Just How Much Exercise Does A Rottweiler Need?
If you’ve asked the question, “Do Rottweilers Need a lot of exercise?” I can answer you from experience! Yes, Rottweilers do need adequate exercise! Here you’ll learn some helpful tips and guidelines including how often to exercise your Rottie dog (by age) the role exercise plays in the overall health of your Rottie, the link between training and exercise and so much more!
The Most Common Exercise for Rottweilers
Chances are unless he has free reign in a fenced yard, your Rottie will get a lot of his exercise through walking. Although walking is a low impact form of exercise, don’t discount its importance and value! Walking is easy on your Rottweiler’s body, and beneficial to humans and canines, alike!
Walking is a great time to strengthen your bond with your Rottie, and it reinforces his training as he learns to walk beside you and at your pace. When walking, assert your leadership role in the relationship and never let him lunge ahead or pull you.
How Often Should Walk My Rottweiler?
Your Rottweiler should get at least 30-60 minutes of exercise each day. If your Rottweiler lives indoors, a walk is most likely his primary “potty time”. Don’t be hasty, though, and bring him back in as soon as he does his business!
A walk is also a way to burn off some of that excess energy he has. A Rottweiler with unspent energy is apt to find mischievous ways to burn the energy, like racing through the house, or chewing apart the sofa! Use walks to your advantage, and add a little playtime at the end. There’s an old saying that really rings true: A tired dog is a well-behaved dog!
Under One Year Old:
A Rottweiler puppy should be taken out for his potty time at least five times a day, or about every three hours. Be sure to walk him after feedings, because they are “wired” to eliminate after feeding, usually within 15-30 minutes.
As you get to know your puppy’s natural cycle, it will be easy to determine how soon after a meal he will need to go out. He’ll also have a lot of excess energy to burn off! Keep that in mind as you schedule walking times. Your puppy should have at least 30 minutes of dedicated exercise time daily. We’ll get into that further along in this article.
Over One Year Old:
After your Rottweiler’s first birthday, he begins the phase that will lead him to adulthood. By now, he has more control of his bladder, and you have a keen sense of his energy level. Use these factors in determining how often you’ll walk him for his elimination needs and how much extra time you should allow for exercise and playtime.
Most adult Rottweilers require 2-3 pottying walks a day and benefit from about two hours of exercise daily. You can fit the exercise in during these potty walks, but be sure to dedicate time every week just for playing and exercise.
Walking Gear For Your Rottweiler
How you keep your Rottweiler attached to you during a walk is a matter of personal preference, but he will have to be attached to you! Every state has its own set of laws and regulations regarding walking your dog in public places.
Learn the law where you live and adhere to it. The laws don’t just protect other humans and animals, they’ll protect your Rottie, too! Keeping him properly restrained prevents tragedies like being hit by a car or getting in a tussle with another dog.
Collar or Harness?
The main difference between a collar and a harness is where pressure will be applied as you direct your dog. Of course with a collar, the pressure is put right around his neck. Should you find yourself in a situation where you have to pull with all your might (and most likely you will) pulling collar has the potential to injure is neck or esophagus, even choking him!
With a harness, any pressure you might have to apply during a walk is spread evenly across his chest, ribs, and back. There are no choking or neck injury risks when you use a harness. The Rottie Resource recommends you begin with a harness when your Rottie is a puppy. Once he becomes accustomed to what his limits are on a walk and behaves accordingly, you can graduate to a collar if you choose.
Personally, I like the harness because it’s strong, we walk much better together than with the collar and leash. Most harnesses have a ‘handle’ on them to hold back your Rottie. As he grows, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have this feature! Maximus and I have had several instances where dogs have come at him and that handle has been KEY to controlling the situation!
The Best of Both Worlds 
For maximum control and safety, you may want to check out a Harness, Collar and Leash set like the set pictured. Remember, any harness, collar, and leash is only as strong as their clasps and construction.
Check both carefully before buying. Your Rottweiler is a STRONG DOG that will need STRONG RESTRAINTS! Ideal clasps are metal or steel. Be leary of clasps made from plastic. When it comes to restraints, SAFETY IS FIRST!
Time Saver: We’ve done the research for you, and compiled a list of great collars and harnesses to choose from! You’ll find them on our helpful RESOURCE PAGES (Coming Soon).
The Importance of Exercise for Your Rottweiler
In this day and age, we have all the information in the WORLD about the benefits of exercise! However, in our day to day (and sometimes overloaded) schedule, we can forget the important things until a problem arises, forcing us to address it.
Think about your daily schedule before getting a Rottweiler. Does your schedule allow for exercise time each day, with some added playtime together each week?
If your schedule is full from sun-up to sun-down (and beyond) every day, you’ll either need to rethink your schedule or rethink owning a Rottie. Having a healthy, well trained and socially well-rounded dog takes a dedication of your time and attention. Read on to discover the obvious benefits, and the not so obvious benefits, of exercise.
Exercise Your Rottweiler’s Agility Ability:
In that stage between Puppy and Adult, your Rottie may seem clumsy, gangly, and without graceful movement. That’s because that’s exactly what they are in this stage! But take heart! This stage is temporary, and your Rottie will quickly grow into his quickly growing body! Exercise helps the fluidity of his muscles, making him less clumsy and much more graceful.
In his younger months, simply walking, running and playing with his humans helps increase his muscle strength and agility. After he has mastered the 5 Basic Commands, though, you may want to increase his agility through specific exercising. The 5 Basic Commands are:
- Come
- Heel
- Sit
- Down
- Stay
The reason these five come first is to be sure your Rottweiler has a basic understanding of the behavior you expect from him. After that, there is so much you can teach your highly intelligent Rottweiler!
Most dogs do not reach their highest potential because humans often stop training after the basic commands have been mastered. Take your Rottie Further! He’ll amaze you with his abilities, I promise!
Did You Know? Rottweilers can understand between 150-250 words!
Increasing Agility
Have you ever watched a Dog Show and wondered how people train their pets to do fun things like run an obstacle course? It isn’t hard! It simply requires time and dedication. The sooner you begin training, the sooner your Rottie will look as sleek and agile as those show dogs jumping hurdles and crawling through tunnels!
You can buy agility training equipment like the set pictured above, or you can use your creative imagination to build a course of your own. Even on walks, you can increase your Rottie’s agility! Things like running in a zig-zag pattern, hurdling hydrants and even climbing hills, improve his agility.
Rottweilers love stimulation and challenges! There is nothing he loves more than you, though! The more you express pleasure and affection as you are training him, the more effort he will put into that training.
Reward him often with praise and affection. There is no better investment you can make for his over-all success at being a happy, well-rounded dog!
Exercise to Prevent Obesity in Rottweilers
Since Rottweilers require a specific amount of calories to be healthy, calories may not be the culprit when extra pounds start appearing. It may be inadequate exercise. Like humans, there are Rottweilers highly motivated to exercise, and there are Rotties who can become lazy.
As responsible Rottie owners, it is on us to ensure they are getting enough exercise and to encourage and facilitate more exercise time if the weight becomes an issue. Way back at the beginning of this article, we learned that puppies need at least 30 minutes a day of exercise, and adult Rottweilers need closer to 2 hours of daily exercise. Statistics and charts don’t know your Rottie, but YOU DO!
Use common sense and determine if your pooch is getting the exercise he needs. Construct a schedule for him that is fun and engaging. Exercise with him! Be creative! Your Rottweiler’s physical fitness is every bit as important to his overall health as your physical fitness is to your overall health!
Did You Know? A full-grown Rottweiler can weigh up to 130 pounds!
Can Rottweilers Exercise Too Much?
YES! Your Rottweiler can be over-exercised! Never EVER exercise him as a punishment, and do not push him past the capabilities of his age, fitness level or physical limitations!. Taking an adult Rottie with you on a ten-mile hike might be wonderful, but expecting a 12-week old puppy to keep pace for that distance is not realistic.
You’ll find a word about age and exercise, along with other limitations to consider a little further along in this article. As a basic rule of thumb though, approach your Rottweiler’s exercise regime as you might approach an exercise regime for a human.
We wouldn’t ask for the same routine from a beginner as we would for someone with an athletic background. We wouldn’t start a human who was interested in implementing a daily run with a 26-mile marathon, would we?
Instead, we would start him running around the block, increasing the distance as his stamina and endurance increase. It is the same for your Rottweiler! Always start him at a beginning level, and work him up to higher levels and longer engagements. This applies to your Rottie running, hiking, swimming… anything, really! Try to run with your Rottie on grass if possible. It will be so much less of an impact on his growing bones.
Fun Fact! A healthy and fit Rottweiler can run up to 25 miles per hour!
Rottweiler Age, Physical Limitations and Exercise
If you’ve been fortunate enough to observe pups when they are still with their mother, you’ll notice all their needs are met. The mother provides the nutrition, and the puppy will be playful and active enough to tire himself out. Sometimes several times a day! Pups, when left to “nature” find just the balance they need.
However, once we claim one like our own, a few of his natural instincts are interrupted or overwritten by our tendency to domesticate our new buddy. This is completely normal, no need to feel bad about it. Instead, we need only be aware that what “nature” used to orchestrate is now on us.
Careful observation of your Rottweiler at play will give you an idea of his present fitness level. Always work (and play) within your Rottie’s natural boundaries. Use caution when walking, training or playing with a Rottweiler that is
- A Very Young Pup
- A Senior Rottweiler
- A Rottie With Hip/Joint Issues
These dogs require a slow and steady pace at a low-impact activity. You can cause irreversible damage if you push your Rottweiler beyond his physical limits. Both very young Rottweilers and very old Rottweilers have muscles and bones that can be easily compromised.
Your Rottie’s physical activities should be one of the subjects you discuss with your veterinarian on every single wellness check-up!
Rottweilers are known for having hip issues because they grow big so fast. Too much exercise like walking on concrete while your Rottie is young can set him up for hip problems later in life.
Burning Your Rottweiler’s Energy Through Exercise
A healthy Rottweiler has a lot of energy! For certain, he has not given much thought on how he can burn this energy off in a constructive fashion, so this task will fall on you. Exercise does more than promote physical fitness, it also prevents boredom in your Rottweiler. A bored Rottie is bound to find the “cure” through mischief!
Additionally, that unspent energy may manifest as agitation, and an agitated Rottweiler can become an aggressive Rottweiler. Avoid all that unpleasantness by providing the opportunity for exercise AT LEAST twice a day.
Work your Rottie within his current fitness level, and expand exercise sessions as his endurance and strength grow.
Playing is a great way to give your Rottweiler exercise!
After his dinner is a good time to let him burn off some energy before you’ll expect him to settle in for the night. A brisk walk or even a 10-minute session of playing fetch will be very beneficial to his good rest at night… and yours!
Remember: A Rottweiler that has had the opportunity to burn off his excess energy will be happy, healthy and calm!
Exercising Your Rottweiler in Hot or Cold Weather
When exercising your Rottweiler in extreme climates, consider his needs as you would your own. In hot weather, your Rottie will need extra hydration and will benefit from frequent rests in the shade to cool down. In cold weather, he will need protection from the elements just as you do. Rottweilers are susceptible to both, heatstroke and frostbite.
The time your Rottweiler spends in extreme weather should be closely monitored. Never leave your Rottweiler outside all day or all night without shelter from the elements! If it’s too hot for prolonged exposure for you (or too cold) then it is too hot (or cold) for your Rottie to have prolonged exposure! Common sense rules here, with the slant always toward safety!
Cold Weather Protection Gear for Your Rottweiler
The Rottie Resource generally doesn’t advocate dressing your Rottweiler in clothing if he is frequently among other animals. Dogs use body language to communicate, and clothing can interfere with interpretation.
However, this is a personal choice, and we respect that. Whether you normally “dress” your Rottie or not, in cold weather, you may want to protect your Rottie from the elements with a warm coat.
The most important thing to consider in extreme weather is the pads on his feet! These fleshy pads are tough, but can easily be burned on hot pavement or sidewalks. And if you’ve ever been to the beach on a hot day, you know that sand can burn your feet! It can burn your Rottie’s, as well.
Likewise, extreme cold can damage the pads on your Rottie’s feet! We did some research and found a variety of products to protect the pads on your Rottweiler’s feet. Some are like “booties” and some adhere to the bottoms of his feet. You’ll find links to the products on our helpful RESOURCE PAGES (Coming Soon), as well as some coats and other clothing for your Rottie.
If the pads of your Rottweiler’s feet do get sore or cracked, there are balms and waxes you can buy for relief and protection.
Did you Know? Some Rottweilers have webbed feet!
Rottweiler Training and Exercise
Exercise, training, bonding, and affection all go hand in hand! Each event should reinforce the others, keeping your Rottweiler clear on your expectations. It’s beneficial to let him burn off a little energy before a training session.
Your Rottie will be calmer, more attentive and have fewer “ants in his pants” if he’s had a chance to get his wiggles out before he gets down to the hard work of learning new tricks. Keeping in mind that Rotties are highly intelligent, establishing a routine usually works best.
Have a transition time between vigorous exercise and calmer events, like training. Maybe a quick brush down or massage, or just some affection as your Rottweiler transitions from rambunctious to calm again. Then, let the training begin!
Exercise Your Rottweiler With Play
Hands down, the most beneficial exercise your Rottweiler will receive is the exercise he’ll get playing with YOU! Never forget that you are the center of his world! A verse from a very old poem really nails it, in this author’s opinion. From “The Power of the Dog” by Rudyard Kipling:
…Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Always opt for the pat on the head, friends. Hitting your Rottweiler will only make him fear you. Affection will foster respect and not fear. Play affectionately with your Rottie! The exercise benefits his body and mind (and yours!) and the affection strengthens the bond between the two of you.
Playtime can be as simple as playing tug of war or fetch, or can be as complex as you want it to be, like complicated tricks or running an agility course!
Your Rottweiler’s Nutrition is Equally as Importance as Your Rottweiler’s Exercise
The formula for building lean, strong muscles is simple math. The equation looks like this: Nutrition+Hydration+Exercise=Strong Muscles
There is no shortcut, there is no part of the equation you can cut. All three elements equal strong muscles, and nothing else does. Let’s break these three elements down. Your Rottweiler’s food servings should contain these features:
- Real Meat as the first ingredient (Protein 23-25%)
- Healthy Fats (Between 13-15%)
- Carbohydrates (about 40%)
- Vegetables (about 20%}
- Calcium (1.3-1.5%)
Clean water should be available to your Rottie at all times. There is one exception here, take note: Withholding water for about 30 minutes after a meal can help prevent bloating and gas for your Rottie.
The third element is exercise, and that can be as simple as plenty of daily walks and plenty of playtimes. If your Rottie has those two things daily, his muscles will grow lean and strong! Of course, daily walks and playtime are the staple need for healthy muscles.
It is a beginning point, but certainly doesn’t have to be the ending point! There are a plethora of fun ways your Rottie can exercise, and we’ll cover some of them here today.
Prevent Obesity in Your Rottweiler
It may seem strange to you that your beautiful and muscular Rottweiler is prone to obesity, but he is! The first place you’ll influence the obesity factor is through the proper feeding your Rottie, and the second way is ensuring he gets adequate exercise.
We talked about the nutritional make-up of his food in the “Strong Muscles” segment above, and now we’ll look at the quantity of food your Rottie needs, and that food’s caloric content.
The Rottie Resource does not recommend “free feeding” a Rottweiler. This means always having a bowl of food available. Instead, establish routine mealtimes, and make the food available for about 15 minutes, then remove the bowl.
Feeding Rottweiler Puppies
It’s important that you feed your Rottie puppy the right amount and kind of food. Offer your puppy about a cup of food three times a day.
If he chomps it down in two minutes and is looking for more food, go ahead and increase the amount a bit.
If there is always food left in the bowl after 15 minutes, either decrease the amount or cut back to two feedings daily.
Most days your Rottie Pup will need 800-1000 calories.
It is completely normal for your Rottie’s appetite to fluctuate! Higher energy days and growth spurts will leave him more hungry, and it’s okay to increase the feeding amount.
However, do not consistently overfeed him, or allow yourself to be “bullied” into consistently overfeeding. On other days, he will pick at his food and not be too interested in it at all.
Don’t worry when that happens! By design, a healthy dog will not starve himself. If you become alarmed about him consistently eating only minuscule amounts, please address it with your veterinarian! There may be an underlying health issue. Other than that, it’s just normal fluctuations in appetite.
If they are playing and walking and active, acting normal but just not eating…just keep an eye on them.
Feeding Your Adult Rottweiler
By 18 months of age, your Rottie will be eating anywhere from four to ten cups of food daily. He is now ready to be transferred from Large Breed Puppy Food to Large Breed Adult Food. To make this transition less upsetting on his system (and tastebuds) follow the “One Week Method” for changing foods. It looks like this:
- Days 1&2: 75% Old Food, 25% New Food
- Days 3&4: Mix Old and New Food 50/50
- Days 5&6: 75% New Food, 25% Old Food
- Dat 7: 100% New Food
At this age, he should thrive on two meals a day, usually morning and late afternoon. An adult Rottweiler will also experience fluctuations in his appetite. This is perfectly normal, and no cause for concern unless it is consistent for longer than three days.
Here at Rottie Resource, we urge you to trust your “gut instinct”. If you have a nagging suspicion that something is wrong feeding-wise, please consult your veterinarian sooner, rather than later.
A Rottweiler will need about 2200 calories daily in adulthood. Don’t forget to consider the calories in his treats and in the food he “mooches” off you!
Remember: The amount of food a Rottweiler eats depends on the dog’s age, size and build, metabolism and activity level.
Regular exercise plays a key role in your Rottweiler’s over-all health and well-being! Combined with proper nutrition and hydration, daily exercise will allow your Rottie to reach his full potential; physically, mentally and emotionally!
For a more extensive look at some of the ways your Rottweiler likes to play and have fun, check THIS out!
*This article has been reviewed in accordance with our editorial policy.
