If you are considering sharing your home with a Rottweiler, shedding can be a rather important question. Many people believe that Rottweilers don’t shed because they have very short hair. But is this actually true?
Do Rottweilers shed? Yes, Rottweilers do actually shed a fair amount despite having short hair. Dogs are mammals, and shedding is a natural stage of their hair growth cycle. It helps them maintain a full healthy coat and prepare for seasonal weather changes.
You may even be surprised to find out that Rottweilers shed more than you’d expect from a dog with short hair. Yet, as with any breed of dogs, you can make commitments and adjustments to your lifestyle that will prevent your home and life from becoming a hairy nightmare.
But first, let’s look into why and how often Rottweilers shed.
How Much do Rottweilers Shed? And Why?
Rottweilers descend from an extinct mastiff-type breed of dogs called the Molossus.
Thus, they have a double coat similar to that of Siberian Huskies, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers.
A double coat consists of two layers of hair:
- The topcoat
- The undercoat
The undercoat is soft and provides insulation throughout the winter.
It’s also lighter in color. Rottweiler undercoat is denser around the neck and on the thighs. You don’t usually see this layer unless you comb back the topcoat and are specifically looking for it.
The topcoat, on the other hand, is longer and coarser than the undercoat. It’s also the layer of hair that we see.
Rottweilers shed throughout the entire year.
Yet, in spring and fall, they shed their undercoat to prepare for the change in season and temperature.
Nonetheless, you may experience a difference in shedding depending on the climate as well as whether your Rottweiler spends most of their time indoors or outdoors.
How Your Rottweiler’s Lifestyle Affects Their Shedding
While all Rottweilers have an undercoat, it’s thickness can vary.
First of all, it’ll depend on the climate where you and your dog live. If you live in a colder location, your dog will naturally need a thicker undercoat. However, it’ll need a slightly thinner one in warmer climates.
If your Rottweiler is a guard dog or stays outside a lot, it will need additional insulation for the cold. Thus, in spring they shed their coat in preparation for summer.
They do it once again in the fall to prepare for the winter. These are the times when you can expect to see a larger amount of hair.
Yet, if your Rottweiler is primarily a house dog, it will be exposed to heating and artificial light.
So, insulation against the cold isn’t as necessary.
As a result, your dog’s undercoat will be thinner and it will highly likely shed moderately the same about of fur all year long.
Regardless of how dense your rottweiler undercoat is, you can keep its shedding in check.
How to Control Your Rottweiler’s Shedding
The best way in which you can approach Rottweiler grooming is by doing it frequently and for short periods of time.
Brushing your dog weekly will remove loose excess hair and will help the natural skin oils to distribute. The oils help to maintain the coat healthy and shiny.
If you notice that your Rottweiler is shedding more, you can brush it more frequently.
This can happen in spring and fall when Rottweilers shed heavily. Then, you may need to do it two or three times a week or sometimes even daily.
Other than that, Rottweilers are not high-maintenance dogs. 10-15 minutes of brushing can be enough once you get the hang of it.
How to Groom Your Rottweiler
To brush your Rottie, you will need a soft-bristled brush or a slicker brush. Slicker brushes tend to work well with dogs that have a double coat.
You may want to start each grooming session by simply stroking your dog.
This will not only let it know what is about to happen but will also allow you to feel for any bumps, bites, lumps, or parasites. Spotting those can prevent you from harming your dog and will help you catch any health issues early.
Always brush in the direction that the hair grows in rather than in the opposite one. It’ll help you to pull out the loose hairs. Begin with the top of the head and go down to the tail.
Keep in mind though that not all adult Rottweilers like being brushed at the full length of their body. Especially when it comes to adult dogs. If you notice that your Rottweiler isn’t happy, try shorter strokes instead.
Since most of the undercoat is around the neck and thighs, make sure to pay special attention to those regions.
As you brush your pet, make sure that the bristles of the brush gently touch the skin.
This will not only ensure that you get most of the loose hairs out and spread the natural oils but will also give your Rottweiler a gentle massage. The latter also improves blood circulation.
Sometimes, you may need to wash your dog. Yet, only do it when the necessity arises. You shouldn’t bathe your Rottweiler more than once a month though as it can dry and irritate its skin.
Start Them Young
It’s a good idea to start grooming your Rottweiler regularly when it’s still a puppy.
Keep the brushing times short because puppies have shorter attention spans than adult dogs. This will ensure that the grooming experience remains positive.
Brushing a pup against their will can form negative associations and may make grooming harder later on.
How to Prevent Rottweiler Hair from Spreading During Brushing
Regular brushing helps keep fur off of furniture, clothes, and even in your food. However, some of it can spread around when you brush your Rottweiler.
To avoid, you can use puppy pads.
If the weather is good, you can also do it outside in the yard or the dog park. This could be helpful during the heavy shedding periods.
Other Benefits of Regularly Grooming Your Rottweiler
Rottweilers are social and sensitive animals.
Properly-bred Rottweilers are calm, loyal, playful, and very protective. They also tend to form strong bonds with their humans.
This breed is very likely to suffer from separation anxiety if neglected or left alone for long periods of time. Neglected dogs can potentially become aggressive and it can be especially dangerous with larger breeds like the Rottweiler.
So, in addition to having your dog’s shedding under control, regular grooming is a way of spending some quality time with your pet.
Stroke your dog as you brush it.
You can also talk or even sing to it if that’s something that you like doing. This will demonstrate your love and affection toward your Rottweiler which can be extremely beneficial for its overall wellbeing.
Related Questions
You can’t stop a Rottweiler (or any other dog) from shedding. It is a natural and inevitable part of the hair growth cycle. However, you can keep your Rottweiler shedding under control with regular grooming.
Despite having short fur, Rottweilers are moderate shedders. They shed less than dogs with think long fur, but more than most short-haired dogs. Therefore, it’s important to groom your Rottweiler regularly if you’d like to avoid having lots of hair around the house.
