How to Tire Out a Rottweiler: Activities for Every Owner

Rottweilers are quite a large dog breed and need plenty of exercise to wear them down. But getting enough exercise can become a bit boring if you do the same exercise every day, and some exercises will tire your Rottie out quicker than others. This article will guide you in how to tire our your Rottweiler with a variety of different activities.

You can tire out a Rottweiler with a 5-minute sprint, 15-minute swim or 10-15 minutes of running. This can include jogging by your side, playing fetch or running freely. If walking, your Rottweiler should feel tired after about 30 minutes at a brisk pace, or 45-60 minutes at a casual pace.

I have provided a detailed list of activities below, including how long you need to do each one to tire out your Rottweiler. You may need to change this if you are stuck indoors or are trying to exercise a puppy (see below).

How to Tire Out a Rottweiler

You can tire out your Rottweiler with a number of activities. In total, Rottweilers need around two hours of exercise per day. However, this doesn't mean they take two hours to tire out.

Look for Signs of Tiredness

In fact, Rottweilers tire quite easily due to their solid build, regardless of whether they are being walked or taken for a run. Each Rottweiler will also differ based on their age and size, so be guided by the following signs of a tired Rottie.

• Panting when at rest
• Sitting or laying down when stopped
• Falling behind or slowing down

If you see these signs, you know you've done a good job at tiring out your furry friend. However, as a general guide, below are different ways you can tire out your Rottweiler.

Running: How Long Should I Run My Rottweiler?

Rottweilers can only really run for 10-15 minutes due to their solid build. Although they are powerful, they are not lean and thin like racing dogs and will tire out relatively quickly.

Note that a Rottweiler puppy should not be taken on runs until their joints are fully developed. For more information, click here. Playing games and going for walks is usually adequate for a puppy.

Below are all the different running activities you can do with your Rottie. including games or running alongside you. If you're wondering if running is good for Rottweilers, have a look at the article mentioned above.

Jogging
You can jog with your Rottweiler for 10-15 minutes before they will need a rest. If you prefer running faster or for longer, you should consider another activity to share with your Rottie and run in your own time.

Sprinting
Rottweilers can really only run fast for 3-5 minutes at a time. This is a great way to tire out your Rottie quickly if they need to burn off some energy. If you have the stamina, a quick lap around the block should have you both puffing.

Running Alongside Your Bike
Riding is another easy way to tire out your Rottie quickly. Riding quickly is equivalent to sprinting, so should only be done for 3-5 minutes (around the block). Riding slowing can be done at a jogging pace with your Rottweiler trotting beside you, giving you 10-15 minutes before they are tired.

Roaming Freely
When off-leash, your Rottweiler will run from bush to bush, sniffing and exploring. This can be done for 30 minutes at the park, beach or in a forrest, provided your Rottweiler has been well-trained. It is incredibly important that your Rottweiler has been socialised and trained to return when off-leash.

Check out my article here to read about how Rottweilers get along with other dogs.

Playing Fetch
Fetch is another off-leash activity, meaning your Rottweiler can stop when they want to. Fetch involves chasing after a ball or stick, with small rests in between. This activity can be done for 10-15 minutes or until your Rottie has had enough.

Playing Tug-of-War
Tug-of-War is a game of strength and still engages your Rottweiler's muscles to burn energy. Depending on how long your arms can last, you can do this activity for 10-15 minutes.

Walking: How Long do Rottweilers Need to Be Walked?

Walking alongside you will be the slowest way to tire out a Rottweiler, but offers more opportunity to explore. It is also a much more relaxing form of exercise that can involve the whole family. The speed of your walk will determine how long you need to walk.

Casual Walking
It is very easy for a Rottweiler to keep up with your when you are walking at a casual pace. Therefore, you will need to walk for 45-60 minutes to tire them out. If you want a shorter walk, you could always give your Rottie some time off-leash so they can run around.

Brisk Walking
Brisk walking will tire out your Rottie in about 30 minutes. This is a standard walk for most families. I would recommend two brisk walks each day, if possible, but I will talk more about that further down.

Swimming: How Long Can a Rottweiler Swim?

Swimming is another good way to burn off excess energy, but your Rottie may need a bit of guidance in learning to swim. They also may need some encouragement to get in the water, such as throwing in a favourite toy.

Some dogs can swim for 15-30 minutes before getting too tired, but Rottweilers will tire out quicker due to their stocky build. They have powerful legs to keep themselves afloat, but are quite heavy relative to their size. This means extra effort to keep swimming.

How Much Exercise do Rottweilers Need?

As I mentioned earlier, your Rottweiler will need around two hours of exercise each day, spread across a range of activities.

As a guide, you should schedule at least 2-3 of the above activities throughout the day to meet your Rottweiler's exercise needs. Keep in mind that Rottweilers will also be exercised when they play independently in the backyard.

As a good example, you will have a very happy and healthy Rottie if you schedule two brisk 30-minute walks and one 15-minute game of fetch in between. If your Rottweiler then has the opportunity to play and run around in the backyard, they will reach their two hours of exercise in no time.

As another example, you could take your Rottweiler to the local dog park for 30 minutes in the morning (perhaps with a coffee in hand) and play fetch after lunch. Then you could go for a 10-15 minute jog in the evening.

How Much Exercise Does a Rottweiler Puppy Need?

I touched on this briefly earlier, but Rottweiler puppies do not need as much exercise as an adult. They will also get tired a lot quicker. Puppies only need to be exercised twice per day, starting at about 2-months old.

The general rule to determine how long you should exercise your Rottie puppy is to divide their age (in months) by 0.2. This amount of exercise should then be done twice each day.

• 2 Months: 10 minutes, twice each day.
• 3 Months: 15 minutes, twice each day.
• 4 Months: 20 minutes, twice each day.
• 5 Months: 25 minutes, twice each day.
• 6 Months: 30 minutes, twice each day.

After 6 months, your Rottweiler puppy should be getting an hour of exercise each day. You can vary the activities you do with your Rottie, but stick to around one hour per day until they are about 2-years old.

Until your Rottweiler is about 2-years old, try to avoid going on runs. They can still run freely, but forcing a puppy to run can put excess strain on their growing joints.

How to Tire Out a Rottweiler Inside

All these activities are good in theory, but not really practical if you can't go outside for a day. Perhaps it's a stormy day or snowing quite heavily (although Rotties do love snow!). Whatever the reason, you can still exercise a Rottie indoors. Below are a few ideas you can

• Playing tag around the house
• Tug-of-War in an open space
• Playing fetch up and down the stairs (if you have them)
• Slow-release treat ball
• Blowing bubbles for your Rottie to jump and catch
• Play-wrestling
• Chew toys (even chewing uses a bit of energy!)

Any of these exercise could be done in 10-15 minute time-slots to tire out your Rottweiler indoors. However, if given the opportunity, you should let your Rottweiler outside for a play. If the weather is bad, they can handle more than you may think!