Looking for Rottweiler Puppies for Sale? Read this Buyer’s Guide

Before you decide on the type of dog you want, it is important to do the research required, to learn about the breed and about who it might be right for. Not all dogs are right for everyone, and you set yourself up for failure by choosing a dog based only on its looks.

The Rottweiler is an impressive looking dog breed, yet everyone who knows the breed will vouch for how they are – when brought up in a loving environment – gentle giants that love to spend time with their human family members. So, how can you know if a Rottweiler is a right dog for you?

This is a quick guide to buying a Rottweiler puppy; what you need to know before you start looking, what you should keep an eye out for and what you should avoid. Rottweilers are amazing dogs when living with the right person!

About Rottweiler Puppies

Rottweilers are known for their muscular bodies, large heads, impressive bone structure, and silky smooth coat, but their puppies look like the teddybear version of an adult Rottweiler! They are small, soft and furry, with black eyes peering out from their tiny and innocent faces.

A Rottweiler puppy will still have its distinct markings, but be just as cuddly, uncoordinated and clumsy as any other young puppy. Rottweilers, regardless of their age, should always be black and tan according to the breed standards, or mahogany, and this does not change as they age.

These adorable (and fast-growing) dogs are usually born into litters of 8-12 puppies, but larger litters have also been known to exist, and are not as unusual as one might think. Just picture a litter of over 12 identical puppies, all eagerly clinging to their mother, and staying small for such a short period of time.

What to Look Out for When Buying a Rottweiler Puppy

If you are given the chance to pick out your puppy from the litter – take it! See if you can spot the most confident and outgoing puppy, and pick this guy or girl if you want a well-adjusted dog that is likely to grow up to be social and fearless.

The shy puppy in the corner may make you feel like you should choose it out of pity, but a nervous and fearful puppy can sometimes be a bad idea, as it could be an indicator of their future personality.

Rottweiler Life Stages

That tiny little puppy you feel like you just brought home won’t stay a puppy forever, and before you know it – your Rottweiler will have grown into an adolescent – a teenager, with all the challenges that come with it.

An adolescent Rottweiler might become rebellious and suddenly seem to have forgotten all those commands you had worked so hard on learning, but this is normal for most dogs (regardless of breed), and simply something you will have to endure. By the time this happens, your Rottweiler puppy is usually close to its adult size, but it might be lighter and skinnier than what it will be once fully grown.

After the age of 7, the Rottweiler tends to be considered a senior, and some start showing signs of arthritis and other age-related conditions. Your Rottweiler will likely benefit from senior dog food at this stage, to make sure their aging bodies get the nutrients they need. The life expectancy of a Rottweiler is 8-12 years, depending on its general health and living conditions.

Rottweiler Health Concerns

It is not unusual for large breed dogs to have some known health concerns, where the breed may be more prone to certain conditions than other breeds. Not every Rottweiler gets sick or is born with a hereditary medical condition, but as a Rottweiler owner – there are a few things you should be aware of so that you can catch a potential problem in an early stage.

Rottweiler health concern includes (but are not limited to) elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, Addison’s disease, Folliculitis, eye problems, cancer, heart defects, and bloat, and it is good to have a trusted veterinarian to whom you can turn if you are concerned about your Rottweiler’s health.

Rottweiler Breeder Information

There are many responsible dog breeders out there that have the Rottweiler’s best in mind, and it is your responsibility as a buyer to make sure you get your puppy from one of these individuals.

That puppy you saw on Craigslist that they promised to deliver to your nearest Walmart parking lot may look exactly like a more expensive Rottweiler with a pedigree, but the truth is that there is no health guarantee for a puppy bought from a backyard breeder or one that comes from a puppy mill background.

They may be purebred, but little or no care is likely to have gone into picking out the parent animals, which could land you with expensive vet bills throughout the dog’s life.

By choosing one of the breeders endorsed by the AKC (American Kennel Club) or the equivalent in your country, you up the odds of getting a healthy puppy, but you are also supporting responsible dog breeding where every dog is treated with the respect and love it deserves, instead of only being used as a puppy factory.

Rottweiler Puppy Diet

An adult Rottweiler is large enough to be considered a large breed dog, and this means that you should opt for a large breed puppy food when you shop for kibble for your new dog. The reason for this is that a large breed dog food will have adapted levels of protein, calcium and other nutrients, to make sure your puppy grows at a healthy pace where their sensitive bones and joints can keep up.

It is a good idea to look past commercial dog food options and to instead try and find the best dog food for Rottweiler puppies. You can do this by looking through puppy dog food reviews, and to learn to flip the products over to read through the ingredients. Choose a high-protein puppy food with real meat listen first.

Is a Rottweiler Right for You?

The Rottweiler has that “dangerous” look and a bad reputation in some parts of the world, but the truth is that it is an extremely loyal dog that makes a fantastic family pet when trained with love and positive reinforcement methods.

An adult male Rottweiler will usually weigh somewhere between 110 and 130 lbs, so the first thing to figure out is whether you are ready for such a large dog? You should be physically strong enough to hold a fully grown Rottweiler, and this is because you need to be able to stop it from running into the road or from putting itself in harm’s way.

You should also consider the space where it will be living. Rottweiler puppies are small at first, but they grow up to be large and energetic dogs that preferably needs some space to roam around. Being a working dog breed, Rottweiler dogs are genetically programmed to explore and wander around, without straying too far from their owner, so having a yard is probably a good idea.

You also need to be active enough to take your big doggie with you for walks and outings, as an understimulated Rottweiler could easily develop bad habits and destructive behaviors like digging and barking.