rottweiler puppy size

by bryan
(wilmington nc)

My rottweiler puppy is akc registerd and comes from a rottweiler breeder. I saw the father who was in the 110-120lb range. Mother was around 90lbs.

My male puppy is 9.5 weeks old and only weighs 8lbs. I don’t understand why he is so small apparently he should be 15-20lbs by now.

He came from a litter of 11 and seems very healthy did the dealer lie about his age or is something Wrong with him?

Hi Bryan, from what I can see in that photo there’s nothing wrong with your puppy. He looks like a baby Rottweiler, quite sturdy, short limbs, short muzzle.

The guidelines for puppy weight are just that – guidelines. Most puppies will fall somewhere either side of the ‘norms’, and every puppy will grow at a different rate. 8lbs at 9.5 weeks is below the ‘average’ but by no means tiny.

A pup will usually grow to be in between the weight of his parents, with male pups being closer to the sire’s weight, and females to the dam’s – but again every puppy is different. Your pup was one of eleven, that’s a lot of puppies to grow in the womb, and to feed, so sometimes a pup from a larger litter will be smaller to start with. Weight or size at 9 or 10 weeks bears very little relation to the eventual weight/size of that pup as a fully grown adult.

Males tend to grow and develop more slowly than females overall, and the larger males are the slowest growing of all.

I wouldn’t worry so much about your puppy’s weight though. As long as he’s happy, healthy and active, then that’s what’s important. Making sure he has a healthy diet (check out the pages on my site that discuss feeding puppies to make sure you pick the right food) and proper veterinary care will give him the best chance of reaching his full potential, in every way. Don’t be tempted to overfeed him or give him supplements, that usually does more harm than good, and won’t change his eventual size.

Your little guy won’t be an adult for another 2 years, or maybe even three, so he has tons of time to grow. Just enjoy him, love him, and appreciate him for the unique and perfect companion that he is. Rottweilers are awesome dogs, but it’s not because of how much they weigh!

I wish you lots of luck with that adorable little guy. ~ Sue

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About The Rotty lover 2159 Articles
My name is Dr. Winnie. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Duke University, a Masters of Science in Biology from St Georges University, and graduated from the University of Pretoria Veterinary School in South Africa. I have been an animal lover and owners all my life having owned a Rottweiler named Duke, a Pekingese named Athena and now a Bull Mastiff named George, also known as big G! I'm also an amateur equestrian and love working with horses. I'm a full-time Veterinarian in South Africa specializing in internal medicine for large breed dogs. I enjoy spending time with my husband, 2 kids and Big G in my free time. Author and Contribturor at SeniorTailWaggers, A Love of Rottweilers, DogsCatsPets and TheDogsBone