Originally bred to drive cattle to market, the powerful presence of a Rottweiler rarely fails to impress.
With a broad chest and heavily muscled body, the stance, and size of a Rottweiler book no argument which is why the breed became one of the first dogs to work with the police.
To maintain that impressive physique it is crucial to feed them highly nutritious food.
Best Dog Food for Rottweilers
Today this dog’s natural instinct to defend those he cares about has earnt him a reputation for being fierce and not to be messed with.
Whereas, those who welcome a Rottweiler to lie beside their hearth know behind that impressive façade beats a loyal and loving heart.
Like any dog, the Rottweiler deserves first-class nutrition, but with their tendency to gain weight or have poor hips, the best food for Rottweilers pays close attention to their specific needs such as joint health and weight control.
1. Hill’ Science
Features
- A large breed puppy food specially made with an optimal level of calcium for controlled bone growth
- Uses a balanced set of minerals to promote strong bones and teeth in large puppies
- Uses DHA from fish oil to support healthy brain and eye development for growing dogs
- High-quality protein helps your large pup build and maintain lean muscle
- Made in the USA with global ingredients you can trust
A Rottweiler puppy has the appeal of a teddy bear with that big furry face made all the more expressive by those tan eyebrows.
However, it is a serious business growing from a puppy into a 50-60kg adult dog.
There is an immense amount of bone and muscle that needs to be laid down, and for this to grow in a healthy way without risk of damage to joints requires careful control of their nutrition, the food has to meet the needs of a large breed dog for bone growth.
Counter-intuitively this means not overloading the puppy with too much protein or calcium, because this can ‘force’ growth, in much the same way that vegetables can be ‘forced’ in a hothouse.
This is undesirable because if bone grows more quickly than its blood supply it can lead to weakness and poor joint health.
This is where Hill’s Science comes in as the best dog food for Rottweiler pups because it is so well balanced.
Indeed, Hill’s were one of the first pet food manufacturers to research these special needs, and as such, this food is a market leader.
However, it should be noted that this diet, is not suitable for pregnant or lactating dogs because of its tightly controlled protein and calcium levels.
2. Eukanuba
Features
- EUKANUBA Rottweiler Dog Food features 3D DENTADEFENSE System, which is proven to reduce tartar build-up in 28 days
- EUKANUBA Dog Food guaranteed levels of vitamin E and beta-carotene to support a strong, healthy immune system in Rottweilers
- Our premium Rottweiler dog food contains calcium to support strong bones
- Our breed specific dog food has proprietary levels of L-carnitine to help naturally burn fat for peak performance
- Promotes skin and coat health and healthy digestion
Moving forward in time your puppy has now grown into an active, athletic adult and you want to keep them that way.
What better way to facilitate this than to feed the best dry food for Rottweiler dogs that is specifically formulated for the breed’s needs?
Impressively, the first item listed is chicken which makes it the main ingredient.
Second on the list is a chicken meal, added as a rich natural source of chondroitin and glucosamine (of recognized importance for nourishing those vital bones and joints.)
Most importantly those pet parents feeding Eukanuba breed specific notice a difference in their dogs.
The pet pals coat condition improves, and several owners of elderly dogs remark how well their joints are standing up to the test of time, making it definitely the best food to feed a Rottweiler.
3. Dogswell Happy Hips
Features
- DOGSWELL Happy Hips Dry Dog Food with Glucosamine & Chondroitin features real, hormone-free chicken as the first ingredient.
- Supports healthy hips and joints with glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate.
- Real superfood fruits and vegetables, like blueberries, carrots, sweet potato and apples, offer antioxidants, fiber and vitamins.
- Offers healthy carbohydrate sources, like oats, peas, barley and brown rice, for energy.
- No added sugar. No artificial colors or flavors. No corn, wheat, or soy.
Diet is of crucial importance because of the genetic link between Rottweilers and hip dysplasia.
This debilitating condition can lead to early arthritis in the hip joints, which means the dog is in constant pain and finds it difficult to move around.
Whilst no diet can prevent a dog with hip dysplasia from developing clinical disease, feeding the best dry food for Rottweilers can delay deterioration and slow up progression.
The ingredients look delicious with the main item being chicken meat, and the carbohydrate provides energy in the form of oats, barley, brown rice, and sweet potato.
Crucially, the food is also supplemented with chondroitin and glucosamine which aid joint health and provide the building blocks of repair.
This product hits that sweet spot balancing quality ingredients with a realistic price.
The main concern from those pet parents who are less than impressed is that their dog (and these were often smaller breeds) didn’t like the taste.
4. Bully Max
Features
- The ONLY 5 Star rated performance dog food. Rated by the world's #1 online dog food review site.
- The ONLY Meat Based formula in its class. Unlike other brands which are plant based, Bully Max dog food uses real meat as the #1 ingredient.
- MORE CALORIES than any other formula in its class (535 per cup). When you feed your dog Bully Max high performance dog food, you'll feed up to 50% less food.
- FOR ALL AGES. Bully Max High Performance is suitable for adult dogs and puppies (ages 4 weeks and older).
- Bully Max dog food has NEVER BEEN RECALLED. This is due the triple check system. Bully Max dog food is tested 3 time prior to leaving the manufacturing facility.
Going back to the origins of the Rottweiler they were originally a working breed, and indeed are still widely used today as guard dogs or police dogs.
However, a working dog has a much higher calorie requirement than a pet, as they burn a vast amount of energy during the course of their duties.
This work can also leave them extremely tired, meaning the dog feels less like eating a large meal at the end of a shift.
The answer is Bully Max as it supplies calories in a concentrated form in order to satisfy those energy requirements in a reasonable volume of food.
It contains a balance of proteins and fats, plus carbohydrate, to meet needs such as building and maintaining muscle and promote energy and endurance.
It is also suitable for dogs in high-stress situations such as the pregnant dog or those in intensive training.
Also free from artificial colors and flavoring, and bulking agents, Bully Max is literally packed with nutrition.
5. Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo
$51.98
Features
- REAL MEAT FIRST: Blue Buffalo foods always feature real meat as the first ingredient; High-quality protein from real chicken helps your dog build and maintain healthy muscles; Plus they contain wholesome whole grains, garden veggies and fruit
- WEIGHT MANAGEMENT DOG FOOD: Formulated with reduced calories from fat, Blue Life Protection Formula Healthy Weight dry dog food provides a fully satisfying meal while helping dogs achieve and maintain healthy weight
- ANTIOXIDANT-RICH LIFESOURCE BITS: A precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals carefully selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists to support immune system health, life stage needs and a healthy oxidative balance
- A NATURAL DOG FOOD: Blue dry dog foods are made with the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals; Blue contains No chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives
- Contains one (1) 30 lb Bag of Blue Life Protection Formula Healthy Weight Adult Dry Dog Food Chicken and Brown Rice
At the other end of the scale is the pet dog that leads a quiet life or is unable to exercise because of sore hips.
This makes him prone to weight gain, which is bad news because it places extra strain on joints already under strain. To get around this Blue Buffalo has reduced calorie content.
Blue Buffalo prides itself on using the finest, healthiest ingredients such as whole chicken, brown rice, oatmeal, carrots, cranberries, and sweet potato.
Designed to feed a family dog as you would wish him to be fed, with good wholesome foods, Blue Buffalo skips the fat content so as to keep the calorie content down.
6. Nutro
Nutro
$48.98
Features
- Contains one (1) 30 lb. bag of NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE Large Breed Senior Dry Dog Food, Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe for large breed senior dogs ages 6 years and older; real chicken is the #1 ingredient
- Made with non-GMO ingredients*; no chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, or soy*
- High quality protein source is the #1 ingredient in the delicious dry kibble
- Natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin; formulated to support joint health of your mature large breed dog
- Supports your senior dog’s aging immune system with essential antioxidants and provides natural fiber for healthy digestion
In exactly the same way a large breed puppy needs special nutrition, so the older Rottweiler best food is one balanced to put less strain on tired organs such as the kidneys.
Nutro contains added glucosamine and chondroitin with an eye to joint health, especially in the aging dog.
In addition, it is balanced with protein to reduce muscle wastage and promote strength, but without overloading the body with protein which the kidney then struggles to get rid of.
On the plus side, many a dog has better bowel health and a shiny coat for feeding Nutro.
On the minus, some dogs refuse to eat it.
On balance, Nutro definitely deserves attention and could well be the answer to meeting the nutritional needs of your older Rottweiler.
Bottom Line
Look for a food with named meat listed as the main ingredient, and keep an eye out for the inclusion of chondroitin and glucosamine in order to keep your Rottweiler’s hips as healthy as possible.
And last but not least, avoid overfeeding your dog.
Adding extra layers of love strains the joints and can make them more likely to suffer from heart or joint disease.
So keep your dog slim for a long, happy, and active life.
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Sarah Robinson
Dr Sarah Robinson attended veterinary school at Oklahoma State University receiving a D.V.M. in 2008. Sarah’s longtime interest is to help people to better communicate with their pet companions, and in doing so, to help them to strengthen their relationships with their dogs and cats. Sarah has published numerous articles on canine feeding in pet related magazines, veterinary journals and leading natural health web sites.
