‘Unstable’ Rottweiler puppy – he KEEPS falling over!

by ian thomas
(manchester.uk)

i have a 12 week old rottweiler, i am really concerned about his stability. he constantly falls over. i can take him 100m up the road and he will fall flat on his face at least once.

i mentioned it to the vets who reassured me he is fine, and will grow into himself. am i right to worry about my pride and joy or are rottweilers really that clumsy?

Hi Ian
This is tricky to answer as I can’t actually SEE what your Rottie pup is doing, so it’s difficult to judge if this is normal behavior, or whether something is wrong.

First of all, Rottweiler pups ARE clumsy, no doubt about it. They’re heads and paws are big, their joints are knobbly, they’re heavier and bigger than they think they are…. it all leads to tripping, falling, stumbling, running headlong into things. Pretty normal.

However, if your little guy seems unable to walk normally or his legs seem weak, if he seems disoriented or you are worried he may have trouble with his vision, balance or whatever, then I’d go back to your vet and ask for a through check up to make sure all is well. In my personal opinion it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

The biggest males are often the clumsiest of the lot and it is most likely that your pup will soon figure out how to handle himself, but as he will be growing at a phenomenal rate and will be going through the awkward, out-of-proportion ‘teenage stage’ soon, it could be a problem that comes and goes for a while.

Bottom line is it’s impossible for me to say for sure whether or not everything is okay. Trust your instincts and get another look from a professional if you’re worried. Hopefully that will put your mind at rest.

Best of luck with your pup.

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Sep 18, 2016

Another unstable pup NEW
by: Lil

I found this topic after trying to find out if my 16 week pup was OK as he too is always stumbling. His paws are huge, and yesterday, he went to dash down the garden, his front paws curled undeneath him and he clunked into a rock. He was in a lot of pain and couldn’t walk on one of his legs, so I called the vet who couldn’t see him for a couple of hours. We cuddled him and kept him calm for a while but then, he started walking on it and within a short while was back to normal so I cancelled the apoointment. He’s still fine today and it’s put my mind at ret that others have the same problem. He’s our 4th rottweiler and none of the others were this clumsy but I’m presuming he’s going to be a big boy.
In reply to Anonymous above, that doesn’t sound great. I think you should be seeing a specialist or at least getting a second opinion. Hopefully, he’s OK now though.


Apr 18, 2016

Mine too! NEW
by: Cleo’s Mom

My Rottie baby just turned 10 weeks old yesterday. We’ve only had her for 8 days as of today. She’s very alert, brilliant in fact (But I am probably biased here). In less than a week she already knows how to give me her paw, sit, lay down, how to get our attention when she needs to go outside to relieve herself and to automatically climb into her doggie bed when I lie down to go to sleep. The only problem I was worried about in any way is that she keeps falling over, looks like in slow motion. It generally happens when she is doing something that has to do with balance, like sitting and giving me her paw at the same time. She’ll just slowly tilt and then boom, down she goes. Or if she tries to jump up on me out of sheer happiness. She’s not hurting herself, but I was a little worried about her coordination. Now, after reading these posts, I feel better. She’s just a little clumsy right now because she’s still just a baby.


Mar 27, 2016

Pls help me help him ???? NEW
by: Anonymous

Since the death our beloved Harley last Sept, I have gotten 2 male Rottie pups. Blitz was the biggest, but within the last few months is the smallest now. He has the same symptoms as above , but I think he may be in pain. Had X-rays done, blood test & full exam. In the mornings, he has a hard time getting up & moving around. He’s all unstable. The vet doesn’t seem worried about it & has given me rimadyl for inflammation (which I don’t see) & pain. I can’t handle seeing my baby like this! Any suggestions would b greatly appreciated!


May 09, 2012

rottweilers weak legs NEW
by: ian thomas

thank you for your advise,he has had many visits to the vets.a full check for hip displace.also had a full x ray.all came back all clear.the vets have said that he will grow into himself and gain stability he is 6 months old now still as clumsy im just hoping he starts finding his balance soon as its such a shame to watch him fall…vets also said it could be up to 18 months before he gains full strength in his legs to support his body. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVISE AND SUPPORT IAN.


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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