Rottweiler
| Size at withers | 56–68 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight range | 35–60 kg |
| Life expectancy | 9–11 years |
| Size class | Giant (> 40 kg) |
| Normal resting vitals | Heart rate 60–100 bpm · Respiration 10–30/min · Temperature 38.3–39.2 °C |
| Coat | Short, coarse double coat |
| Temperament | Confident, aloof with strangers, deeply bonded to family; requires experienced handling and firm socialisation |
| Common health issues | Hip and elbow dysplasia; osteosarcoma (elevated); aortic stenosis; gastric torsion; obesity |
| Exercise needs | High — 60–90 min/day plus mental work |
| Climate & housing suitability | Widely kept; heat management is important and committed socialisation is required. |
| Owner notes | Not recommended for a first-time dog owner. Municipal breed-specific restrictions apply in some jurisdictions. |
Origin and purpose
Working (AKC). Origin: Germany (Rottweil); Roman ancestry.
Not recommended for a first-time dog owner. Municipal breed-specific restrictions apply in some jurisdictions.
What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the owner's job is to give it somewhere to go.
Temperament and training
Stated temperament: Confident, aloof with strangers, deeply bonded to family; requires experienced handling and firm socialisation
A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.
Conditions this breed is predisposed to
Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat')
Osteosarcoma
Aortic stenosis
Elbow dysplasia
Obesity
Health screening — what to test, and when
| Screen for | Test | When |
|---|---|---|
| Aortic stenosis | Cardiac auscultation; echocardiography | Before breeding, and on any murmur in a young dog |
| Elbow dysplasia | Radiographic elbow evaluation | Once at 12–24 months |
| Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') | No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds | At neutering, if the vet agrees it is indicated |
| Osteosarcoma | No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed | Do not dismiss lameness in a giant-breed dog |
Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.
For breeders — test before you mate
- Aortic stenosis — Cardiac auscultation; echocardiography
- Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
- Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
- Osteosarcoma — No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed
Feeding
Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.
Exercise and enrichment
Stated requirement: High — 60–90 min/day plus mental work
A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.
Coat and grooming
Short, coarse double coat. Brush weekly. Sheds more than the short coat suggests.
Climate and living conditions
Stated suitability: Widely kept; heat management is important and committed socialisation is required.
Ageing and senior care
Life expectancy: 9–11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. Senior care →
Before you take one home
- Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
- Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.
