When do Rottweilers Stop Growing?

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When do Rottweilers stop growing? It’s well known that Rottweilers are big and powerful dogs but they don’t start that way. New Rottweiler puppy owners are likely wondering how long until their Rottweiler puppy will become a strong and stoic adult. All that food that they pack away will turn into tough muscle and a happy pup.  Any owner would be concerned if their puppy didn’t seem to be growing at a healthy rate, and it’s important to know what is to come from your Rottie. 

So, when do Rottweilers stop growing? Rottweilers grow slowly and will finish growing anywhere from 18 months to 2 years. Males may not finish growing until 3 years old. Rottweilers typically hit their max height after 12 months but can take up to 2 years. They may continue to gain weight after this period until around 3 years old. Remember, every dog is different and may not follow the schedule exactly!

Your Rottweiler puppy won’t remain a puppy for long so enjoy it while it lasts. Being well informed on how your Rottie should grow is half the battle to a happy and healthy pup. We will cover when Rotties stop growing, when they are considered adults, and the health issues to watch for while they are growing. 

When do Rottweilers stop growing in height?

When do Rottweilers Stop Growing in Height?

Rottweilers will slowly and steadily grow into adulthood but see explosive growth during their first few months. This is completely normal and expected. So when are they grown?

Rottweilers are large dogs and take longer to grow to full size than smaller breeds. That said, Rottweilers will take about 2 years to grow to their full height.

This is an average, so your dog may take 18 months or a little longer than 2 years.

Rotties will still look quite skinny when they grow to their max height. This awkward stage in their development will eventually pass. Consider it a sort of Rottweiler adolescence. This is normal and they will fill out later.

Your dog shouldn’t take longer than 12 -18 months to reach their full height.

This means nothing with respect to weight though. Exercise your Rottweiler and do not overfeed them. This can lead to serious health problems in this breed.

If you are able to, find the height of your Rottie’s parents.

Usually, the parent’s height is a good indicator of your puppy’s eventual height. Most female Rotties are between 22 – 25 inches and males are between 24 – 27 inches tall.

When do Female Rottweilers Stop Growing?

In terms of growth speed, female Rottweilers will grow slower than their male counterparts. This is because they will, on average, be smaller than males. This growth process will take close to the same amount of time as a male in most regards.

Female Rottweilers grow to a height of 22 – 25 inches.

They will reach their max height earlier than their adult weight. It usually takes 18 – 24 months to reach their adult height and they will be quite skinnier than their adult selves.

Female Rottweilers will grow to a weight of 80 – 100 pounds.

This filling out takes longer than growing to their full height as the process is slower. Female Rotties can take 3 years to reach their full weight. Although, this can be hard to determine if they are overweight. Remember to exercise your Rottie often.

When do Male Rottweilers Stop Growing?

Male Rottweilers will grow faster than female Rottweilers. This is because they will finish larger than the females and have more muscle mass. The growth process still takes about the same amount of time as it does for the females.

Male Rottweilers will grow to a height of 24 – 27 inches.

As slow growers, they will be skinny at their adult height. But don’t worry, this is completely normal. As they continue to grow they will gain muscle and weight.

When male Rottweilers are grown, they will weigh 95 – 135 pounds.

Some male Rotties can take up to 3 years to reach this weight. Their full weight can be difficult to determine if they are overwieight or obese. Consistent exercise will speed up this process because they will put on muscle faster.

How Fast Do Rottweilers Grow?

Rottweilers grow quite slowly due to their size.

Their growth rates for their height and weight are mostly proportional. So they will grow in weight and height at roughly the same rate until they hit their full height. They will continue to gain weight and breadth until they are a full grown adult.

As puppies, they will put on an average of 12 – 15 pounds in the first 2 months. After that, their growth slows to about 10 pounds a month until they are a year old. Their growth will be mostly steady from this point forward.

The puppies will shoot up in height early on in the first month. After that, they will grow at a decreasing rate. (2 month old around 6 inches, 3 month old a little less than 6 inches, so on, so forth).

Overall, Rottweilers do not grow fast.

They are a big breed and it is safer and healthier for them to grow slowly. Yet, like any puppy, they will grow fast in the first few weeks of their development. Do not try to speed this up by feeding them more.

Rottweiler Health Issues during Growth

Rottweilers grow rather slowly and if owners are not careful, their dog can develop problems. Many skeletal health problems can surface if overfed and daily exercise is important to maintain their weight.

A common issue is overfeeding.

In addition to making your dog overweight, this will weaken a dog’s skeletal structure. This is especially bad for Rottweilers as they are predisposed to many bone and joint issues. Here is a short list of high risk problems.

  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Osteochondrosis of the Ankle/Spine
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Osteochondrosis of the Shoulder

The recommended amount of daily food is 4 – 8 cups of dog food. This depends on where your dog is in its life. Younger, growing dogs will require more and older dogs less. Remember to give your dog enough food so it can have energy throughout the day.

Rottweilers also need to be exercised often to help prevent bone problems and prevent obesity. We recommend exercising your Rottweiler 2 hours (or more) per day.

Rottweilers are classified as an active breed so the more exercise the better. This will also serve to strengthen their bones and put on muscle, increasing their weight.

Rottweilers are extremely strong so strength based exercises are safe for this breed if the owner is careful. Letting your pet pull small carts while on walks will help serve to maximize their exercise time. Be careful not to overwork your pet while exercising.

Related Questions

How big should my Rottweiler be at 6 months old?

Your Rottweiler should be 23 – 23.5 inches tall and weigh 63 – 70 pounds. These numbers will be a little lower for female Rotties as they do not grow as large. These values are also averages and estimates. Your Rottie could be a little over or under and still be healthy. Genetics plays a large role in determining size and growth so look to a dog’s parents for the best estimate.

When do Rottweilers become adults?

Rottweilers are considered adults around two years of age. This is when they start reaching their max healthy weight. It is important to note that they may continue to grow well after this. Their final adult size is variable and dependent on many unseen genetic, dietary and lifestyle factors. Usually this is around the 2 year mark but can take up to 3 years.

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