Rottweiler Age Calculator
How old is your Rottweiler
in human years?
Rottweilers are big, strong dogs with fairly short lives. A 2024 study of 584,734 UK dogs measured a median of 10.6 years for the breed, and this calculator uses that figure, so a Rottweiler turns senior at about 8.
By Claire Whitman · Updated · Sources
By Breed set to Rottweiler. Different breed? Use the main dog age calculator.
Rottweiler age chart: Rottweiler years to human years
Find your Rottweiler's age on the left and read across. The right column is our standard estimate for a dog over 90 lbs, which turns senior at 7.5, about half a year before the age used here. An 8-year-old Rottweiler is about 65 in human years on this page, against 67 for a typical giant dog.
| Dog age | Rottweiler | Typical giant dog 90+ lbs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 31 | 31 |
| 2 years | 42 | 42 |
| 3 years | 46 | 46 |
| 4 years | 50 | 50 |
| 5 years | 54 | 55 |
| 6 years | 57 | 59 |
| 7 years | 61 | 63 |
| 8 years | 65 | 67 |
| 9 years | 69 | 71 |
| 10 years | 73 | 75 |
| 11 years | 77 | 80 |
| 12 years | 81 | 84 |
| 13 years | 84 | 88 |
| 14 years | 88 | 92 |
| 15 years | 92 | 96 |
| 16 years | 96 | 100 |
Shaded cells: senior life stage (the last quarter of expected lifespan, AAHA 2019).
When is a Rottweiler considered a senior?
At about 8. The 2019 AAHA life stage guidelines define the senior stage as the last 25% of a dog's estimated lifespan, and 75% of the Rottweiler's 10.6-year median is about 8. If you go by the age at death measured in UK vet clinics, 9.0 years, it would be closer to 7. It's reasonable to start talking about senior checkups with your vet from about 7.
How long do Rottweilers live?
- 10.6 years (median): McMillan et al. (2024) combined records for 584,734 UK dogs, including 6,275 Rottweilers. The median for all dogs was 12.5.
- 9.0 years (median age at death): O'Neill et al. (2017) looked at 415 Rottweiler deaths recorded at UK vet clinics. Females lived a median of 9.5 years and males 8.7.
- 9 to 10 years (breed range): the range the American Kennel Club lists. It isn't a measured average.
We use 10.6 because it comes from the much larger sample and also counts dogs that were still alive. We explain the gap, and what Rottweilers most often die from, in Rottweiler lifespan: cancer and the neutering question.
Cancer in aging Rottweilers
In the UK vet clinic study, cancer was the most common recorded cause of death, at 33.0% of the deaths with a known cause. Bone cancer in the legs (appendicular osteosarcoma) was among the 24 most common conditions recorded in the breed in a single year. Tell your vet promptly about a limp that doesn't settle or any new lump, and ask about your dog's ideal weight as they get older.
How we calculate Rottweiler age
- First two years: the formula from Wang et al. (2020, Cell Systems), human_age = 16 × ln(dog_age) + 31, the same for every dog. A 1-year-old is about 31 in human years and a 2-year-old about 42.
- After age 2: a steady pace set so a Rottweiler reaches 65 human years when it turns senior at about 8. That's about 3.9 human years per year, against 4.2 for a typical giant dog. It puts a Rottweiler at the 10.6-year median at about 75, the same point every size reaches at its typical lifespan in our main calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How old is a 6-year-old Rottweiler in human years?
About 57. A typical giant dog would be about 59. The chart above shows every age from 1 to 16.
How old is a 9-year-old Rottweiler in human years?
About 69. Nine is past the senior age of about 8, and it's the median age at death recorded for Rottweilers in UK vet clinics.
When is a Rottweiler considered a senior?
From about 8 using a 10.6-year median and AAHA's last-25% rule, or closer to 7 if you go by the 9.0-year median age at death from UK vet clinics. Ask your vet when to begin senior checkups.
How long do Rottweilers live?
A 2024 study of UK dogs found a median of 10.6 years across 6,275 Rottweilers. A study of 415 Rottweiler deaths at UK vet clinics found a median age at death of 9.0 years, and the American Kennel Club lists 9 to 10 years.
Why does a Rottweiler age faster than smaller dogs?
Bigger breeds generally have shorter lives, and Rottweilers live about two years less than the median for all dogs. After age 2, a Rottweiler adds about 3.9 human years for each calendar year in this calculator.
Sources
- McMillan KM, Bielby J, Williams CL, Upjohn MM, Casey RA, Christley RM (2024). Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14: 531. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
- O'Neill DG, Seah WY, Church DB, Brodbelt DC (2017). Rottweilers under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 4: 13. doi:10.1186/s40575-017-0051-7
- Wang T, et al. (2020). Quantitative translation of dog-to-human aging by conserved remodeling of the DNA methylome. Cell Systems 11(2): 176–185. doi:10.1016/j.cels.2020.06.006
- Creevy KE, et al. (2019). 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 55(6): 267–290. doi:10.5326/JAAHA-MS-6999
- American Kennel Club. Rottweiler breed profile.