This is a really good question! After all, we want to feed our loyal companion the best dog food we are able to!
This is a well-known dog food company that has been around for years. And, I suppose the answer depends on who you ask! Many people feed their Rottweilers this brand of food and others think the food is crap.
So, I decided to do some research and share my findings with you.
After doing some research to answer the question…Is Pedigree Dog Food Good for Rottweilers? I’d have to say no, Pedigree Dog Food is not good for Rottweilers. Let me tell you 3 reasons why and offer tips for choosing food that would be a better choice…
There are many different types of dog food for different stages of your Rottweiler’s life. And specific types of food for specific breed characteristics. For example, a Rottweiler puppy needs a large breed puppy formula nutritional based food. This is because they grow so robust and strong quickly.
Reason One I say No to Pedigree Dog Food
The first reason I feel Pedigree is not good for Rottweilers is that I didn’t see where Pedigree even offers a large breed puppy formula. I tried to find what is best for this breed and they just don’t offer it.
The frequent growth spurts and increased weight puts added pressure on your rottweiler’s hips, bones and joints. They need specific nutrition for strong and well-lubricated joints, well-developed hips and strong bones.
It’s well known that Rottweilers are prone to hip problems.
What’s important is the quality of the ingredients in the food and how much of the good ingredients are actually in the dog food.
The Second Reason I say No to Pedigree Dog Food…
What Else is NOT Good About Pedigree Dog Food for Rottweilers?
It is because of the many ingredients listed on the label that are NOT good for your Rottweiler. Really, they’re not good for any breed of dog!
Looking at several ingredient labels of different types of Pedigree dog food, they contained:
- corn
- wheat
- soy
- refined grains
- fillers
- artificial flavors
- artificial colors
- cereal and cereal by-products
What is listed first on the label is what has the most content in the dog food? These were listed as the first ingredients of the food.
This factory-made dog ‘food’ contains no nutritional value to your rottweiler. In fact, it could be very harmful! They are fake, inflammatory, chemically made substances.
Your Rottweiler should not eat any food with soy, corn, wheat or sugar. Did you know there are about 67 different names for sugar? Yes, it is true.
That’s just a little tip for ya 😊
Think about it…
It’s like feeding your Rottweiler McDonald’s (or worse) every meal, every day!
This leads to the 3rd Reason I say no to Pedigree dog food for my Rottweiler…
I have read countless comments from dog owners of many different breeds that say soon after feeding their pets Pedigree, their dog became ill, some very ill and have even died.
See the difference in the first 5 ingredients. See the below example. Did you know the first 5 ingredients is mainly what the dog food is made of? Truth
A Long List of Adverse Effects of Pedigree Dog Food From Pet Owners
Some of the adverse effects listed were vomiting, diarrhea, rapid weight loss, hospitalization, gastrointestinal problems, dehydration, lethargy, high temperature, bloody stool, and one pet owner had to put her 8-year-old, 95-pound black lab down because of complications associated with this food.
I didn’t have to try very hard to find many sites with comments from concerned, scared and grieving pet owners.
Rottweilers are Carnivores
All dogs are carnivores, which means they mostly eat meat. Most of Pedigree’s ingredients are grains, fillers, and chemicals which are not good for your dog’s digestion. Not just digestion, but for your dog’s health and well being.
The first ingredient listed on your rottweiler’s food should be meat or meat meal, poultry, beef, lamb, salmon or other good meat.
Dog Food Companies Want to Make More Money
It’s all about the bottom line! They don’t care about you or your dog. Manufacturers use these grains, fillers, and chemicals instead of meat because they are cheaper to manufacture than meat.
What’s Meat By-Product?
Have you ever seen meat by-product meat listed as a dog food ingredient? Do you know what it is?
It’s a dry leftover product from slaughterhouse waste. After all the edible cuts for humans have been removed, this waste product is what is leftover. This is the ‘meat’ in some dog foods. This ‘meat’ is not considered edible for humans (but it is for your pet).
However “meat” by-product doesn’t specify the ‘meat’. It can include road kill or animals that have died at the factory because of disease. For more info on dog food by-products, you can read this article HERE
There are many complaints online from people who fed their dog Pedigree and the dog became sick and vomited, was lethargic, had diarrhea and other intestinal issues.
Feeding your Rottweiler sub-par food can also cause skin and allergy issues.
Now, keep in mind, someone will always find something wrong with even the best dog food!
The idea is to feed your rottweiler the best food that you can afford to buy or make a way to buy.
Protein is Important For Your Rottweiler
Adult Rottweilers should have a lot of protein in their diet every day. A good ratio is a dog food that contains 22% -26% protein. A Rottie puppy should eat dog food that contains 24%-28% protein. A pup needs more protein because their muscles are so quickly developing and building strength.
They have a massive body to hold up 😊
Your dog’s food should only contain a small amount of fat as well. It should not be just listed as ‘animal fat’. It should be listed as chicken or beef fat. A healthy amount of fat would be about 12%-16% for adults and 14%-18% for puppies.
What Can You Feed Rottweilers?
There are three ways of feeding your Rottweiler…
Kibble or Dry Dog Food
Kibble is the dry packaged food usually in a bag. This is generally the cheapest dog food. As with canned dog food, you want to look for better ingredients and less of the fillers and such.
A quality dry food for your rottweiler should contain whole food ingredients that are easy to identify on the label. Ingredients you want to see on the label…
- Good protein source first on the label such as meat, beef, chicken, lamb, duck or eggs
- Healthy whole grain such as quinoa, wild or brown rice or oats
- Vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato or peas
Avoid meat by-products as listed previously.
Read the Label
Look for a dog food that has meat listed as the first ingredient and the least amount of the bad ingredients listed above as possible.
Canned Dog Food
Many people feed their rottweiler canned or wet dog food. Just make sure it’s not a Pegidree brand canned dog food!
What should a dog owner look for in canned dog food?
- Meat source listed as the first ingredient on the label
- WHOLE grain like brown rice or wild rice
- Vegetables
- Very limited grains like corn or wheat, vegetable, and meat by-products
You don’t want to get dog food with wheat gluten. This is used as a binder and will probably be at the top of the ingredient list on the label. You may see cornstarch as well. This is just as bad.
Raw Feeding A Rottweiler
Many people feed their Rottie raw food with bones and all. Some people feed them cooked food like meat and vegetables.
They can eat any meat, poultry, rice, most fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, but you must make sure they are in the correct ratios for the size and age of your particular dog.
Also, you don’t want to spice the food. It should be plain.
There are some foods Rotties cannot eat… like onion, stalks of celery and grapes.
TIP: For upset stomach issues like diarrhea, you can feed your Rottie pumpkin (canned is ok) or cooked oatmeal… and not the sweet kind in the little packets. You can also feed them plain boiled chicken and rice mixed together.
Those tips do help! I’ve given my Rottie those foods when he has stomach issues and it helps him quickly.
What is the Best Dog Food For Your Rottweiler?
You have to decide what the best food for your Rottweiler is after considering what you’ve learned about ingredients in this post, your budget, and your Rottweiler’s preferences.
Well, now you know how your Rottweiler can be fed (kibble, canned, raw), what ingredients to look for and what ingredients to stay away from. This information will help you decide which is the best option for you and your pet.
Yes, a higher quality of food may cost more, but when you feed your dog a better-quality food with low or no grain, fillers, and chemicals, you really do feed them less.
Rottweilers sometimes tend to have stomach issues due to their food, or an ingredient that the manufacturer changed in their food.
Your Rottweiler will be healthy and happy and you’ll save time and money because you won’t have to see your vet as often 😊
BEST LARGE BREED ADULT FOOD ON AMAZON
Related Topic
If your Rottweiler has eaten something that doesn’t agree with his digestive system, you’ll want to read, Rottweiler Upset Stomach, Diarrhea Treatment, and Prevention.
*This article has been reviewed in accordance with our editorial policy.
