The Rottweiler Pit Bull mix is an increasingly popular designer breed that makes an excellent guard dog and active companion. Large, powerfully built, and strong, this mix isn’t for newbie dog owners and does best in large homes with outdoor space.
What is a Pitweiler? The Pitweiler is a mixed breed – a cross between Rottweiler and American Pit Bull Terrier dog breeds. Protective and courageous, this mix is a good watchdog and family companion. Due to their size and strength, Pitweilers need an experienced owner and prefer to be the only pet in the household.
If you are looking for an energetic family companion that can serve as a guard dog the Rottweiler Pit Bull mix is the perfect dog for you! Keep on reading to learn more about this smart and loyal mixed breed.
What Is a Rottweiler Pit Bull Mix?
Also known as Pitweiler, the Rottweiler Pit Bull mix is a hybrid dog. Created by crossing a purebred Rottweiler with a purebred American Pit Bull Terrier, this breed isn’t recognized by the AKC.
Brief History
It’s hard to say when or why Pit Bulls and Rottweilers were crossed first. But the result is a quite impressive looking mix that can be a companion and a watchdog.
To get a better idea of what to expect from a Pitweiler, let’s take a look at its parent breeds.
Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is a sturdy working dog breed, originally used to guard and herd cattle. Easily recognizable for their all-black coat and rust markings, Rotties are good-natured and devoted family dogs and guardians.
American Pit Bull Terrier
Despite its unfortunate past and breed-specific legislation, the American Pit Bull Terrier is an affectionate and loyal companion (source). People-oriented, caring, and friendly, a properly trained and socialized Pit Bull makes a great family watchdog.
Rottweiler Pit Bull Mix
When you mix the two you get a Pitweiler – an impressive-looking working dog with tons of energy and courage. Smart, affectionate, and loyal, Pitweilers thrive in large homes with fenced backyards and make excellent guard dogs.
Characteristics of Rottweiler Pit Bull Mix
It’s hard to say how any individual Pitweiler will look like or behave with certainty. However, there are certain traits that you can expect to see in your Rottweiler Pit Bull mix.
Most Pitweilers inherit a strong and muscular build from their Pit Bull parents and have long legs and a large head of a Rottweiler. This mix will also have loose jowls like Rottweilers and may drool quite a bit.
Pitweiler Highlights:
| Size | Large size dog |
| Weight | 45-100 pounds |
| Height | 18-26 inches |
| Coat Type | Short coat |
| Shedding | Low to moderate shedding |
| Energy Level | Highly energetic |
| Overall Health | Very good |
| Lifespan | 10-13 years |
Size
The Rottweiler Pit Bull mix is a well-muscled and powerful large size dog.
Height
Most Pitweilers are between 18 and 26 inches tall, but some may be shorter or taller depending on the size of both parent breeds.
Weight
A full-grown Rottweiler Pit Bull mix can weigh between 45 and 100 pounds. Males are generally heavier and larger than females.
Coat Color
Since American Pit Bull Terriers can come in a wide range of colors, the Pitweiler can sport many different coat colors and combinations.
The most commonly seen coat colors in this mix are:
- Black
- Tan
- Brown
- Blue
- Fawn
- Brindle
- White
Shedding
Most Pitweilers inherit the short single coat of their Pit Bull parent and are low to moderate shedders. They will, however, shed more in the spring, during the shedding season.
Temperament
It’s hard to predict the temperament of mix-breed dogs since they inherit traits from two different parent breeds. But considering the Pitweiler’s parents, you can expect a courageous, loyal, affectionate, and extremely energetic dog.
Most Pitweilers take after their Rottweiler parents and are rather aloof and suspicious of strangers. But while they aren’t interested in outsiders, they are very affectionate and protective of their families.
Pitweilers aren’t big barkers, and will only vocalize to alert that something suspicious is afoot. This trait combined with their protective and alert nature makes Pitweilers excellent watchdogs.
While affectionate and devoted companions, Pitweilers are very independent and won’t mind staying at home alone.
This makes this mix a great choice if you have long working hours. The Rottweiler Pit Bull mix will be a loving companion and a guard dog that will watch over your home while you aren’t around.
Pet Friendly
The Pitweiler has a strong prey drive and will likely chase any smaller animals such as cats, rabbits, or guinea pigs (source). Generally, this mix does best in households with no other pets, but if you decide to add another dog to the family make sure it’s the opposite sex.
Child Friendly
The Rottweiler Pit Bull mix is a large, energetic, and excitable dog that isn’t always aware of its own strength. Due to this, they can easily knock down and injure a small child unintentionally and are generally recommended only for homes with older kids.
Rottweiler Pit Bull Mix Care
Compared to other designer breeds, the Pitweiler is a fairly low-maintenance dog. But like all other dogs, they need proper care and attention to thrive and stay healthy.
Health Risks
The Rottweiler Pit Bull mix is considered a generally healthy dog breed. Still, some may be prone to the same conditions that affect Rottweilers and American Pit Bull Terriers.
The most common health problems seen in this mix are:
- Hip dysplasia
- Cataracts
- Bloat
- Allergies
Pitweilers have an average lifespan of 10 to 13 years, but some may live longer when properly cared for.
Grooming and Maintenance
Most Pitweilers have a short single coat which makes them a low-maintenance breed when it comes to grooming. Those that inherit the Rottweiler’s thicker coat are also easy to groom but will shed more.
Brush your Pitweiler once a week to keep their coat clean and to remove loose hair, dirt, and dander. Since most Pitweilers shed moderately during spring you may need to brush your pooch three times a week to minimize the shedding.
Bather your Rottweiler Pit Bull mix once every two months or as needed using a hypoallergenic dog shampoo. As a Pit mix, your Pitweiler may be prone to skin irritations in which case you should avoid frequent baths which will additionally dry your dog’s skin.
The rest is basic care and involves regular teeth brushing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning. If you are afraid to trim your dog’s nails at home, take them to a professional groomer once a month.
Food or Diet
The ideal diet for a Pitweiler should be formulated for large breed dogs with high energy. This mix needs a high-quality protein-rich food that contains all essential micro and macronutrients.
It is best to feed your dog two or three smaller meals a day to prevent bloat. You should also hold off exercising your dog at least an hour before and after feeding them (source).
Training and Exercise
Powerful and strong, the Pitweiler is an extremely energetic dog that needs between 60 and 90 minutes of intense exercise every day. You should also be prepared to spend an additional 30 minutes playing with your dog.
This mix excels at all types of sports and activities that get their heart rate up. Running, biking, hiking, weight pulling, and agility are great ways to keep your dog exercised and in great shape.
Keeping a Pitweiler mentally stimulated is just as important as keeping them physically active. Durable chew toys and puzzle toys, combined with games such as fetch and hide-and-seek will keep your dog’s mind engaged and prevent boredom.
The Rottweiler Pit Bull mix learns best with continuous positive reinforcement and reward-based training. Their independent and stubborn nature makes Pitweilers challenging to train so they aren’t recommended for novice owners.
You should start training and socializing your mix from a young age, and continue to do so throughout the dog’s life. If not properly socialized and trained, a full-grown Pitweiler will be difficult to handle and may lose control and chase after smaller animals.
Housing
The Rottweiler Pit Bull mix isn’t suited for apartment and city living and does best in large homes with access to a fenced backyard. Although large, they should live indoors so they can spend time and interact with their owners daily.
Where to Get a Rottweiler Pit Bull Mix?
There are only two ways you can get a Pitweiler – either adopt or shop!
Rottweiler Pit Bull Mix Breeders
The Pitweiler is an increasingly popular designer breed, but there are still not many breeders that make puppies available regularly. You may need to spend some time looking up and researching different breeders before finding the only you like.
Rottweiler Pit Bull Mix Price
Rottweiler Pit Bull mix puppies on average cost between $500 and $800. Still, the exact price of a Pitweiler puppy will depend on several factors, including the breeder, your location, coat color, and lineage.
Adoption
Although designer dogs, Pitweilers end up abandoned and can be found in animal shelters and rescue organizations. Check your local shelters to see if they have any Pitweilers for adoption if you think this is the right breed for you.
You may have trouble finding a breed-specific rescue group for Pitweilers since they are a mixed breed. But you can try Rottweiler and American Pit Bull Terrier breed-specific rescue organizations since they often take in mixed dog breeds too.
Conclusion
While they look intimidating, Pitweilers are, in fact, very affectionate and gentle dogs with their family members. Highly energetic, protective, and loyal, this mix is a great choice if you are looking for a family watchdog.
Not for newbies and apartment living, Pitweilers need experienced owners who will know how to properly train and handle such a large breed. If you are active and have a spacious home, the Pitweiler will be an affectionate companion and watchful protector.
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