The Rottweiler Poodle mix is one of many cross-bred dog breeds that incorporate the purebred Poodle genes.
Poodles are very popular picks for crossbreeding programs for several reasons, which we will discuss further in this article.
Both the Rottweiler and the Poodle consistently rank in the American Kennel Club’s top 10 most popular purebred dogs nationwide.
So at first glance, there is a lot to love about this unique hybrid dog. But is the Rottweiler Poodle mix dog the right pup for you? Let’s find out now!
Rottweiler Poodle Mix
The Rottweiler Poodle mix dog has one purebred Rottweiler parent dog and one purebred Poodle parent dog. The Poodle parent may be standard or miniature in size.
These dogs have been nicknamed “rottiepoos” or “rottles” by their adoring fans. You can pick the nickname you prefer since this is still a new evolving hybrid dog breed.
Watch a Dog Trainer Train a Young Rottle
In this YouTube video, you can get an idea of the type of training work you will need to do with your Rottweiler Poodle mix dog.
This video features the dog’s two-week behavioral transformation in the hands of a professional dog trainer. If you are new to caring for and training dogs, it is never a bad idea to reach out to a professional for help!
Meet the Rottweiler Poodle Dog’s Parents
The Rottiepoo has two popular and deeply beloved parent dogs, the Rottweiler and the Poodle.
In most cases, the Poodle parent will be the standard Poodle. However, in some cases, the breeder may choose to crossbreed with the miniature Poodle instead. So be sure to check if you are counting on having a smaller or larger Rottiepoo.
The Rottweiler dog breed is primarily known for its protective and guarding abilities and intense loyalty. The Poodle is best known for its intricate hairstyles, but this dog is an all-around stellar athlete and an excellent guard dog.
So let’s get to know each parent dog a bit better. This will really come in handy when you are trying to predict what your Rottiepoo will grow up to be like!
Meet the Rottweiler
According to the American Rottweiler Club, Rottweilers are strong, smart dogs that bond closely with their humans.
Your ROttweiler will want to be with you and do what you are doing. These are not dogs that can stand being left alone for too long. This may sound wonderful, but keep in mind Rotties also have very high energy levels and like to stay active.
Rottweilers don’t do well with sedentary or very busy owners who don’t have much time to run and play and exercise with their dogs.
These are some basic things to keep in mind about the Rottiepoo’s genes on the Rottweiler side.
Meet the Poodle
As the Poodle Club of America points out, purebred Poodles today are bred in three sizes: standard, miniature, and toy.
Miniature and toy Poodles can be more challenging to breed because there is a greater likelihood they may need assistance with getting pregnant and delivering the puppies (whelping).
This is especially the case when you are looking at breeding a large dog like a Rottweiler with a much smaller dog like a miniature Poodle.
Why is this important to know? It can potentially drive up the breeder’s costs per litter, which can then drive up your costs to acquire a puppy.
Overall, Poodles are also known to be very loyal to their humans but less so with strangers. They make excellent guard dogs and are high-energy, active, and athletic.
So Poodles have the same basic needs that Rottweilers do for daily play, exercise, and activity. They will also need a lot of attention to stay healthy and happy.
So now let’s turn our attention to tips that will help you pick the healthiest and best Rottiepoo puppy!
How Big Will Your Rottweiler Poodle Mix Dog Be?
Remember earlier here when we mentioned how Rottle breeders may choose a standard or miniature Poodle parent?
This can really change the size of your adult Rottiepoo dog!
Let’s take a closer look at the general size, height, and weight of each parent dog to get an estimate of your Rottweiler Poodle mix’s adult size.
Rottweiler adult dog size specifics
As the American Kennel Club explains in their Rottweiler breed overview, Rottweilers generally weigh between 80 and 135 pounds.
These dogs can also stand anywhere from 22 to 27 inches tall (this doesn’t include the neck and head).
Male Rottweilers tend to weigh about 15 pounds more than females and stand about two inches taller. However, this can vary based on the size of the individual parent dogs.
Poodle adult dog size specifics
Poodles, as we mentioned here earlier, are bred in three sizes. While it is unlikely any hybrid breeder would choose to crossbreed a Rottweiler with a toy Poodle, we will review all three Poodle sizes so you have a good idea of the differences.
According to the American Kennel Club‘s overview of the Poodle dog breed, the standard Poodle generally weighs 40 to 70 pounds and stands 15 inches or taller.
Here again, males generally weigh about 10 pounds more than females. There is no gender difference in height.
The miniature Poodle typically weighs 10 to 15 pounds and stands 10 to 15 inches tall. The toy Poodle typically weighs four to six pounds and stands 10 inches or shorter.
As you can see, there can be a huge difference in the Poodle parent dog’s genetic contribution to a litter of Rottiepoo puppies! Poodles can weigh four to 70 pounds and stand 10 to 15 inches tall – that is a lot of variances.
This is also why meeting your puppy’s parent dogs will give you the most accurate idea of how tall and large your Rottle puppy may grow up to become.
Rottiepoo adult dog size and height estimate
So now that you know the weight and height range for each parent dog, you know that your Rottiepoo puppy might weigh anywhere from four pounds to 135 pounds and stand anywhere from 10 inches to 27 inches tall.
More realistically, using a standard Poodle parent dog and a Rottweiler parent dog, you would be looking at a size and height range of between 40 and 135 pounds and 15 inches to 27 inches tall.
Taking an average of these ranges places your Rottiepoo puppy at around 87 pounds and around 21 inches tall.
What Will Your Rottweiler Poodle Mix Act Like?
The other big question you will face when selecting any new companion canine is the temperament and personality question.
What will your Rottiepoo grow up to act like?
This is a fairly easy question to answer in terms of just learning more about each parent dog breed’s known temperament and personality. Both the Rottweiler and the Poodle are generally loving and affectionate with their people and standoffish with others.
However, early socialization and training can make a big difference in what traits you see in your adult Rottweiler Poodle mix dog. Because you will likely have a big, strong dog on your hands, you need to start this process as soon as your puppy comes home.
You may also need to check with your local laws or homeowner’s insurance provider to find out if there is any dangerous dog legislation that could cause problems for you and your new puppy.
Rottweilers make the list of dangerous dogs pretty much everywhere such legislation is in effect. As Canine Journal points out, even hybrid dogs can be included if they have Rottweiler genes.
Making sure that your Rottweiler Poodle mix is well socialized and trained may not be a loophole to owning one of these dogs if your local legislation prohibits it.
But it is important to understand that dogs as large as the Rottweiler can cause harm even without meaning to. The more comprehensive and positive you can make your dog’s training and socialization process, the less risk there will be of anything going wrong.
What Health Problems Could Your Rottweiler Poodle Mix Dog Inherit
Canine health has become a hot topic in international news over the last few years. Many purebred dog breeds have begun to experience worrying heritable health issues due to chronic breeding for a particular appearance.
This is one of the potential benefits of choosing a hybrid or crossbred puppy. Whenever two purebred dogs are bred together, the puppies receive more genetic diversity. This can reduce the risk of passing along serious health issues.
But this type of breeding program only works if the breeder makes sure to test both parent dogs for all known genetic health issues before breeding them!
You really need to make sure your Rottweiler Poodle mix breeder is able to show you the test results for both parent dogs. You want to know each parent dog is healthy and fit because that is the best predictor that your Rottiepoo puppy will also be healthy and fit.
But how can you know what health issues to be concerned about? That is where the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) comes in handy. The OFA keeps lists of health issues for each AKC-registered dog breed.
Let’s take a look at what health issues the OFA highlights for the Rottweiler and Poodle dog breeds.
OFA health issues for the Rottweiler
According to the OFA database, the Rottweiler can inherit hip dysplasia, eye problems, cardiac problems, elbow dysplasia, and JLPP (Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis & Polyneuropathy).
So your Rottle breeder should be able to produce negative test results for each of these health concerns.
OFA health issues for the Poodle
The OFA’s standard Poodle database indicates these are the concerning heritable health issues for which tests are available: hip dysplasia and eye problems along with thyroid and cardiac abnormalities.
For miniature Poodles and toy Poodles, the OFA also indicates progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and patellar luxation are problems.
Your Rottle breeder should be able to show you that the Poodle parent dog has been tested and cleared for all relevant health issues mentioned in this section.
How Long Will a Rottweiler Poodle Mix Dog Live
Many of the genetic health issues affecting purebred dogs today are not just expensive but also life-limiting.
Rottweilers have an average life expectancy of nine to 10 years.
However, as Harlingen Veterinary Clinic explains, Rottweilers also tend to come down with lymphosarcoma cancer more than other dog breeds. Osteosarcoma is also a concern.
This can further reduce a Rottweiler’s life expectancy.
There is no pre-screening health test to rule out either type of cancer. Your best defense is to provide optimal nutrition and exercise to help your dog stay healthy.
Poodles of all sizes (standard, miniature, toy) have a longer potential lifespan that ranges from 10 to 18 years. While larger dog breeds tend to have shorter lifespans, it is not uncommon for a standard Poodle to live 12 to 15 years.
So your Rottweiler Poodle mix may be favorably influenced by the Poodle parent’s genes and live longer than a purebred Rottweiler might live.
Rottweiler Poodle Mix Coat Care, Shedding and Grooming
The biggest unknown when you breed a short-coated Rottweiler with a curly-coated Poodle is always going to be what coat type your puppy inherits.
If your Rottiepoo inherits the Rottweiler double coat, you will be dealing with a lot of shedding but your grooming chores will be easy.
If your Rottiepoo inherits the Poodle curly single coat, you won’t see much-shed hair but you will have a lot of brushing and grooming to do.
Is a Rottweiler Poodle Mix Your Next Companion Canine
Now that you know more about the Rottweiler and the Poodle and the Rottiepoo hybrid dog, you can decide if this is the right dog for you.
Related Post
