Rottweilers are large and intelligent dogs that tend to be quite active and Interested in a lot of physical activities. But, just like every other dog breed, they can gain weight quite quickly.
With Rottweilers being already big dogs, how exactly do you know if your Rottweiler is overweight?
If your Rottweiler has difficulty grooming themselves, does not have defined muscles and body, does not have an abdominal tuck, has breathing difficulties, they have lower stamina, are not interested in physical activities anymore, and they are heavy for their age, then they may be overweight.
With Rottweilers being overweight comes some dangerous health issues that can be life-threatening for your dog.
We will cover what these health issues are as well as what you can do to help your Rottweiler if they are overweight in this article.
Click Here to Jump to a Section
7 Signs That Your Rottweiler Is Overweight
When your Rottweiler is overweight, it can cause various issues for the dog, some of which can become life-threatening if their weight is not corrected in time.
For this reason, it is essential to know the signs that are present in an overweight Rottweiler.
Knowing this ensures that you are aware of any weight issue before it does any lasting damage to your dog’s body, or you can start making changes to help prevent this issue or correct it before it manifests entirely.
So, let us go over the prominent signs that you can quickly look out for to ensure that your Rottweiler is not overweight.
1. They Have difficulty Grooming Themselves
If your Rottweiler seems to have some difficulty grooming themselves by licking or scratching, or if they seem to have trouble reaching certain areas on their body while grooming, this could indicate that they are overweight.
The reason for this difficulty is that their own body gets in their way of properly grooming certain areas as their body has excess fat, which makes it harder to move and reach different body parts during their grooming sessions.
All dogs should reach all their body parts without difficulty unless they have an inherent underlying condition such as arthritis.
So, if your Rottweiler does not have an underlying condition and struggles to groom themselves, they may be overweight.
2. Their Bodies and Muscles Are Not Defined
Rottweilers tend to be muscular dogs, with their muscles being clearly defined, and their body parts can easily be identified.
They tend to have a big chest and a large rib cage which then starts to slim down towards the waist, and then lower down, you can identify their hips.
If you cannot see any of these details when you look at your Rottweiler, and you instead see a “tube-shaped” body, this could indicate that your Rottweiler is overweight.
3. They Do Not Have An Abdominal Tuck
All healthy dogs will have what is called an abdominal tuck; this is easy to identify.
To see if your Rottweiler has this feature, you need to look at your dog from the side. Pay attention to the dog’s abdominal area and see if its abdomen is protruding or if it is tucked in.
If your Rottweiler’s abdomen is protruding, this could indicate that your dog is carrying some excess weight in that area; but this could also indicate a healthy weight if it is tucked in.
4. They Have Breathing Difficulties
When Rottweilers are overweight, they may begin to have some breathing difficulties.
If you notice that your Rottweiler gets out of breath quickly after just a short walk or bout of activity, when they never used to have that issue, then this could mean that your Rottweiler is overweight.
5. They Are Not Interested In Physical Activities Anymore
Rottweilers are very active dogs, and even though they are pretty big, they can participate in many physical activities for hours at a time.
So, if your Rottweiler is not as active as they were a few months ago and you notice that they would rather lay around inside instead of running around outside, then they may be overweight.
If your Rottweiler does not even want to do simple activities, for example, going upstairs in your house, when they used to be fine with this little activity, then your dog may be overweight.
6. Their Stamina Is Lower Than It Was Before
If your Rottweiler seems to get tired a lot faster during physical actives compared to a few months ago, this means that their stamina is lower.
For example, if your Rottweiler could run around for two hours, but can now only manage to run for one hour or less, then they may have gained some extra weight, which, if not rectified, can start your Rottweiler down the path of being overweight.
7. They Have A Higher Weight Than Intended For Their Age
If you own a Rottweiler, then it is essential to keep a Rottweiler growth chart in your home to ensure that your dog is healthy and on track in its growth.
Rottweilers are big dogs, and therefore they will be bigger when compared to other dogs that are in the same age bracket.
It is essential to know what weight is healthy for Rottweilers, and you should weigh your Rottweiler once every two months to ensure they are on the right path to good health.
If your Rottweiler is gaining weight that is not needed, you should pick it up quickly using this method and rectify the situation before it becomes a problem.
Check out the video below for a prime example of an overweight Rottweiler!
Health Issues Caused By Weight Gain In Rottweilers
As mentioned earlier, weight gain in your Rottweiler can cause various health problems in your dog, and these issues are why it is vital to watch their weight carefully.
But what are the health issues that can occur from them being overweight?
Here are a few problems that can come about due to weight gain in Rottweilers:
- Heart issues
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Joint issues
- Canine arthritis
- Mobility issues
- Different cancers
- High blood pressure
- Liver issues
- Breathing difficulties
A few of these health concerns can develop into life-threatening conditions for your Rottweiler, and they can be painful as well as uncomfortable for your dog to battle through.
So, if you can help them avoid these problems, to begin with, then that is the better route to take.
How To Help Overweight Rottweilers
If your Rottweiler is showing the signs of being overweight, then there are a few ways that you can help them get back to being in full health again.
These methods are quite easy to implement into your everyday life as well.
First, take your Rottweiler to your local vet to ensure that there are no underlying conditions and that your dog has not developed any conditions due to weight gain.
You can also ask the vet for a food schedule that you can follow with your Rottweiler to help your dog lose some weight.
Make sure to follow the food schedule properly and ensure that the food you are giving your dog does not have a high-fat content in it.
Then you can start to introduce longer physical activity in your dog’s lifestyle.
Gradually increase the amount of time you take your Rottweiler for a walk or run.
In addition to walking your Rottweiler, you can begin other low impact exercises with them.
One easy and inexpensive way to burn off some extra weight is with a simple ball thrower like the one below from Chuckit!.
These things should help your Rottweiler to lose some weight at a healthy pace.
When your dog starts to lose weight, some of the conditions that they developed may begin to disappear too.
Final Thoughts
Even though Rottweilers are considered big dogs, they can gain weight just as easily as other dog breeds, and it is still important to ensure that they are healthy and live a healthy lifestyle.
You do need to remember that all dogs are unique individuals, so you need to take note of your dog’s specific “normal” and ensure that they stay in that category to remain at a healthy weight.
Make sure you take note of all your Rottweiler’s normal behaviors and actions, and if they start to change, you need to intervene and make sure they are healthy.
If you follow these guidelines, you can be sure that your Rottweiler’s weight is on point, and thus ward off any harmful weight related health issues in the future.