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So, what is the best dog food for Rottweilers? The Rottweiler is a large-breed dog known for its powerful and muscular build. This dog is commonly used as a guard dog which means that it sometimes gets a bad rap for being an aggressive breed. In reality, however, the Rottweiler is incredibly friendly and good-natured – it even gets along well with kids. This breed is incredibly popular, consistently ranking among the top 10 most popular breeds according to AKC registration statistics since 2013.
Because the Rottweiler is a large-breed dog, it requires a commercial dog food diet that is specially formulated to meet its nutritional needs. In order to provide your Rottweiler with the nutrition he needs, you first need to learn what those needs are. Below you will find some basic information regarding the nutritional needs of this wonderful breed as well as some special considerations to follow when feeding your dog. You will also find recommendations for three top-quality dog foods that would be perfect for your Rottweiler.
Nutritional Needs for Rottweilers
The Rottweiler is a fairly large dog with males of the breed weighing 110 to 130 pounds at maturity and females weighing between 77 and 106 lbs. Although you might not be able to tell by looking at it, the Rottweiler is actually an excellent herding breed – it was developed to herd all kinds of livestock in a variety of conditions. This being the case, the Rottweiler is a fairly active breed of dog and may have higher energy requirements than other large breeds. To make sure that your Rottweiler gets the energy and the nutrition that he needs, you should feed him a commercial dog food diet specially formulated for large-breed dogs. While your Rottweiler is a puppy, you should also feed him a large-breed specific puppy formula.
When it comes to the best dog food for Rottweilers, you need a diet that will provide a balance of protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Protein is always the most important nutritional consideration for dogs and it should come from high-quality animal-based sources. Proteins like deboned chicken or salmon meal are far superior to unnamed protein sources like poultry meal or chicken byproduct meal. Fats are the most highly concentrated source of energy for your Rottweiler and they, too should come from high-quality animal-based sources. Some examples of good fats for your dog include chicken fat and salmon oil – these foods provide a combination of both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which also supports your dog’s healthy skin and coat.
In terms of carbohydrate, dogs do not have any specific requirements as to the amount. You should, however, make sure that the carbohydrates your Rottweiler gets come from high-quality sources. Whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal are preferable to byproducts like Brewer’s rice and you should also try to avoid common allergens like wheat, corn, and soy. Gluten-free carbohydrates like tapioca starch and sweet potato are also good options for wholesome carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide your dog with dietary fiber as well as some valuable vitamins and minerals, but carbs should always be supplementary to high-quality protein and fats. If a product lists one or more carbohydrates at the top of the ingredients list (even if it is a high-quality carbohydrate), select another product.
Special Considerations for Feeding Rottweilers
One of the most important things you can do when searching for the best dog food for Rottweilers is start him on a large-breed puppy diet while he is still growing and then switch to a large-breed adult formula once he matures. Large-breed puppies tend to mature more slowly than small-breed puppies simply because they have further to go. If your Rottweiler puppy grows too quickly, it could put excess strain on his muscles and joints which will increase his risk for developing musculoskeletal issues (like hip dysplasia) later in life. To make sure your puppy grows at the right rate, feed your Rottweiler a large-breed puppy formula until he reaches about 80% of his adult size. This could take anywhere between 12 and 18 months, depending on your dog’s sex as well as his breeding. When he reaches the right size, switch him over to a large-breed adult formula. Large-breed formulas are rich in protein but have moderate amounts of fat and low amounts of carbohydrate – this combination helps your dog maintain muscle mass without giving him too many extra calories that might lead to obesity.
In addition to making sure your Rottweiler’s diet is formulated for his size, you also need to be careful about food allergies. All dogs have the capacity to develop food allergies, but the Rottweiler breed is more prone to allergies than many others. This being the case, you may want to consider putting your Rottweiler on a Limited Ingredient Diet. These diets are made with just a few key ingredients, including a novel source of protein and carbohydrate that won’t trigger allergies. You also need to be careful about how much you are feeding your Rottweiler and about how quickly he eats. Large-breed dogs should be fed twice a day and caution needs to be taken to keep them from eating too quickly. Larger dogs, especially deep-chested breeds, are prone to gastric dilation volvulus (or bloat) – a condition in which the abdomen fills with air which could cause the stomach to twist, cutting off blood flow to the stomach and other internal organs. To protect your Rottweiler from this condition, avoid strenuous exercise after a meal and don’t let your dog drink too much water immediately after eating.
Top-Recommended Foods for Rottweilers
If you need some help in finding the right food for your Rottweiler, consider one of the commercial dog food brands discussed below. Be careful when considering a breed-specific formula for your dog – do not just assume that the formula will meet your dog’s needs without evaluating the product for yourself. Consider the ingredients list to make sure the product is of high-quality before offering it to your dog.
1. Natural Balance LID Large Breed Bites
Natural Balance Pet Foods is a company based out of Burbank, CA that has been in operation since 1989. This company aims to provide wholesome diets for dogs and cats that are based on sound scientific principles and nutritional truths. Natural Balance offers several different product lines including the Ultra Premium line, the Limited Ingredient Diets line, and the Wild Pursuit Line. They also offer a vegetarian line of dry foods and a line of weight management formulas. The Natural Balance LID Large Breed Bites formula is made with lamb meal as the first ingredient which is a highly concentrated source of high-quality animal protein. It also contains brown rice, canola oil, and an assortment of chelated minerals. If your Rottweiler isn’t affected by food allergies, the Original Ultra Whole Body Health Large Breed Bites formula is another great option. It is made with fresh chicken, brown rice, chicken meal, oats, and potatoes as the top five ingredients.
2. Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Large-Breed Formula
The Blue Buffalo pet food company offers a wide variety of high-quality pet food products for both dogs and cats. This company offers several different lines of dry food products including the Basics line of Limited Ingredient Diets, the Freedom line of grain-free foods, the Wilderness line, and the Life Protection line. The Freedom line of grain-free dog foods is a great option for Rottweilers because they do not contain common food allergens like corn, wheat and soy – they also come in large-breed specific options for both puppies and adult dogs. The Grain-Free Large-Breed Puppy recipe is made with deboned chicken and chicken meal as the top two ingredients, followed by tapioca starch, turkey meal, and peas. The Grain-Free Large-Breed Adult formula is available in three different flavors – beef, chicken, and lamb. Any of these three options would be an excellent choice for your Rottweiler.
3. Innova EVO Turkey & Chicken Large Bites Dry Food
The Innova pet food company offers two different product lines – California Natural and EVO. EVO pet foods are designed to mimic the ancestral diet of dogs which is based on the diet of wild wolves. These products are rich in animal-based proteins and fats, supplemented with grain-free and potato-free carbohydrates. The Innova EVO Turkey & Chicken Large Bites formula is perfect for larger dogs like the Rottweiler and it is made with turkey, chicken, chicken meal, salmon meal, and menhaden meal as the top five ingredients. This formula contains more than 1/3 pound of animal protein per serving – how many other dog foods can say that? EVO dog foods are also supplemented with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat plus chelated minerals for balanced nutrition.
When properly cared for, the Rottweiler is a loving and devoted family pet. Part of caring for your Rottweiler involves providing him with the best dog food for Rottweilers like one of the three brands reviewed above.
