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Rottweilers => Rottweiler Discussions => : dgodden5459 September 17, 2005, 04:52:12 AM
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??? Yesterday we took Gretchen to the vet for her booster shot. She is now 5 months old. Gretchen weighed in at 43lb and is 26" tall at shoulders. The vet made comment she's going to be a mini rott and she won't get over 60-65lbs. Dr Albin said she was in perfect health and a very nice girl ;D . Does this sound right?? The vet said she is not underweight for her size but just right. Do you guys think she's going to be a mini rott?? While we were there we made an appointment to get her spayed Oct 5. Since we are going out of town to Nebraska for son's wedding and are going to board her at the vet's office figured we would kill two birds with one stone so to speak.
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IMHO, I believe that you have more of a correct rotti...I know that there are others on the board that might disagree...but i have seen some male sch rotties at about high 80 pound range....Bigge r isnt better :)
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BabsT is right bigger is not always better. As long as she is healthy and happy. She is still really young and has alot of growing and filling out to do. In all the rottis I have had I found that they reached their peak of filling out somewhere between 2-3 years. Puck gained 10 pounds slowly around the age of 2.5 - 3 years. He did not get"fat" - he never had a change in diet or exercise around that time either. The vet said it was like a growth spurt that kids get.
Our one female weighed in around 85 - 90 pounds matured. She was a smaller frame and build too.
She is a sweet girl ;D ;D ;D :-*
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She is already taller then Zeus already, he is only 24 in. He is just barely over a 100lbs. I would rather have a small rott then one that is way too big.
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Not all dogs grow at the same rate.
That doctor (in my opinion) should have considered your feelings before he told you your dog was going to be a "mini-rottweiler". People don't always think about what they are saying or that it could linger with somebody and make them worry like what this is doing to you. Last time I was at the vet with Nigel the vet tech said to me, "he doesn't look like a 'Nigel'!" Well, obviously I think my dog "looks like a Nigel" or I wouldn't have named him that!! It has really made me wish people would be careful what they say to us dog-lovers about our dogs, because we will take it personally!!!
Even if your dog does turn out on the smaller side it doesn't at all make her a miniature! That's ridiculous! Gretchen is already taller than every dog in my house!!!!
:D
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The advice here is excellent. According to the AKC standard:
Size, Proportion, Substance
Dogs--24 inches to 27 inches. Bitches--22 inches to 25 inches, with preferred size being mid-range of each sex. Correct proportion is of primary importance, as long as size is within the standard's range.
Serious Faults--Lack of proportion, undersized, oversized, reversal of sex characteristic s (bitchy dogs, doggy bitches).
Source: www.akc.org
As you can see, the acceptable standard for the breed is 22 - 25 inches at the shoulder. So, a 26 inch rottie is actually large for a female. Rotties that are within the breed standard, which I think is kept uniform for good reason (healthwise, and other) are shorter and compact, more robust. The rotties we see every day...on the street are mostly from backyard breeders or even sometimes from well-intentioned breeders...the y just genetically turn out the way they are and some are shorter, taller, etc. But, with very selective breeding from a specific gene pool, correct me if I'm wrong, one has a much better chance of producing a sound litter with, not only the desired healthy aspects, but sound temperment, size and all that good stuff that comes along with keeping the pups within the standard so as to not produce joint problems, etc., etc.
Now, once again, as we all probably agree here, we love our monsters no matter how they grow up...big, small, sway-backed...you name it! But, I have seen from personal experience the difference between an oversized rottie and a well-proportioned, muscular one. I own an oversized rottie. She has experienced a lot of problems due to the slope of her knees, which caused a tear in her cruciate ligament. She is tall instead of compact. Her chest is very deep. Her nose is a little long. Overall, she has long bones...not big bones, but she is tall for a female. Her hindquarters are underdeveloped compared to her front end. Even her front paws are a bit bigger than the read and since she fractured her hip when she was still a pup the muscles in her rear are more of an atrophied type, so her hind end is not very powerful.
My little rottie, on the other hand, of sound German lineage is short, stocky with a big muscular rear that is in proportion to her front end. Her chest is not noticeably deep. Her nose is shorter. Her paws are well proportioned. And, she is very sound, so far, physically. She is limber as heck. She twists and squirms in the air and lands lopsided halfway on the porch and it does not phase her. My big girl, on the other hand, experiences a series of snaps and pops every time she takes a step...she is stiff and has never been able to lie down with her hips splayed in that signature rottie way.
So, I believe what the others have said here is right. Sometimes the veterinarians themselves do not keep up with all the little stuff, like breed standards and only go by what they see in general. Perhaps your particular veterinarian has experienced a lot of oversized rotties...
By the way, there is no such thing as a mini-rott. In a joking manner we sometimes call little Betti a mini-rott, but in essence, she is not. It is kind of like the Gladiator Doberman concept they have here in good ol' Spotucky...adv ertising and selling them as a papered purebreed.
Little Betti weighs about 70 lbs. She is the cutest. She can curl her little body up on a pillow and not hang off the edges. But, she's well proportioned. I think she's beautiful. They are all beautiful.
It is their health that I always worry most about. It doesn't matter what a rottie looks like, there are always people who will come up and ask if he/she is a mixed breed. They ask me that about Betti, despite her lineage, and they ask that about Greta. And then they go so far as to ask if Greta and Lou are littermates, and Lou is half Labrador Retriever.
My veterinarians over the years have cautioned me to maintain Greta's weight in order to alleviate the pressure on her hips. They say that even one pound is a lot of weight distribution for a dog to carry. They have also stated time and again that MOST rotties they see are overweight. Take a look at "linsavingrace's" Lady and Grace...they are a prime example of healthy pups...they are not overweight. I've been told that there should not be a layer of fat between the skin and the rib cage. The ribs should not be visible and defined, but easily felt underneath the fur. This makes the dogs much healthier.
Greta is now over eight years old. She has a heart condition. Despite all her maladies...I am so surprised she is still with me.
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I agree with moon... Most of the rotties that I have seen (in person) that have been huge are from people who picked them up from here or there. The few papered dogs I have seen have been alot smaller. I would have to say that Felony's mom couldn't have been more than 60 lbs. And I am giving her the benefit of the doubt because my mom has a 65lb mutt that looks way bigger and because she just had pups.
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Hi, I am new to Big Paws, my name is gator. I say you are lucky. have a big rott 140# and only 2 years old. Already, at 6 months he had hip replacement surgery. He is so huge! Now heee needs another hip surgery on the other one! 5 grand per operation! I also have a smaller girl rott she is old now but in her prime she weighed 60# and what a darling! Shes almost ready for doggie heaven now but she was perfect! Don't worry about small...it is good for bones and joints! Gator
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Thanks a lot guys. I didn't think she was that small. At least she got a clean bill of health..
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she'll grow. Grace is my mini rott. 7 1/2 months and about 70 pounds. She was bred for show so she's smaller than a big rott. :) I love her that size though. she'll grow.
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Hi There!
Sasha is my "mini rotti" too
I had the same worries when Sasha was a puppy too. She's 23'' tall and I tought she was going to get bigger since everybody told me she was not growing in the way she's supposed to be. But then I found out that she's the right size. She used to weight around 72 pounds but now after a lot of exercise since she's very energetic and a balanced diet she weights 68 pounds. As you can see she's robust but thinner and longer than the male. Now Gordo, who I have since June, used to weight 125 pounds but I think he must have a mix, but I'm not so sure. He has a little bit of a "hip atrophy" so I took him down to 108 pounds and he's much healthier now! It's unbelievable how fast he runs and play with Sasha! :P
My advice is that you better have a rottie with less weight than one with more weight but waiting for health problems to develop in the future. So you can sleep well because Gretchen is the right side rotti for me...and like someone else said before, look at Lins and Grace...they are also the perfect example..they are gorgeous rotties too. ;)
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I was shocked when I heard Grace wasn't going to be as big as Lady since I thought all Rotts were huge. :) Grace is my half pint. The smaller Rotts are better in the show ring and Grace comes from a little that was "too big" as the breeder said...bigger than a normal show Rott I guess...so the breeder chose this little to sell as pets.
Grace will probably top out at 90 pounds and be shorter but thicker than Lady.
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I would bet your puppy was measured wrong.
If she were 26" and only 40-some lbs, she would look like a walking skeleton.
A 26 inch dog is a big dog.
I would guess she is more like 24, or MAYBE 25.
Most Rottie girls are around 50 lbs at 5 mos.
:D
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I did measure wrong she is 19 almost 20 inches tall. But sure on the weight of 43 lbs.
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That is about right for her height.
She is just a petite girl.
Our standard says bitches can be 22 inches at the shoulder. She will likely make that, and maybe even 23.
:D
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I'm not sure where Rocky falls in all of this lol we just had him in to the vet about 2 wks ago & he weighed in at 115 at nearly 2 yrs old. he stands about 26 in tall. to me he's just right...he's just my bubba lol
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I just measured Loki....At 15 months old, she is 22' at the shoulder and weighs 76 lbs. She is ALL muscle. I'm sure she has more growing to do. Right now, she is in her "thin" stage. She gets thin right before she goes through another growth spurt! There was once it really worried me. I even gave her heavy duty wormer! She probably needed the wormer anyway. But right after that, she grew like crazy!
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My AKC papered male that is European bred is bigger then the average American sized Rott. At 3 years old and 152#, he is not over weight. We keep him in perfect condition. The American Rott has a smaller head and a more compact body where the European Rotts have bigger heads and chests.
Also, your dog may be mixed with another smaller breed. My SIL's new beau has a 'mini Rottie' and she is mixed with some other smaller breed.
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My AKC papered male that is European bred is bigger then the average American sized Rott. At 3 years old and 152#, he is not over weight. We keep him in perfect condition. The American Rott has a smaller head and a more compact body where the European Rotts have bigger heads and chests.Â
Also, your dog may be mixed with another smaller breed. My SIL's new beau has a 'mini Rottie' and she is mixed with some other smaller breed.
I think the European rotts do tend to be stockier, more robust and muscular; however my Greta is tall and lanky and she is of Nederlands stock. Betti is a German rott and quite small - most definitely NOT mixed with any other dog. These are some cute dogs from her breeder...take a look:
http://www.4rottweilers.com/gallery.asp
Her mother is Farah and father is Drive. They were both bigger than her. She was the runtus puntus. She is a rescue - I did not purchase her.
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Dogs are bigger and smaller because of genitc's not where they were born.
Daphney is on the smaller side 23 and about 80lbs soaking wet.
She gave birth to Elwood who is 26 and over 100lbs at 1 year of age.
I have knowest the opposte.The Americans breed them bigger as they just breed for looks and the Germans are breeding them a bit smaller as their dogs actually get working titles.
Donna
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Dogs are bigger and smaller because of genitc's not where they were born.
Daphney is on the smaller side 23 and about 80lbs soaking wet.
She gave birth to Elwood who is 26 and over 100lbs at 1 year of age.
I have knowest the opposte.The Americans breed them bigger as they just breed for looks and the Germans are breeding them a bit smaller as their dogs actually get working titles.
Donna
So true Donna. From what I've seen the European rotts tend to be shorter and stockier, while the American bred tend to be taller. That's just what I've seen with my own eyes. As far as the stats...I don't know. I agree with you.
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Grace and Lady averaged about 10 pounds a month. So at 4 months they were about 40 pounds. They're starting to even out though. Lady is big...26 or 27 inches and 95 pounds. Grace is about 24 inches and I'm guessing (till we get her weighed again) 80 or 85 with about 3 months left in her growing up stages.
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Grace and Lady averaged about 10 pounds a month. So at 4 months they were about 40 pounds. They're starting to even out though. Lady is big...26 or 27 inches and 95 pounds. Grace is about 24 inches and I'm guessing (till we get her weighed again) 80 or 85 with about 3 months left in her growing up stages.
Lady looks so huge in photos. Yet, she is about Greta's size. I'd have to measure Greta again, but I think she is 26 inches and weighs between 85 - 90 lbs. Sometimes 90 lbs. is when she is tubby. She pretty tall, though...kinda lanky.
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Lady is one big girl to see her in person (in dog I suppose) She's big for a female....but she's stalky and stout. People think she's one formidable looking dog though. She's long and hefty. Grace is more compact.
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Hi Everybody!
I've been dissapeared for a long time! So much work is driving me crazy....
Talking about Mini Rotties, I've replied many months ago to this post, but now I'm wondering if Sasha is actually a mini rott...She's about 23 inches tall and she used to weight about 75, but she is down to 70 and she stayed like that for many months..actual ly she's stayed like that after the 2nd period...Is that bad?..is it ok that I worry too much? or there's nothing to worry about it? I mean if it is a sign of something else?
I need your opinions..
Thanks!
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Honestly, from what I am aware of, there isn't really a mini rott. Betti is about the same size as your pup and I don't consider her to be a mini rott. She's shorter and compact, yes, compared to many rotties I see in public, but she is very well formed and cute as a bug. I am aware that she was the runt and both of her parents are a bit bigger than her, but they are larger structurally and not necessarily height-wise. I wouldn't worry one bit about your girl. In fact, it may be better that she is not tall and gangly because it may be beneficial to her joints to support less weight on a stouter frame. Betti is extremely structurally sound.
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I have a beautiful little female, Julie, who will be 2 next month. She is only 80 pounds and mabey 20 inches. A great dog and as soon as I get my pics loaded (i am a newbie) you'll agree. People still say "what a big dog". My Neeko who I lost last May, was about 35 inches and 160.  So I have had 2 rotties on each end of the spectrum, both wonderful dogs.
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I have a beautiful little female, Julie, who will be 2 next month. She is only 80 pounds and mabey 20 inches. A great dog and as soon as I get my pics loaded (i am a newbie) you'll agree. People still say "what a big dog". My Neeko who I lost last May, was about 35 inches and 160.  So I have had 2 rotties on each end of the spectrum, both wonderful dogs.
I agree. No matter the size they are great dog. I can't wait to see pictures.
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Mini rott= healthy rott! We love our Badger doggy, but at 135 pounds, he has had to have TPLO surgery on his rear right leg ($3000.00)and it was traumatizing for the poor thing. It was a major surgery and I am sure that if he wasn't so tall/big, he wouldn't have had that problem. I like to see rottys that are stocky and lean and look hard to tip over!
Give her an extra hug for being little and adorable!
Ronda
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It is healthier for them to be small. I worry that Lady will have issues when she gets older her being so big. Grace was bred just right...for size (not too big...not too little).