Last Updated on April 19, 2023
Rottweilers (Rotties) are known for their robust, intimidating appearance, and this muscular build and prominent bone structure make them so appealing as guard dogs.
But when you’re looking at Rottweiler puppies, it can be challenging to know just how big your little bundle of fur will get.
Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about your growing Rottweiler and what you can expect as your puppy matures.
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Overview: A Few Fun Facts about the Rottweiler
The Romans originally bred Rottweilers as working dogs, and they were used to herd livestock but later found work in search and rescue, as police dogs, and even guide dogs for the blind.
This loyal breed is a descendant of the Asian Mastiff and is a fierce yet loving protector.
What is the size of a full-grown Rottweiler?
Female American Rotties will grow to about 90 pounds (41kg), with male Rotties getting to around 100 pounds (45 kg).
Show lines and European Rottweilers can be slightly bigger than their American counterparts.
To accurately determine how big your specific puppy will get, it’s best to chat to your breeder and look at the parent dogs as well as the grandparents.
This is because your dog’s genetics primarily determines your puppy’s final weight and height.
When most Rottweilers are a year old, they weigh between 90 and 100 lbs (41 and 45kg).
Their fully grown weight can vary quite a bit depending on their gender, with male Rotties reaching a final weight of between 95 to 135 lbs (43 to 61 kg) and females around 80 to 100 lbs (36 to 45 kg).
German and American Bloodlines of Rottweilers
According to the American Kennel Club Official Rottweiler Standards, these dogs should stand between 24 and 27 inches (61 and 68 cm) in height.
They should be slightly longer than they are tall.
There are slight differences between German and American bloodlines of Rottweilers, with German varieties being slightly larger and more muscular than American breed varieties.
Working and show lines are also typically bigger dogs.
The Ultimate Rottweiler Growth Chart by Weight
A Rottweiler growth chart will help you determine if your dog is in the right weight for its current age and it doesn’t grow too fast or slow.
When weighing your puppy to see if they’re on track for the correct weight according to their age, it’s essential to keep their gender in mind as male Rotties are significantly bigger than females.
Also, don’t stress too much if your puppy is a little bit ahead of or behind these figures, as each dog is unique.
Female Rottweiler Puppy Growth Chart (lb & kg)
Male and female Rottie puppies are similar in height but differ in weight, with males of this breed being the heavier of the two.
| Age | Female Rottweiler Average Weight |
| 1 week | 1.8 to 2.4 lb (0.8 to 1 kg) |
| 2 weeks | 2.9 to 3.5 lb (1.3 to 1.6 kg) |
| 3 weeks | 3.7 to 4.5 lb (1.7 to 2 kg) |
| 4 weeks | 4.9 to 5.7 lb (2.2 to 2.5 kg) |
| 5 weeks | 6.5 to 7.4 lb (2.9 to 3.3 kg) |
| 6 weeks | 8.8 to 9.7 lb (3.9 to 4.4 kg) |
| 7 weeks | 10.2 to 12 lb (4.6 to 5.4 kg) |
| 8 weeks | 12 to 14.5 lb (5.4 to 6.5kg) |
| 10 weeks | 15 to 23 lb (6.8 to 10.4 kg) |
| 12 weeks | 25 to 36 lb (11.3 to 16.3 kg) |
Male Rottweiler Puppy Growth Chart (lb & kg)
Male Rottweilers are bigger than females, even when they are puppies. While every dog is unique, here are some guidelines to look at when weighing your Rottie puppy.
| Age | Male Rottweiler Average Weight |
| 1 week | 2.2 to 2.6 lb (0.9 to 1.1 kg) |
| 2 weeks | 3.2 to 3.7 lb (1.4 to 1.7 kg) |
| 3 weeks | 4.3 to 4.9 lb (1.9 to 2.2 kg) |
| 4 weeks | 5.5 to 6.5 lb (2.5 to 2.9 kg) |
| 5 weeks | 7 to 8.6 lb (3.1 to 3.9 kg) |
| 6 weeks | 9.5 to 11 lb (4.3 to 4.9 kg) |
| 7 weeks | 11.5 to 13.5 lb (5 to 6.1 kg) |
| 8 weeks | 13.8 to 15.8 lb (6.2 to 7.2 kg) |
| 10 weeks | 24 to 26 lb (10.8 to 11.8 kg) |
| 12 weeks | 35 to 37 lb (15.8 to 16.7 kg) |
Rottweiler Puppy Growth and Development with Pictures
You may be worried about if your Rottweiler is on track with their development and if you’re feeding them the right food or giving your dog the right amount of exercise to build a healthy weight.
Below, we’ll help you determine if your Rottie puppy is growing correctly for the current stage of its life.
0- to 4-week old
Rottweiler puppies grow the most in the first week of their life, and by the end of this first week, they should have doubled their birth weight.
That said, weights can vary quite a lot at this stage, depending on your puppy’s initial birth weight, gender, and weight gain.
At this stage, the biggest puppy in the litter will not necessarily end up being a bigger dog at the end of the day.
During this time of your Rottie dog’s life, he will likely eat and sleep quite a lot. Puppies this young don’t generate their own body heat and still rely on their mom to keep them warm and fed.
They should weigh between 12 ounces and 3.7 pounds.
4-week-old (1-month-old)
Your Rottie puppy will begin to open his eyes during this stage, and his ears will start to function. His milk teeth will also develop, and he will start eating solid foods.
He will also begin to socialize with his other litter mates, and his tail will start to wag. Interaction with humans is essential at this stage of your puppy’s life to avoid social problems later.
Your one-month-old Rottie will weigh between 4.9 and 6.5 pounds (2.2 and 2.9 kg).
8-week-old (2-month-old)
Rottweiler puppies grow rapidly during the first six to eight weeks of life. You can typically bring your Rottie puppy home from the breeder between 8 and 10 weeks old.
At this stage, your dog will weigh between 15 and 25 pounds.
At this stage, your puppy will need to see a vet regularly for vaccinations, so your vet should also be able to help you see if your dog is at the correct weight for his age.
10-week-old
Your ten-week-old Rottweiler should have gained around 2.2 pounds (1 kg) a week since birth and will now weigh between 22 and 26 pounds (10 and 12 kg) and stand approximately 15 inches (40 cm) tall.
At this point, his joints will be very wobbly as his growth plates are very soft.
12-week-old (3-month-old)
At 12 weeks or three months old, your puppy should have gained another 11 pounds (4 to 5 kg) in body weight and will have grown 3 inches (5 cm) taller.
He should weigh between 30 and 40 pounds (13.6 and 18.1 kg). His senses are now fully developed, and his growth rate will begin to slow.
16-week-old (4-month-old)
Your puppy will have reached about 60% of his adult height and about 30% of his mature weight by four months.
This means he weighs between 43 and 70 pounds (19 and 32 kg).
This is the teenage stage where your puppy will test boundaries and figure out what he is and isn’t allowed to do.
It’s a good idea to do puppy training at this stage to reinforce good habits and ensure that you don’t develop any bad ones.
You should dedicate at least 20 minutes each day to training your dog.
20-week-old (5-month-old)
Your Rottie will have reached the end of his main growth period between five and seven months old and will now be at 65% of his final adult height.
He will continue to grow in height and weight from here but at a much slower pace.
6-month-old
Your puppy will reach his full adult height between six and nine months.
This is also the age where he may become more selective about who he deems to be his friend.
This is where aggression towards other dogs and strangers can develop if your pup is not adequately trained.
At six months, male Rottweilers clock in at between 64 and 71 pounds (29 and 32 kg), with female puppies weighing around 60 to 64 pounds (27 and 29 kg).
Both male and female Rottie puppies will stand approximately 22 to 23 inches (56 and 58 cm) in height at this age.
1-year-old
By the time your puppy is one year old, he will be close to his full adult height and weight, although these dogs will continue to gain a little bit of weight in the second year of their lives.
This is the time when your dog’s growth plates harden and close.
As he matures, he won’t change much but may still put on some weight as he gets more muscular and develops a broader chest and bigger head.
Things You Should Know About Rottweiler’s Growth
It’s vital to try and determine how big your Rottweiler puppy will grow so that you can ensure that you have enough room for both you and your dog to live comfortably.
While the above growth charts provide a reliable estimation of how big your puppy will get at different life stages, other things come into play, such as your dog’s genetics, exercise regime, and diet.
1. How quickly do Rottweilers grow?
Rottweilers grow very fast, especially in the first year of their lives, and they can gain a pound or more every week until they are around 12 weeks old.
After the first three months, until they are about one year old, your puppy gains between five and ten pounds a month, and they will then put on a further 10 to 15 pounds between one and two.
2. How many growth spurts do Rotties have?
Rottweilers have their most significant growth spurt between five and seven months old, although all puppies are different, so some dogs may develop faster or slower than others.
At around 14 months, your dog should have stopped growing, but some Rottie puppies can still have a final growth spurt between eight and fourteen months.
3. How to measure the height and weight of a Rottweiler?
Small Rottweiler puppies may be able to be placed on a calibrated bathroom or baby scale to measure their weight; however, it can be challenging to keep your dog still for this process.
A simple solution is to weigh yourself without your dog first and then jump on the scale holding your Rottie dog. You would then minus your body weight to accurately calculate your dog’s weight.
Alternatively, most vets have a big dog scale enough for your dog to stand on, and easier to get an accurate recording of your dog’s weight.
To measure the height of your Rottweiler, you should measure your pooch when he is standing from the ground to the withers, which are the uppermost point on his shoulder blades.
4. Health issues that can influence your puppy’s growth
Rottweiler puppies that are overexercised while their bones are still developing could experience joint problems later in life.
For this reason, you shouldn’t run your dog when they are still small, but games like tug of war or swimming are good ways for Rottie puppies to build healthy muscle mass.
The Rottweilers can also develop hip dysplasia or arthritis, even as puppies and these health issues can cause the muscles to atrophy.
Rottie puppies should be on a high-protein puppy diet until they are at least one year old to build strong muscles.
Unfortunately, heart disease also commonly affects Rottweilers, such as aortic stenosis, which is caused by the narrowing of the height valves and can lead to heart failure.
How to help your pup maintain a good weight?
While Rottweilers need puppy food in their formative years, you will need to move your dog onto adult food in their formative years to ensure they maintain a healthy weight.
It’s essential to stick to the recommended feeding schedule for your dog and don’t overfeed him, or he could develop obesity or other health problems.
It would help if you also stayed away from high-fat treats.
Treats made with animal protein, such as freeze-dried liver, are healthy high–protein alternatives for dogs that need to lose weight.
If your dog is already overweight, you may need to look at switching him to a low-calorie diet that’s high in protein and free of any carbs, which just work as unnecessary fillers.
It would be best to exercise your dog, but be careful not to overdo it as the extra weight he is carrying can strain his joints.
5. Dangers of stunted or accelerated growth
You also need to be aware that Rottweilers can grow too fast.
If your Rottweiler is bigger than the milestones mentioned above, it could be that he comes from large show lines, or it could be that he is being fed too much and exercised too little.
Overfeeding your dog to bulk up and grow faster is a dangerous practice, and Rottweilers that grow too fast could experience joint problems.
6. When do Rottweilers stop growing?
Your puppy will have reached his full size when he is around two years old.
That said, some dogs may continue to fill out until they are about three years old, especially if they are very active dogs that are putting on a lot of muscle.
Male Rottweiler dogs will appear to keep growing longer than female dogs as they can put on as much as 15 to 20 pounds in their second year of life, compared to female Rotties that only put on about 10 pounds after they have turned one.
7. What is the best age to spay or neuter a Rottie?
It would help if you waited until your Rottie is at least two years old before spaying or neutering your dog, as doing so too early could have several health risks.
Once your dog is old enough to be spayed or neutered, it’s advisable to do so as you will be preventing any unwanted pregnancies and helping prevent certain diseases.
Conclusion: How Big Will My Rottweiler Get?
The large size of a Rottweiler is one of the reasons why this breed is so popular, and their muscular appearance and impressive looks make them formidable farm and guard dogs.
How big your Rottweiler will get is primarily determined by their genetics, but diet and physical activity can also influence your Rottie’s weight.
Rottweilers grow a lot in their first year, with most of them reaching their full adult size at between one or two years of age.
While they may still put on a bit of weight as they mature, you can always expect male Rotties to be bigger than their female counterparts.
How big is your Rottweiler? We would love to know. Please feel free to tell us all about your dog in the comments below.
Janine is an experienced content writer and travel journalist based in Cape, Town, South Africa.
Raised by a bundle of botanists, researchers, and biologists, she is passionate about things related to the animal kingdom, including, our furry friends. However, as a terrible allergy sufferer, she is limited in her pet selection and so has grown up surrounded by curly-haired Poodles.