Are you planning to share your house with a Rottweiler? Before bringing home your new buddy, you may want to know about its shedding level first so you will be prepared for it. Many pet parents actually end up surprised because this breed sheds more than they imagined. Do Rottweilers shed a lot? Learn more about the Rottweiler’s coat and its shedding level.
Rottweiler’s Coat
The Rottweiler has a short and slightly dense coat. The texture of their coat ranges from straight to a bit wiry. When it comes to maintaining your dog’s coat, you will not have a lot of problems because it only needs minimal grooming.
This breed has an easy to groom coat but do note that it is a moderate shedder. Many people are not very aware that this dog can leave a great amount of hair on floors and furniture despite having a short coat. This is because they go through the blowing of the coat or seasonal shedding the same as a double-coated breed.
On a weekly basis, the Rottweiler needs to be brushed using a tool designed for double-coated breeds. Always start by removing mats using a rake. Work your way on the direction where the hair grows and do it as gentle as you can.
Brushing double-coated breeds should be done for 15 minutes to half an hour a week to completely remove dead hair. Begin from the dog’s head, brush all the way to the chest and continue doing this until you reach the area around his tail.
This breed blows its coat two times a year. Expect heavy shedding during this time. Brushing sessions should be increased from once a week to only three times a week. It also matters to use a heavy-duty vacuum on your floor.
Like fellow double-coated breeds, the Rottweiler blows their coat during spring and fall to prepare their bodies for the weather changes. This is when they switch from winter to summer coat. During this time, your buddy will need more grooming than often.
When dogs blow their coat, they usually end up with a patchy look. This is because certain areas blow faster than others. The clumps of hair may have a resemblance to sheep wool and could look a bit messed up.
If your pet sheds excessively and he’s not blowing his coat, it can be because he is suffering from a skin problem that’s causing the loss of hair. Keep an eye for dryness, flakiness, or itching. There are a number of causes, including an imbalanced diet and parasites that can cause intense shedding in canines.
Coping with a Rottweiler’s Shedding
- Make brushing a habit – regular brushing gets rid of the dead hair before it sticks to the floor or furniture. If you have a carpeted flooring, it’s important to routinely brush it before the hair sticks to the surface.
- Bathe your dog as needed – some Rottweilers should be bathed once every two weeks. However, some may only require up to eight weeks before bathing. Consider your pet’s lifestyle and activity levels. If he’s always outdoors and often ends up with an unpleasant odor when he arrives home, he definitely needs to be washed often.
- Use a shampoo product only intended for dogs – even the gentlest human shampoo may have an adverse effect on dogs. Using a harsh shampoo may cause itching and eventually excessive shedding.
- Brush daily when your dog blows his coat – you may need to brush every day for 15 minutes to keep the hair at a minimum. You may use a slicker brush but it would be faster to remove loose hair with an undercoat rake.
- Vacuum – when you have a pet, it’s just a must to vacuum on a regular basis because no matter what you do, there will still be hair sticking on your furniture. When cleaning, it also helps to have a lint roller in handy.
- Look for signs of fleas and ticks – parasites can also cause scratching and intense shedding. The common signs are itching, scratching, and bumps. Your dog may have bumps that look like pimples on their belly or on the legs. These bumps may also occur at the base of the tail.
- Avoid gluten – experts warn against giving dogs gluten-rich foods because gluten often causes a number of health issues. Dogs sensitive to gluten may suffer from chronic intestinal inflammation and skin problems.
- Consider changing your dog’s diet – Dogs lacking moisture in their diet are more likely to shed. This is especially true if the dry dog food is loaded with fillers. One of the smart ways to add moisture into a dog’s diet is to offer water-rich fruits and vegetables. Your buddy will surely enjoy carrots and raspberries.
Rottweiler Skin Issues
When a dog suffers from skin conditions, it tends to shed hair more than the usual. Keep an eye for the following skin problems related to Rottweiler.
- Skin allergies – the most common cause of skin allergies in Rottweiler is hypersensitivity to pet food. If your buddy does not react well to processed dog food, consult your vet about other food options. Some dogs are more compatible with a raw diet. Studies also show probiotics can reduce the likelihood of allergies in canines. Ask your vet about probiotics and its possible benefits to your dog.
- Skin infections – there are many possible causes of infection of the skin and the leading causes among canines is hypersensitivity to external factors. It can be due to cleaning agents or dust. Keep cleaning agents out of reach and dust off as often as you can. Sometimes, it can be because of fleas or the food they eat as they may consume something that’s out of their regular diet.
- Hair follicular infection – also called folliculitis, this infection of the hair follicles often occurs as a secondary complication to an existing skin problem. Bacterial or fungal infections are the common reasons why hair follicles become inflamed. If your buddy’s skin itches and experiences redness, ask your vet about the possible cause of the problem.
Skin problems in dogs come with a variety of symptoms including skin redness, sores, excessive itching, and hair loss in some parts of the body. If these signs occurred, call your vet or schedule an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.
The symptoms may not be easy to spot because of the Rottweiler’s black coat. But if you noticed discomfort and you suspect your buddy is suffering from a skin problem, don’t hesitate to bring him to the vet immediately.
Conclusion
Rottweilers are a double-coated breed so expect this dog to shed excessively twice a year. On a typical day, they will still shed but only moderately. Brushing this dog regularly will prevent pet hair from sticking to your clothes or furniture. It can be quite frustrating to deal with blowing of the coat, but remember that shedding is just normal for dogs and this is something you can’t stop.
