Adopting a Rottweiler in Nottingham: rescues, rules and health

The number below the short answer is a live count of Rottweilers and Rottweiler crosses with the rescues we list in Nottingham or up to about 25 miles away. When we checked on 27 October 2026 there were none. Big dogs of every kind are collected on our Nottingham large dogs page, worth a look if you are open to a cross.

The association was started in 1979, has been a registered charity since March 1980 and is run entirely by volunteers. It says it operates nationwide, so a Nottingham address is no barrier. Its dogs live in kennels or with fosterers, and it warns that it is normally full and can't help every Rottweiler that needs it.

You apply with its rehoming form. If no dog suits you yet, your name goes on a list, and the wait depends on what you want: being flexible about the dog's age, sex and how far you will travel can shorten it. Every new home is checked first, and it promises to take a dog back whatever the reason. The form asks about fence height, where the dog will spend days and nights, and what happens if it would be alone for more than 3 or 4 hours, and a rented home needs the landlord's written consent. A capitalised note on its dogs page admits some current dogs are challenging; it advises anyone who adopts one on handling them. We don't list its dogs.

The association's about page gives a long list. Some dogs are abandoned once they are adults and no longer cute puppies; others are neglected by owners who can't pay for food or a vet. Many more lose their homes to life events: an owner's death or terminal illness, a lost job or house, a family break-up, a move, a new baby or a child who develops an allergy. It also takes in cruelty cases, and it says the number of Rottweilers needing help is unprecedented.

The association's average donation of £175 to £225 is about half the lowest puppy price in the £400 to £3,000 range from Blue Cross, and it says donations pay for kennelling, vet treatment and special care. Some dogs leave already neutered, chipped and vaccinated under its neutering policy; if yours isn't neutered, you have 6 months to arrange it.

A breeder has to microchip a puppy by 8 weeks, so the chip is no extra cost, but neutering, boosters and insurance are. Its own advice is to insure, as vet treatment can be very expensive, and a big dog's doses and operations cost more.

The breed guides disagree on lifespan. PDSA gives more than 10 years and Dogs Trust typically 10 or more, but The Royal Kennel Club puts it under 10. A VetCompass study by the Royal Veterinary College, using UK vet records, found a median age at death of 9.0 years. Cancer was the most common recorded cause of death (33.0%), ahead of being unable to stand (16.0%). Ask the rescue about:

• Hips, elbows and knees. The Royal Kennel Club strongly recommends hip and elbow scoring before breeding, and PDSA lists elbow dysplasia, which leads to arthritis, and cruciate ligament damage in the knee.
• The heart. PDSA describes subaortic stenosis, a narrowing where blood leaves the heart, which can cause a murmur, fainting or sudden death.
• Nerves. Juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy (JLPP), a nerve and throat disorder, has a DNA test that The Royal Kennel Club wants breeders to use. Rescue dogs are seldom tested, so ask the rescue's vet.

Plan for more than two hours of exercise daily and room indoors and out: The Royal Kennel Club rates it a large-house, large-garden breed. PDSA recommends an experienced owner using consistent, reward-based training, and says no dog should be left alone for more than four hours. It also advises never leaving a Rottweiler unsupervised with children; the association goes further and won't rehome to homes with children under 12.

Rottweilers are legal to own and adopt in England: the breed isn't on gov.uk's list of banned dogs. The law section lower down covers the types that are banned, including the XL Bully rules.

Puppy searches are the biggest share of Rottweiler searches around Nottingham. A rescue doesn't sell: you apply, it matches a dog to your home, and you pay a fee or donation. Every dog that appears on our Nottingham Rottweiler page is there for adoption. The association keeps most of its dogs in kennels and tries to foster puppies and young dogs.

If you buy, ask to see both parents' hip and elbow scores and JLPP results, and think about the pre-purchase consultation some vets offer, which Dogs Trust mentions. The Royal Kennel Club lists litters on its "Find a puppy" service. Scam adverts belong with Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).