Rottweilers are big dogs with a lot of energy and in order to keep up, they need to have all of their nutritional requirement met. If you’re planning on adopting a Rottweiler, you may be wondering “how much should a Rottweiler eat?”
A full-grown Rottweiller should be fed between 4 and 6 cups of food per day. The amount of food you feed your Rottweiler will ultimately depend on its size. Since males tend to be bigger than females, they often need to eat more.
Feeding a Rottweiler isn’t complex, but it’s important for the dog’s health that you give it the right amount of food. On this page, we’re going to discuss the feeding requirements for Rottweilers. We will give you a better understanding of how much food they should eat, how often you should feed them, and everything else you should know about feeding a Rottweiler.
How Much Should a Rottweiler Eat?
When it comes to serving your Rottweiler the correct amount of food, you will need to base it on the dog’s size and age. A full-grown Rottweiller will need between 4 and 6 cups of food daily. However, that amount shouldn’t be given to the dog all at once. When you determine the correct amount to give your dog, you will want to split it into two portions.
Rottweiler puppies won’t need to eat as much as full-grown dogs. However, puppies will need more frequent feedings. While an adult Rottweiler is typically healthy and happy with 2 feedings per day, a puppy will need at least 3. Speaking of Rottweiler puppies, the amount of food they are given is based on their age.
| 2 months | 2 to 3 cups daily |
| 3 months | 2 to 3 cups daily |
| 4 months | 3 to 5 cups daily |
| 5 to 6 months | 3 to 5 cups daily |
| 7 to 8 months | 4 to 6 cups daily |
| 9 to 10 months | 4 to 6 cups daily |
| 10 to 12 months | 4 to 6 cups daily |
Determine Food By Weight
Now that you have an idea of how much food your Rottweiler should be given per day, we want to help you determine the right amount. A rule of thumb is that males often need more than females because they have larger physiques. If you have a male, you may be feeding it closer to 6 cups in a day, while a female can be satisfied with 4 cups.
However, gender isn’t the main deciding factor. After all, many females can eat just as much as males without it affecting their health or size. Instead, the dog’s weight should be the main factor you consider when breaking down how many cups you give them.
If your Rottweiler is 80 lb or less, it should be given between 3.75 and 4.25 cups of food in a day. Rotties are big dogs, and many of them grow bigger than 80 lbs. For every additional 15 lbs, add another 1/2 cup of food to its daily diet.
Do All Rottweilers Need the Same Amount of Food?
All the information we provided above is a starting point, ultimately the amount you feed your dog will be based on its needs. Every Rottweiler is an individual, and its daily diet should be treated that way. Let’s take a look at some of the things that can affect how much food your Rottweiler needs.
The Rottweiler’s Appetite
If you were to sit down for lunch with a group of people that were all in the same height and weight range, you would notice that everyone has a different amount of food on their plate. While one person may be satisfied with a small bowl of soup, the person beside them may have a full platter with a burger and fries.
The amount of food suggested on paper may not be the exact amount your Rottweiler personally needs. While starting out by feeding your dog the recommended amount is always suggested, you should also base the amount on how much the dog is actually eating.
If there is food leftover in its dish after the dog has eaten, you may be putting down too much. However, if your Rottie licks its bowl clean and looks around for more, you may need to increase the portions. Always adjust the portion size to your dog’s appetite as long as it is in reason. You don’t want to let the dog go overboard and risk becoming obese.
The Rottweiler’s Activity Level
Some Rottweilers are very active dogs, while others are quite content to lay around the house all day. How much activity the dog gets in a day plays a huge role in how much it should eat. An active Rottie burns more calories, so it will need more nutrients to refuel.
On the other hand, a Rottweiler that lounges around the house often shouldn’t eat too big of a portion. A sedentary dog is at a higher risk of obesity. For this reason, you should only feed a sedentary Rottweiler 2/3 the amount you would give to an active Rottweiler.
Pregnant Rottweilers Need More Nutrition
When a Rottweiler is pregnant, she will need more nutrients. This is very important towards the end of the pregnancy. Typically, a Rottweiler that’s pregnant will continue to need the same amount of food as regular until it reaches the third trimester. At this point, you will need to increase its portions by 30 to 60 percent.
Making sure your pregnant Rottweiler has an increase in nutrition towards the end of the pregnancy is very important for her health and the health of the litter. While you will need to increase the amount you feed the dog, it’s important not to go overboard. Too much food could lead to health problems and post-pregnancy obesity.
Is the Rottweiler Spayed or Neutured?
Rottweilers that have been spayed or neutered don’t need to eat as much as dogs that haven’t been altered. When a dog gets spayed/ neutered, it changes its metabolism. For this reason, they won’t need as much food to stay healthy. Generally, a spayed or neutered Rottweiler will eat 75 % of the amount an unaltered Rottie would eat.
Can Rottweilers Have Treats?
You deserve to treat yourself once in a while and so does your Rottweiler. Your Rottweiler is allowed to have treats on a daily basis, however, they will need to be given in moderation. Treats should never exceed more than 10 % of a Rottweiler’s diet. As long as your dog’s nutritional needs are met, a treat now and then is perfectly acceptable.
How Come My Rottweiler Acts Hungry?
If you’re feeding your Rottweiler the recommended amount, you shouldn’t have to worry about it not getting enough food. However, the dog still might act hungry. It may do things like beg when you open the cabinet where its food is stored or give you puppy eyes when you’re making food for yourself.
This doesn’t mean the dog’s actually hungry. Rottweilers love to eat, so it’s not uncommon for them to be on the lookout for another snack. If you’ve had lunch and you’re no longer hungry, it doesn’t mean you’re going to turn down a chocolate chip cookie. Rottweilers have a similar frame of mind.
However, your Rottweiler may actually be hungry. There are generally two reasons why a Rottweiler is still hungry after it has been fed.
Intestinal Parasite
If your dog has a parasite, it will always appear hungry. This is because the parasite is taking all the nutrients. The one thing you will notice is strange is that the Rottweiler isn’t gaining weight. Instead, it could be losing weight. If you believe your Rottie may have a parasite, always have it examined by the vet.
Low-Grade Food
It’s not uncommon for Rottweiler to still be hungry after it’s eaten if the dog is eating low-grade food. Rottweilers should always be fed food with whole ingredients. A lean protein should be the main ingredient and you should avoid foods that list a protein meal as the main protein.
You should always review the ingredients of the food you are giving to your Rottweiler to make sure it’s whole ingredients that you’re familiar with. If your dog is eating a type of food that contains fillers and no whole ingredients, its nutritional needs aren’t being met.
This also causes a problem because low-grade food can pass through the dog’s digestive system too quickly. In this case, your dog seems hungry because it is hungry. A change in food can be very beneficial for Rottweiller.
Final Thoughts
How much should a Rottweiler eat? Adult Rottweilers typically need to eat between 4 and 6 cups of food each day. The exact amount of food you give the dog should be based on its size and activity level. While it’s important to make sure your dog has its nutritional needs met, you will also want to avoid overfeeding it to prevent health problems.