🐶 Rottweiler Puppy Feeding Guide

🍽️ A Practical Guide to Raising a Healthy, Thriving Rottweiler Puppy

    🍼 0–4 Weeks (Neonatal Stage)

• 🐾 Nursing exclusively from the mother.
• 🚫 No supplemental feeding unless medically necessary (bottle-fed formulas if needed).

    🥣 4–8 Weeks (Weaning Stage)

• 🍲 Introduce soft, moistened puppy  food (kibble soaked in warm water or goat’s milk).
• ⏱️ Offer small amounts 3–4 times daily.
• 🥩 Some breeders start introducing  raw ground meats to prepare for raw feeding.

    🏠 8–12 Weeks (Transition to New Home)

🕒 Meal Frequency: Feed 2–3 times per day. Puppies may eat to appetite. Plan for up to              approximately two cups per feeding.

• Guideline: Let the puppy guide you. If stools are normal and consistent and the puppy is active, playful, and maintaining good energy levels, they are eating the right amount FOR THEM .Appetite and intake will naturally vary by puppy and growth stage.
• 🍖 Options:
• High-quality large-breed puppy kibble
• OR a carefully balanced raw diet (ground meats, organs, bone).
• ⚖️ Important: Control calcium and phosphorus intake to protect growing joints.

    🐕 3–6 Months

• 🕒 Meal Frequency: 2–3 times per day.
• 🍽️ Continue large-breed puppy kibble   or raw meals.
• 🔁 Rotate proteins (beef, chicken, fish) and include organ meats and edible bones.

    🦴 6–12 Months

• 🕒 Meal Frequency: 2 times per day.
• 🐾 Maintain puppy-specific nutrition until at least 12 months old.
• ⚖️ Continue careful calcium/ phosphorus management.

    🎯 12–18 Months

• 🔄 Transition slowly to adult large -breed food (kibble or raw).
• 💪 Maintain lean body condition for  joint health.
• 📈 Monitor growth — slow, steady development is best.

    ⚖️ Raw vs Kibble: Key Notes

  🍪 Dry Kibble:
     ✅ Convenient, complete when formulated for large-breed puppies.
📏 Watch calcium/phosphorus levels and ingredient quality.

🥩 Raw Diet:
🌟 Excellent when properly balanced.
⚠️ Must carefully manage nutrients and pathogen risks.
🔀 Many breeders combine kibble and raw for flexibility.

If you are interested in a full receipt with a how to video, let me know. 

📅 Sample Daily Feeding Plan (10-Week-Old Puppy)

Feeding OptionMeals Per DayAmount Per Meal / Notes

    Large Breed Puppy Kibble.      3–4 times     

     1–1.5 cups / Adjust by growth.

    Monitor body condition.

    Raw Diet (balanced).                   3–4 times              ~4–5% of body weight/day /

    Variety of proteins, bone, organs.

    Mixed Kibble + Raw.                    3–4.     

    5% kibble + 25% fresh / Kibble plus raw beef     heart, chicken necks, etc.

💡 General Tips

• 🚰 Always provide fresh water.
• 🔄 Transition foods slowly over 7–10 days.
• ⚖️ Keep puppies lean — extra weight stresses growing joints.
• 📅 Scheduled meals (not free-feeding) encourage healthy growth.
• 👩‍⚕️ Consult a veterinarian or pet nutritionist if feeding a homemade raw diet.