Pitweiler, also known as American Pitweiler or Bullrott, is a deliberate cross between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the Rottweiler. The offspring is a medium to large dog with well-honed protective instincts, a quick mind, and a tad of a stubborn streak, all of which cover the fact that Pitweilers are generally affectionate and susceptible deep down with their families. These high energetic, active dogs need at least an hour of daily exercise to maintain their wellness, but their grooming essentials usually are undemanding.
The result is impressive when you put a Pitbull who is stocky, shorted, and broad-chested to a tall, muscular Rottweiler. Pitweiler defines a delicate giant, and they make exceptional family dogs. But before you get a Pitweiler, there are some considerations that you must face. Pitweilers are subject to stereotyping and may earn unfavorable remarks from your family and residents. It will require lots of determination and patience from your end to support them to be well-behaved adult dogs because both their parents gained a reputation for being strong-willed. Coming from a highly-brilliant lineage, you Pitweilers will learn quickly. Their stubbornness and independence sometimes make it hard to train them, but if you are confident in handling this strong mix breed, you will get an agile, independent, intelligent, and loyal watchdog.
Like many other mixed breeds, the female Pitweiler is smaller than the males. As a result, female Pitweilers usually have difficulty mingling with other female canines. They are more aggressive and dominant around other females. But male Pitweilers will never have a problem socializing with anyone in particular.
Table of Contents
PitweilerPros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Strong, protective, and loyal
Doesn’t get along with other animals easily due to aggression and strong prey drive.
Pitweiler is a large-sized, intelligent, active designer dog, ranging between 65 and 100 pounds, with a square build, deep chest, sturdy, and well-defined musculature. Their head will be deep and broad, with a straight, broad muzzle that is slightly shorter than average and strong jaws. Typically, Pitweilers have round or almond-shaped eyes with uncropped triangular ears.
Pitweilers may have single coats which are either short, glossy like the American Pitbull or thick, double-layered like the Rottweiler, coming in various colors and patterns. If Pitweilers take after their Pitbull parent, they will have a strong, muscular body with single- layered coats, while if they inherit the Rottweiler gene, they will have a large head, long legs, and double-layered coats. They are also quite tall, which makes them quite commanding, merged with their athletic stature. Also, Pitweilers tend to have looser jaws than Rotties do, so always remember that drooling is a possibility.
Friendliness Overview
Affection level
High
Family-friendly
High
Kid-friendly
Medium to high
Pet-friendly
High
Stranger-friendly
Medium to high
Adaptability Overview
Good for apartment living
Low
Good for new owners
Medium to high
Sensitivity level
Medium to high
Tolerates being alone
Low
Cold tolerance
High
Heat tolerance
Medium
Pitweiler Temperament
The well-socialized and well-bred Pitweiler should be a loyal, friendly, affectionate, intelligent, and courageous guard dog with great affection towards their family members. Unfortunately, despite their formidable stature, these breeds are very susceptible and predisposed to separation anxiety if they are left alone for extended periods. Typically, they can quickly get along with old and young children. Still, due to their incredible strength and power, all interactions with kids should be closely supervised, mainly with high-energy adolescent animals.
Pitweiler is a unique crossbreed with a playful, intelligent, friendly, even-tempered, and affectionate nature. However, they need high-quality dog food, adequate training, early socialization, regular exercise and grooming, and regular visits to the vet.
Pitweiler Training
Early socialization is vital for any breed, but it’s even more essential considering the Pitweilers powerful body and strong-willed nature. Despite its brilliance, Pitweiler may tend to be stubborn during training. Patience, constant training, and positive reinforcement, including treats, will help your Pitweiler learn things quickly. Excluding physical activity, Pitweilers also require mental stimulation, or they can become aggressive and moody. Digging and chewing are demeanors found in both parents and may face challenges to resolve. In addition, Pitweilers have a high-prey drive. So, watch them and other pets as well.
Pitweilers bark to alert you if guests or intruders stop by your home. Thus, they are excellent watchdogs and bodyguards. Here are some training exercises for your Pitweiler:
Pitweilers are highly active dogs who need at least an hour of daily exercise, which is also an ideal way to combat their inclination for obesity. So, take them out for playing, running around, walking, jogging, or even digging the ground at times. Pitweilers have a high wanderlust possibility obtained from their hunting and herding heritage. So, always be cautious when allowing them off the leash. If you have a fenced yard, you can enable them to roam and play around without any concern.
Pitweilers will love playing the game of fetch and frisbees. They may also adore obedience training, agility, or exercises that blend physical and mental activities. Mental exercise is just as essential as physical exercise in maintaining your companion healthy and happy. Toys are also perfect for your Pitweiler when you don’t have enough time to play with them. Always make sure to get toys to withstand Pitweilers formidable jaws.
Here are some of the fun activities that your Pitweiler will surely enjoy:
Most Pitweilers are a low-maintenance breed, but if your Pitweiler has Rottweiler’s double coat, then you will have to give some additional grooming care. Appropriate grooming of Pitweiler would involve cleansing their floppy ears and eyes, bathing, brushing hair and teeth. Collect grooming supplies like canine-safe shampoos and conditioner, cotton balls for ears, and soft bristle brushes for their coat. Take your Pitweiler to the vet if you notice the following symptoms:
Nail trimming is also a crucial part of grooming needs. Trim their nails frequently as their larger nails can get quickly scratched up.
Grooming Overview
Easy to groom
Medium to high
Drooling tendency
Medium
Shedding amount
Low
PitweilerHealth
Pitweilers are relatively healthy breeds. Yet, they may experience some disorders passed down from their parent breeds, Pitbull and Rottweiler. So, it is vital to maintain good health care and routine veterinary check-ups.
Health Overview
General health
Medium to high
Weight gain possibilities
Medium to high
Size
Large
Major Health Concerns
Elbow dysplasia: When canines go lame later in life, elbow dysplasia is the most common reason. It’s a malformation of the elbow joint, driving it to deviate, resulting in pain, loss of motion, and finally, lameness. This disorder most generally concerns large-breed dogs such as Rotties.
Hip dysplasia: A prevalent disorder, specifically in large dogs. It’s caused when the hip forms incorrectly, wrongly pushing the femur to the seat, resulting in the bones scratching on each other, which deteriorates with age. It’s not curable, but it can be supervised and lessen the pain if diagnosed early.
Cataracts: When your Pitweiler’s eye becomes foggy and glossed over, it’s a cataract. If it gets more destructive, it can generate blindness, though it’s not a severe condition unless allowed to progress.
Patellar luxation: This is an illness caused when a kneecap can move out of place. It might force your puppy to randomly skip a step here or there or even run on three legs shortly.
Demodectic Mange: Red or Demodectic mange is an inflammatory disease caused by the microscopic parasites called demodex mite.
Bloat: Veterinarians have a hard time realizing how canines contract bloat. However, Pitweilers experience massive pain because of bloating. Gas fills their tummy and applies coercion on the diaphragm, making breathing difficult.
Obesity: A notable health disorder in the Pitweiler due to excess weight resulting in digestive disorders, joint problems, back pain, and heart diseases. The most appropriate way to prevent this condition is by following a healthy diet and routine exercise.
Major Concerns
Demodectic Mange
Hip And Elbow Dysplasia
Subaortic Stenosis
Cerebellar Abiotrophy (Ataxia)
Minor Concerns
Patellar Luxation
Cataracts
Retinal Dysplasia
Pancreatitis
Cleft Lip or Palate
Zinc Responsive Dermatosis
Neuroaxonal Dystrophy
Atopy Dermatitis
Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV) or Bloat
Pitweiler Diet and Nutrition
Pitweilers need a protein-dense, low-carb, three cups of high-quality dry dog food daily. In addition, Pitweiler puppies should eat four small portions of meals daily until they reach adulthood. After this milestone, reduce their meals to two portions a day. It is better to avoid serving only one meal per day, as this can boost your Pitweiler’s risk of undergoing bloat and volvulus. Large breed dogs with barrel chests are predisposed to this deadly disorder.
Pitweiler’s calorie requirement ranges from 1000 to 2000 calories daily, and it may vary based on their activity level, age, and size. In general, they have a high protein necessity, especially when they’re pups. Around 2.62g of protein per kg of body weight is perfect. If you identify your Pitweiler gaining excess weight, we recommend consulting your veterinarian to find a suitable nutrition plan for your canine.
Pitweiler Living Conditions
Pitweiler is an energetic, active dog breed. Only to burn their energy, they need a house with a medium to a large-sized yard to roam and play around conveniently. These breeds are unsuitable for apartment living as they require a fenced area.
Adding a Pitweiler to Your Family
Things to remember before adding a Pitweiler
It is recommended to get a Pitweiler puppy from a reputed and reliable breeder who can provide you with health, vaccination, and gene testing documents. Also, it would be ideal if you try to meet the purebred Pitbull and the purebred Rottweiler.
Cost of a Pitweiler puppy
On average, a Pitweiler puppy may cost around $800 to $1200, not including miscellaneous costs.
