Rottweilers may have been bred for guardianship and as working dogs by their Roman masters, but they’ve transitioned to a role as a house pet over the last few centuries. However, despite their cute appearance, these massive dogs can still pack quite a bite and are frequently used as household guardians, but their overall friendliness with their companions makes them great social animals as well as fierce guardians.
Unfortunately for their owners, having a Rottie means dealing with their twice yearly ‘blowout’ of their double coat with the changing of the seasons. If you’re considering adopting a Rottie, make sure you have a great vacuum and a great brush for their fur – you’re going to be needing both – a lot.
Rottweiler Coats
Rottweilers are one of those double-coated dogs, like Huskies, Malamutes, Retrievers, Bernese Mountain and other types of dogs. These dogs evolved to have two coats to cope with their presence in inhospitable, unbearably cold environments. Growing up in the Carthage Mountains as they did, the Rottweiler is no exception. Though unlike some of their other double-coated compatriots, Rottweilers have short haired coats.
The first layer of the Rotties’ coat is called the undercoat, it’s a wool-like first coat that offers extra warmth. The top coat is meant to protect the Rottweiler from the elements and this is the coat that often ‘blows’ twice a year.
Do Rottweilers Shed A Lot?
The short answer is yes. Rottweilers of various types and crosses will shed – as they’re double-coated animals, you can expect a moderate amount of shedding year-round, with heavier shedding occurring in the transitional period between Winter and Spring and then again between Fall and Winter – it’s their body’s biological response to changing temperatures.
Why Do Rottweilers Shed?
The reasons why dogs shed are myriad – most commonly, dogs shed because it’s part of their natural evolution throughout the year. Most dogs, including Rottweilers, will shed as seasons change – this is simply their body regulating its temperature by losing fur to cool it down as summer approaches. The fur will then grow back slowly over the summer and fall to give the dog ample thermal protection during the colder months. Then, as Spring approaches, Rottie will ‘blow’ their winter coat – prepare for peak shedding during this period.
While the primary reason for Rotties shed is their biology, there can be other reasons as well. Indoor & outdoor environments play a huge role in the shedding cycle of the Rottweiler. They were bred for the cold outdoors, so placing them in a temperature-controlled and artificially-lit environment will mess with their natural shedding cycle – simply it will make their shedding cycle more consistent year-round, rather than plumages twice a year, like you would see in an outdoor Rottie.
One thing you can do to help your Rottie shed less is to ensure that they are well-fed – Rottweilers eat a lot thanks to that massive, muscular frame. But note that not feeding your Rottie enough can lead to excess shedding.
How Can You Stop Your Rottweiler From Shedding?
While it is impossible for you to altogether ‘stop’ your Rottweiler from shedding, there are some things you can do to abate the degree to which they shed. The first step is to ensure that there is no excessive shedding happening – shedding is completely normal, but if you start noticing clumps of hair falling off, especially during the non-shedding season, then you should take your Rottie to the vet.
Brushing
In terms of reducing the shedding, you should first ensure that your Rottie is brushed frequently, particularly during peak shedding seasons, but generally year-round. Brushing with a good brush is what will help your Rottie’s coat. It’s also important in the summer months, as they (like other double-coated dogs) are prone to overheating, so make sure that you’re on top of brushing and brush your Rottie at least once a week.
Shampooing
Bathing is the second routine maintenance you should perform on your Rottweiler. While overbathing your Rottie can cause their skin to dry out, it’s recommended that you bathe your Rottweiler once a month. While bathing, make sure you use a suitable shampoo for Rottweilers, like these. Whether you’re looking for something hypoallergenic or au naturel, your Rottweiler should be bathed with a shampoo that will help stave off skin infections by being antibacterial.
Bathing
Bathing is a critical part of any dog’s healthy life. But particularly with double-coated dogs such as Rottweilers, bathing is essential to maintaining healthy skin and healthy fur. Because Rottweilers have two coats, bathing them is a long and sometimes arduous process, but it will help their coats and skin by keeping them clean. Make sure you take the time to get through to both layers of fur and massage the shampoo in.
If you start bathing your Rottie as a puppy, they’ll be used to it by the time they reach adulthood and it won’t be such a battle. Alternatively, you can take the dog to a professional groomer – don’t be afraid to do this and spend the money, your dog should get a thorough clean rather than some half-assed attempt in your undersized bathtub!
Diet
Rottweilers are big dogs! Therefore, they eat a lot of food. Any Rottweiler’s diet should consist of six basic nutrients: protein, fats, minerals, carbs, vitamins, and water. Unfortunately for most dogs, they don’t receive nearly enough of any of these, because their food is produced cheaply and sold cheaply – frankly, not everyone can afford to buy expensive wholly nutritious dog food.
However, if you’re noticing that your Rottie may be shedding excessively, then its diet may be the reason. If you suspect this, have a conversation with your vet – they’ll know what might be causing the excess shedding, and this can occur if you’ve recently changed your dog’s food as well, as their body is reacting to new input. Your vet will be able to tell you if this food is good and if their fur will regrow, or if you need to make a change.
Supplements
While Rottweiler’s don’t exactly need a lot of extra supplements to help with coat health, one thing you could try – after thorough consultation with a vet – is Omega-3, but make sure that you’re getting the right type of Omega-3 supplement for your Rottie. Always consult with a vet before feeding anything extra to your dog, besides its normal diet.
Final words
Rottweilers are our big, slobbery, loving protectors and generally make a great pet for almost anyone due to their friendly nature – despite their breeding history. However, if you own a Rottie, get yourself a good brush and try and give it a relatively outdoor lifestyle, after all, that’s where it’s happiest!
Frequently Asked Questions
There are multiple reasons why your Rottweiler could be shedding – bearing in mind that shedding is a natural process of temperature regulation for a Rottweiler – keep an eye on it. If it becomes excessive, it could be due to a change in diet, skin infection/irritation, or some other illness. If you grow concerned, reach out to your local vet and book an appointment. Continue to brush your Rottweiler once per week and bathe once per month.
Rottweilers shed year-round, though Summer isn’t usually a season of peak plumage for these double-coated beasts. They will likely have shed their winter coat during the Spring transition, so any summer shedding is simply temperature-regulation for their bodies. To aid them in this process, you could brush them more often.
Typically, as a double-coated dog, Rottweilers shed twice a year – though those living inside will shed more consistently throughout the year – but the ‘blow out’ for outdoor Rotties happens twice a year. Once during the Winter/Spring transition, as they prepare for summer, and then again during the Fall/Winter transition, as they grow new coats to prepare for the coldest time of the year.