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9 Best Foods for Rottweiler Puppies in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Written by: Misty Layne

Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Dogster Team

9 Best Foods for Rottweiler Puppies in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

rottweiler puppy done eating

If you’re getting a Rottweiler puppy, it’s vital to know the right kind of food to feed them. Because your Rottie will grow up to be a pretty hefty dog, you’ll need to find a specially formulated food for large breed dogs. You’ll also want to get them puppy-specific food since eating adult dog food could mean they miss out on essential nutrients necessary for growing bodies. Another thing to be on the lookout for is food containing minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that will help lower the risk of any health issues to which they are susceptible.

Luckily, many large-breed puppy foods are available, but that also means finding the right food for your puppy will be more challenging. That’s why we recommend checking reviews of dog foods to learn more about them so you can decide if a particular food will be a good fit for your Rottweiler puppy. To help you begin your journey for the perfect dog food, we’ve put together reviews of the best foods for Rottweiler puppies.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Blue Buffalo Life Protection
  • High protein
  • Puppy-sized pieces
  • Full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more than your pup requires
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Iams ProActive Health Puppy Iams ProActive Health Puppy
  • Best value
  • Has DHA for healthy brains
  • Contains key nutrients found in mother’s milk
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Nom Nom Fresh Dog Food Nom Nom Fresh Dog Food
  • Fresh food
  • Each meal is portioned for your dog’s needs
  • Recipes made in conjunction with veterinary nutritionists
  • Purina ONE Natural High Protein Purina ONE Natural High Protein
  • High protein
  • Dry & meaty bits
  • Veterinarian-recommended brand Dry & meaty bits
  • Diamond Naturals Large Breed Diamond Naturals Large Breed
  • High protein
  • Designed for large breed puppies
  • Contains probiotics and prebiotics
  • The 9 Best Dog Foods for Rottweiler Puppies

    1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Chicken & Rice Dog Food — Best Overall

    Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

    Weight: 30 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Chicken
    Special diet: No corn, wheat, or soy; with grain

    When you want the best overall dog food for your Rottweiler puppy, we recommend Blue Buffalo Life Protection. Specifically designed for puppies, this dog food contains ingredients such as real meat, veggies, whole grains, and fruit that promote healthy development and growth. It’s also chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that will help protect your pup’s immune system. Plus, you’ll find that real chicken provides a high-quality protein that will aid in lean muscle growth.

    What other good stuff does it have? Blue Buffalo Life Protection has omega fatty acids for a healthy coat, ARA and DHA for a healthy brain, and calcium and phosphorus to promote strong teeth and bones. Another upside of this dog food is that the food pieces are smaller than most foods to help prevent choking and control tartar.

    Pros
    • Full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more than your pup requires
    • High protein
    • Puppy-sized pieces
    Cons
    • Some dogs experienced diarrhea after eating
    • Occasional report of food bags arriving with small holes or tears

    2. Iams ProActive Health Dry Dog Food — Best Value

    Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food

    Weight: 30.6 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Chicken
    Special diet: With grain

    For the best dog food for your Rottweiler puppy for the money, our pick is Iams ProActive. Not only is it a great price, but it’s formulated particularly for large breed puppies, making it a winner for your Rottie. Containing real chicken as the first ingredient, it provides plenty of protein to help your pup grow. It also contains 22 essential nutrients that puppies get from momma dog’s milk! DHA from omega-3s is one of these critical nutrients—a nutrient that will help your puppy’s brain develop, so they’ll be the smartest doggo on the block.

    Pros
    • Best value
    • Contains key nutrients found in mother’s milk
    • Has DHA for healthy brains
    Cons
    • Contains chicken by-product
    • A few dogs suffered upset stomachs after eating

    3. Nom Nom Turkey Fare Fresh Dog Food Subscription — Premium Choice

    Nom Nom Turkey Fare

    Weight: 12.35 oz per meal
    Food form: Fresh
    Flavor: Turkey
    Special diet: Weight loss or weight gain

    Want to get your Rottweiler puppy a dog food that’s different and a bit more premium? Then why not try Turkey Fare by Nom Nom? Nom Nom is a delivery service for pets that offers fresh-made meals with human-grade ingredients (so you could eat it too!). Each recipe is created in conjunction with board-certified veterinary nutritionists to meet the nutritional requirements the Association of American Feed Control Officials has formed.

    Turkey Fare is the meal with the highest amount of protein and is made from turkey, eggs, brown rice, spinach, and carrots. It’s also full of good things your pup needs to grow healthy and strong, such as fish oil, calcium, and lots of vitamins. Plus, each meal can be tailored for weight gain or weight loss, so there’s no risk of your dog overeating—particularly important when it comes to Rottweilers.

    As a subscription service, you might pay a tiny amount more, but for your pet’s health, it’s well worth it!

    Pros
    • Fresh food
    • Each meal is portioned for your dog’s needs
    • Recipes made in conjunction with veterinary nutritionists
    Cons
    • May be a bit pricier than other dog foods

    4. Purina ONE Natural High Protein +Plus Large Breed Dry Puppy Food

    Purina ONE Natural High Protein +Plus Large Breed Formula Dry Puppy Food

    Weight: 31.1 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Chicken
    Special diet: High-protein, natural, with grain

    This large breed, puppy-specific dog food is stuffed with protein, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to help your dog grow up healthy. Glucosamine promotes joint health, while antioxidants help the immune system stay strong. Omega fatty acids keep your puppy’s coat staying shiny, while DHA aids the growth and development of the brain. Plus, there’s calcium to keep bones and teeth nice and strong.

    Purine ONE has a mix of dry kibble and meaty morsels, making it extra tasty for your little one. It also has no preservatives or fillers and is a veterinarian-recommended brand.

    Pros
    • High protein
    • Veterinarian-recommended brand
    • Dry & meaty bits
    Cons
    • Some complaints of dogs having loose stool after eating
    • Rare reports of moldy food

    5. Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food

    Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food

    Weight: 40 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Lamb
    Special diet: No corn, wheat, or soy; with grain

    When you want to start your puppy on the right track nutritionally, you’ll want to look at Diamond Naturals. Made by a family-owned company in the U.S., this particular recipe is designed explicitly for large breed puppies. Not only does it offer your pup 27% crude protein with the addition of lamb, but it’s enhanced with probiotics and prebiotics to improve digestion, along with superfoods! This food is stuffed with omega fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to ensure that your Rottweiler looks and feels its best.

    Diamond Naturals is made without soy, corn, wheat, and artificial colors or flavors. One thing to know about this product is that it also contains chicken fat, so it may be unsuitable for dogs with chicken-related food allergies.

    Pros
    • High protein
    • Contains probiotics and prebiotics
    • Designed for large breed puppies
    Cons
    • Rare reports of dogs having stomach upset after eating
    • May be bad for dogs with food allergies due to chicken fat

    6. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oats

    Hill's Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oat Recipe Dry Dog Food

    Weight: 30 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Chicken & oat
    Special diet: High-protein, with grain

    This dog food by Hill’s Science Diet is specially formulated for puppies who will grow up to be 55 pounds or more as an adult. Suitable for dogs till they turn one, this food offers your Rottweiler plenty of protein for muscle growth and calcium for strong bones. The addition of glucosamine and chondroitin also aids in the development of strong muscles and joints. On top of all that, Hill’s Science Diet contains plenty of vitamin E and C, plus antioxidants that boost the health of your puppy’s immune system.

    The downside to this dog food is that it doesn’t contain real meat, only chicken meal, and chicken fat. However, it also has no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, which is a plus.

    Pros
    • Specially formulated for puppies who will grow to be 55 pounds or more
    • Contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both important for large breed dogs
    • Has calcium for bone development
    Cons
    • Contains no real meat
    • Some dogs had loose stool after eating
    • Food has large pieces that some dogs had difficulty eating

    7. Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice

    Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

    Weight: 30 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Chicken & brown rice
    Special diet: Non-GMO, no corn, soy, or wheat, with grain

    With chicken as the first ingredient, you can ensure your puppy is getting a great quality protein with Nutro Natural Choice. This specially formulated recipe for large breed puppies also contains plenty of other good for your pup ingredients, such as brown rice, spinach, and kale. Nutro Natural Choice provides your Rottweiler with omega-3 fatty acids to help develop a healthy brain and shiny coat, along with calcium for strong joints and bones. Plus, this dog food has a ton of antioxidants that help support your dog’s immune system. Nutro Natural Choice is best for puppies 18 months of age and under.

    Pros
    • Contains calcium
    • Real meat as the first ingredient
    • Non-GMO
    Cons
    • Dogs with sensitive stomachs may experience loose stools
    • Rare complaints of dogs’ coats drying out after eating

    8. Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

    Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

    Weight: 33 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Chicken
    Special diet: High-protein, with grain

    Unleash your Rottweiler puppy’s potential with this dog food formulated to fuel your dog’s body as it grows! Offering complete nutritional requirements for large breed puppies 15 months of age and under, Eukanuba provides your Rottie with a high-protein food featuring real chicken as the first ingredient. It also contains the calcium and phosphorus needed to support your pup’s joints as they get older, along with DHA for a healthier, smarter brain. Prebiotics and fiber aid with better digestion, while vitamin E boosts the health of the immune system. Eukanuba has everything your little one needs to grow up strong and healthy!

    Pros
    • Real meat as the first ingredient
    • Contains prebiotics for easier digestion
    • Has calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and joints
    Cons
    • Complaints of pieces of food being too large for very young puppies
    • Rare occurrence of loose stool after consumption

    9. Holistic Select Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Lamb & Oatmeal

    Holistic Select Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Lamb Meal & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food

    Weight: 30 lbs
    Food form: Dry
    Flavor: Lamb & oatmeal
    Special diet: Sensitive stomachs, with grain

    For those Rottweiler puppies who have sensitive stomachs or are allergic to chicken, this lamb and oatmeal food from Holistic Select might just be a great fit. Holistic Select’s recipe contains a host of nutrients specially designed to improve your pup’s digestive health, including fiber, probiotics, and digestive enzymes. It also has plenty of nutrients for a healthy heart and joint support, such as taurine, antioxidants, and glucosamine. And you won’t have to worry about your dog’s skin or coat becoming dry and itchy, as this food has lots of omega-3 fatty acids. The best part? This recipe is formulated to increase the absorption of all the nutrients your pup needs!

    Pros
    • Suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs
    • Designed for optimal digestive health
    • Formulated for better absorption of nutrients
    Cons
    • Rare report of food having a chemical smell
    • Some dogs still had loose stools after eating

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    Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Food for Rottweiler Puppies

    Rottweiler Puppies Dietary Needs

    Rottweilers are large, muscular dogs that grow rapidly until they reach their full height and weight. This is why puppy-specific food is so important. Food made especially for young dogs contains the nutrients needed to support such rapid growth.

    They also need food that will help alleviate the risk of diseases and health issues to which they are most susceptible. Some of the most common health problems Rottweilers run into include arthritis, elbow or hip dysplasia, and obesity. This is where large breed-specific dog foods come in, as they typically include nutrients needed to support joint health and more.

    With any dog food, you should be aiming for between 24–28% of crude protein and between 14–18% of fat. As for how much you should be feeding your Rottweiler puppy, it is best to check with your vet as the amount of food can be different for each pup according to their activity level and how quickly they grow.

    Rottweiler puppy lays on the ground
    Image By: MinaievaOlga, Shutterstock

    What to Look for in a Puppy Food for Rottweilers

    Because you want to make sure your Rottweiler puppy is getting all the proper nutrients to ensure they grow as they should, you’ll need to look for certain specifications in any dog food you’re considering purchasing.

    Age & Breed Specific Dog Food

    As stated previously, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting dog food that is formulated especially for both puppies and large breeds. This will ensure your pup is getting all the required nutrients to support their rapidly growing bodies and help reduce the risk of large breed-specific health issues.

    Dog Food Ingredients

    You’ll want to carefully read the ingredient list for any dog food you’re considering for your Rottweiler puppy. Ideally, the first ingredient should be real meat—not a meat by-product—so your pup can get the protein they need. You’ll also want to ensure that whatever dog food you get has enough calcium and phosphorus to help with bone growth, plus omega fatty acids to help keep your pup’s coat and skin healthy.

    Complex carbs such as whole oats or sweet potatoes will be better for your dog than simple carbs like wheat or corn, as complex carbs are absorbed more slowly and help keep blood sugar levels in check. Also, look for dog foods with antioxidants for immune support and probiotics or prebiotics for digestive health. Finally, look for the addition of glucosamine and/or chondroitin, as these elements aid in keeping joints healthy.

    dog food
    Image By: nadisja, Shutterstock

    Dog Food Price

    Dog food can get pricey, particularly when your puppy goes through it like it’s going out of style! That’s why it’s important to look around for the best value. Just because one food is more expensive than others doesn’t mean it offers more nutritional value or is healthier for your pet. You may find a food with the same ingredients for much less.

    Also, if you’re switching your puppy to a new food, starting with a small bag will save you money. Sometimes certain foods just don’t agree with our dogs (or our dogs refuse to eat it). So, remember that when searching for a new food to try out!

    Dog Food Reviews

    While every dog is different, reading reviews from other pet owners—particularly those who also own Rottweilers—can help you in deciding about dog food. You may find that most Rottweiler owners found a certain food left their pets gassy or find out a food is bad for those with sensitive stomachs. Reviews tend to give you better information than you would get by simply reading the brand’s description of their product.

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    Conclusion

    When it comes to the best overall dog food for Rottweiler puppies, our choice is Blue Buffalo Life Protection, not only for the wholesome ingredients but because it’s designed to help control tartar. For the best value, we recommend Iams ProActive for the excellent price and 22 nutrients it contains that your pup needs. Finally, if you want to get a little premium, our pick is Nom Nom Turkey Fare because it’s fresh and created in part with veterinary nutritionists.


    Featured Image Credit: otsphoto, Shutterstock

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