Can someone tell me if this looks like a full blooded Rott?

by Gio
(Fayetteville NC )

We got this Male Rott from my Wife's Aunt and I saw the mom. It looks just like a Rott but I have never seen the DAD. They told us it is a Rott as well.

But they have no papers with it and I am wondering if our Rott is going to be a full blooded one. It has that narrow pointy face still and the head is not rounded as of yet. Do I need to wait for him to get bigger?

He is around 3 months old but rapidly growing fast. From what I hear, they dont reach full growth for until the 4th year. I guess as a new Rott owner I was expecting a big head.

Also, what is the best way to make him stop growling at me whi he is eating and I come up to him? He growls and gets mad....How do I stop that? someone tole me to slightly hit his nose and take the food away and put it back...

Any ideas?




Hi Gio
It's impossible to tell if a dog is purebred or not just from looking I'm afraid, the only guarantee of that is registration papers from a reputable organization. As you're not sure about this puppy's dad, it's really a gamble as to whether or not he's purebred.

However, he is a nice looking puppy and well built and sturdy. He looks generally like a Rottie pup but his eyes are a bit light and in one photo there's something about his head/face structure that hints at a bit of mixed blood, but it could just be the angle as it looks different in another of the photos.

Either way I think you have a nice looking pup there and I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not he's purebred as the only time that would really matter is if you were buying a pup to breed or show which you're obviously not.

As for the growling at you when he eats, this is food guarding and definitely not okay - but it is fairly common in puppies who have had to stand up for themselves at mealtimes (ie if there was a big litter, or other adult dogs around). Check out my Dog Food Aggression page for all the tips and advice you need to get it taken care of.

You're right in thinking that Rottweilers take a long time to mature, most males won't be adult until somewhere around 2 1/2 - 3 years and they are slow to grow and develop. Height comes first, then muscle development and weight, and there will be an adolescent period where your pup will look lanky, lean and probably a bit out of proportion, this is normal. It's best to keep a growing puppy lean so don't be tempted to overfeed him in an effort to make him grow bigger, or faster than comes naturally to him.

Just be sure to feed a premium quality puppy food (see my Feeding Puppies page for advice on this) and give him proper healthcare, regular training and socialization and lots of love!

Best of luck with your new pup.