Specific breed brochure - Breed Nutrition

Rottweilers have a
remarkable head,
characterised by powerful,
wide jaws and
well-developed zygomatic
arches (supporting
the cheeks).
© J.-M. Labat
A kibble tailored
to big jaws
The ergonomics of the kibble designed for Rottweilers must be studied on the basis of the strength
of the breed’s jaws and teeth, as these characteristics impact its dietary behaviour.
Four distinct objectives were pursued during the development of the food’s physical characteristics
(size, shape, texture, density):
- facilitating kibble prehension so the dog finds it easy to grasp its food, as
the first contact with the food is a key factor of palatability
- encouraging the dog to chew to maintain the masseter muscles,
which shape the cheeks and reduce the size of particles arriving in the
stomach
- minimising speed of ingestion to limit the risk of regurgitation
or poor digestion
- promoting the penetration of the teeth in the kibble to
minimise build up of dental plaque and slow down tartar
formation.
0 10 20 30 mm
The kibble’s shape
Seven different kibble prototypes were evaluated in a five
month period on a group of 41 dogs belonging to seven different
breeders. The selected kibble is in the shape of an arc.
It took several attempts before we found a way to produce
the shape on an industrial scale to the satisfaction of our
panel of breeders. The curve of the kibble helps the dog
grasp it easily in all circumstances, even when its bowl is
almost empty.
Rottweiler 26 was awarded a maximum five for palatability
in the trials.
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