottweiler has eaten too much food and seems to be a tad overweight, decrease their food consumption by 0.5 cups per day. After doing this, monitor if they become slimmer. Portion out food for your Rottweiler puppy instead of using a free-feed method.
It is best to continue feeding a Rottweiler that is 9 to 12 months old a similar amount to what they were eating when they were 7 to 8 months old. Therefore, feed your Rottweiler 4 to 6 cups of food at this time. Continue dividing their food into 2 meals per day.
How Much To Feed An Adult Rottweiler
The amount of food that a grown Rottweiler should consume will depend on a variety of factors. In general, adult Rottweilers eat 4 to 6 cups of food every day. When evaluating the amount to feed an adult Rottweiler, consider several things.
The first thing that owners will want to consider when determining how much to feed their adult dogs would be activity level. Rottweilers need lots of exercise to maintain peak fitness.
Active dogs are likely to need more food than Rottweilers who are less active. Therefore, Rottweilers who lead very active lifestyles will probably require about 6 cups of food every day, while a less active dog may eat closer to 4 cups of food per day. Indeed, big dogs who also happen to be sedentary dogs will not require as much food as their active counterparts.
Rottweiler owners will also want to consider the gender of their dog when determining how much food they should be consuming as an adult. Generally, adult male Rottweilers eat more food than adult females.
Of course, the exception to this rule would be adult females who are pregnant. Male Rottweilers often need to eat closer to 6 cups of food daily, while females are typically closer to requiring 4 cups of daily food.
The size of your Rottweiler is the final factor that you should consider when determining how much food to provide to a fully-grown Rottweiler.
A Rottweiler who is overweight can put stress on their joints. This could lead to health complications later in their life. One thing that owners can do to reduce joint inflammation is to mix fish oil into the food bowl of their Rottweilers.
If you notice that your Rottweiler appears to be chunky, cut back on the food and increase the exercise. Keep in mind that it is never wise to free-feed your Rottweiler. Feeding your dog a raw diet will help them to monitor their weight.
Skinny Rottweilers could also develop health complications if they are not receiving all the nutrients to create a proper diet. If you can see your Rottweiler’s ribs, you will want to gradually increase their daily food intake.
How Much To Feed A Senior Rottweiler
When your Rottie surpasses 7 years of age, it is probably time to start thinking about putting them on a senior diet. Senior Rottweilers lack the energy and metabolism of younger adults. Therefore, they will not require nearly as much food as when they were a little bit younger.
Senior dogs will likely be interested in 3 to 4 cups of food every day. At this point in their lives, senior Rottweilers might only want to eat one meal per day. Determining a feeding schedule for your senior Rottweiler will help them to develop a routine.
Continue paying attention to your Rottweiler’s eating habits to see if their appetite and feeding preferences shift during this time.
Optimal Feeding Times For Rottweilers
After reading about how food requirements for Rottweilers differ by age, you may be wondering about setting up a feeding frequency for your Rottweiler.
As you will recall, puppies need to be fed at least 3 different meals per day. The best way to distribute these meals throughout the day is by following a meal schedule similar to your own.
Therefore, provide your Rottie puppy with a meal early in the morning, in the middle of the day, and the evening. Following this feeding frequency is part of creating a healthy Rottweiler diet.
Feeding an adult Rottweiler who eats two meals per day is straightforward. Owners simply need to offer their dog a meal in the morning and a meal in the evening.
Why Is My Rottweiler Not Eating?
It can be alarming when you notice that your Rottweiler does not seem to be eating as much as they typically do. Before you take your dog to your vet, let’s discuss some reasons why your Rottweiler may not be eating.
They Don’t Enjoy Their Food
Some Rotties are naturally picky eaters, while others may simply not enjoy the dog foods that they’re fed. If you’ve recently switched your Rottweiler to a new food and you notice that they aren’t eating, your pup may not enjoy eating their new food.
Solution
This means that it may be time to adjust your Rottweiler’s diet and try to find the right food for them.
To test this theory, try to offer your dog a different meal and see if they regain their appetite. Perhaps offering wet food will be more appealing to your dog.
Canned food or raw food can be a nice break from kibble. In fact, biologically appropriate raw food can be very healthy for a Rottweiler. Remember, your Rottweiler’s ancestors ate a raw food diet.
Dental Issues
Your Rottweiler may be refraining from eating because they are experiencing dental issues. Tooth problems can be very painful for dogs. Such issues can cause enough pain to cause a dog to lose their appetite.
If you notice that your Rottweiler is not eating, try to see or feel the teeth of your dog. If it seems that any teeth are rotten or in pain, take your dog to a veterinarian.
Solution
Owners can avoid this problem by promoting good dental hygiene with their dogs. Solid food and dry food tend to help clean a dog’s teeth, while wet food may lead to plaque buildup. However, both solid food and wet food are good food options for a dog.
Your Dog Is Bored With Their Food
Few humans would enjoy eating the same meal every day. While most dogs have no problem doing so, some dogs get bored with eating the same dog foods routinely.
Solution
If you can’t find an explanation as to why your dog isn’t eating, try to offer them a different meal than their last meal and see how they react.
Your Dog Is Sick
A sick dog will not have the same appetite as a healthy pooch. Once you notice that your dog doesn’t have an appetite, watch your dog to see if it seems sluggish or especially tired. If you suspect that your Rottweiler might be sick, it would be wise to take your dog to the vet.
Dogs that have recently been given a new medication may also not want to eat very much. Moreover, a dog could have food allergies that prevent it from eating its meal. Food allergies can be seasonal or permanent.
Your Dog Is Aging
Older dogs do not have the same appetites as their younger selves. As a dog ages, their metabolism will slow down. This means a dog’s age will influence their hunger.
Older Rottweilers are also unlikely to be running around and exerting as much energy as their younger counterparts, so this could also lead to less food being consumed.
If your Rottie could be classified as a senior pooch, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t have the same appetite as it once had.
Homemade Puppy Food
Some Rottweiler owners may be interested in the idea of feeding their pup homemade Rottweiler puppy food. It is perfectly acceptable to do this. However, an owner will want to make sure that their Rottweiler puppy is getting sufficient amounts of nutrients. Protein, in particular, is especially important for developing Rottweiler puppies.
Therefore, homemade Rottweiler puppy food should prioritize protein and other healthy ingredients to create a homemade dog food with balanced nutrition.
Many find the idea of homemade food to be appealing because owners know exactly what their pup is eating by feeding them such food. Homemade food is often wet food rather than dry food, and many Rottweilers find this appealing.
When To Switch From Puppy To Adult Food
Rottweiler puppies and adults should be fed different types of food. Therefore, no one Rottweiler diet will work for your dog’s life.
Feed your Rottie pup food that is specifically designed to provide puppies with optimal nutrition. Such food will be high in protein to help facilitate your pup’s growth. An adult Rottweiler dog food will not have as much protein, as adults do not require the additional protein to help them grow.
So, when should a Rottweiler puppy make the switch from puppy food to adult food? Well, it will be at least a year before you should make the switch for your dog. In some cases, it may not be until your dog is 13 or 14 months old.
The perfect time to make the switch will be different for every dog. Before making this decision, it would be a wise idea to consult with a veterinarian and get their input.
When switching your Rottweiler from puppy food over to adult food, be sure to avoid replacing their puppy food with such food. Instead, gradually phase out the puppy food and feature the adult food.
This can be accomplished by slowly incorporating the new food into your Rottweiler’s bowl. Gradually increase the new food and decrease the puppy food throughout a couple of weeks and the transition will be seamless.
Precautions About Feeding Your Rottweiler
Owners must create healthy eating habits for their pooches. Doing so can help a Rottweiler to live a long, happy life. So, be sure that you are aware of these pitfalls related to feeding Your Rottweiler:
Don’t Feed Too Much!
Rottweilers love to eat-so much so that they are prone to packing on the extra pounds. This is why it is so important for owners to monitor the amount of food that their dog is consuming. If you offer your Rottweiler more food once it has eaten its meal, you may think that you’re not feeding your dog enough.
However, this may not be the case. Rottweilers will often consume food whenever they get the chance. This could lead to your dog’s weight increasing and health issues developing.
If your Rottweiler puts on extra pounds, this could put additional stress on the joints of your dog. If this happens, your Rottweiler could be subjected to health issues developing later in its life. Owners can simply monitor the weight of their Rottweiler to prevent this.
Don’t Choose A Poor Dog Food
When you’re shopping for commercial dog food for your Rottweiler, it may be tempting to choose the cheapest option and move on. After all, dog food can be pricey—especially when you have to feed a large dog such as a Rottweiler.
However, if you look at a dog food label of the cheapest dog food options, you will soon understand why they are not quality food.
Cheap dog food tends to have limited proteins and plenty of fillers like corn or soybeans. You will want to find a dog food that is primarily composed of protein, healthy carbohydrates, and omega fatty acids.
Skimping on your Rottweiler’s food may result in your pooch failing to obtain the nutrients that they need to thrive. This could limit their growth and cause health issues.
Conclusion
Rottweilers are intelligent dogs that experience rapid growth in their youth and a sustained, large size in adulthood. Owners will need to increase the amount of food supplied to their Rottie puppy as their dog ages.
By the time they’re adults, Rottweilers may be eating 6 cups of adult dog food every day. In the final years of your Rottweiler’s life, it will need to transition from an adult diet to a senior dog diet.
A Rottweiler needs to receive proper nutrition throughout its life. Owners should select a food for their dog that is filled with healthy proteins, carbs, and omega fatty acids while being free of lots of fillers.
An owner can even make their own Rottweiler food if they are so inclined, but no matter what, these dogs will need to eat plenty of food to maintain their health.