Teeth and Nails
Teeth and nails tend to be the parts of a Rottweilers daily grooming that most owners neglect. Dogs do not usually get cavities in their teeth, but they build up tartar at an amazing rate. Tartar causes gum disease in dogs just as in humans. If you start brushing your pup’s teeth while he is young, most dogs enjoy it. It is cheaper for you to brush your dog’s teeth than to anesthetize him does that your veterinarian can clean the tartar off. Anesthesia is always a risk if you just pay attention and keep your canine’s teeth pearly white.
Canine toothbrushes and toothpaste are available in most pet supple stores or at your local veterinarian’s office. You can also use a Water Pik successfully on the dog’s teeth. If the tartar should get ahead of you, you can give your Rottweiler a large soup bone that will help loosen tartar as he chews on the bone.
To brush your Rottweilers teeth, simply hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the juncture of tooth and gun, then brush away. Be sure to do upper and lower jaws and both sides of the mouth.
Clipping the nails.
Nails come next. You need to brush your dog’s teeth weekly, toes need attention monthly. Your Rottweiler should walk on the pads of his paws and you should not hear his nails clicking with each step. You can cut them, file them or grind them. Cutting a black nail is a wee bit tricky but not impossible. Cut off small segments at a time. The first clip should take off rather dry and brittle nail. As you take off more of the nail, notice the nail material becoming moister and softer. You will also notice a small gray-to-white center. This is the quick, or blood supply. There are nerves in it. If you cut the quick, your dog will protest and the nail may bleed. Keep some styptic powder on hand to stop any bleeding. If for some reason you do not have the styptic powder, flour will do in a pinch.
When you finish doing your dog’s nails be sure to check his ears. They should be clean and pink, with no noticeable odor. Some Rottweilers generate a lot of earwax, and this needs to be removed so that mites or bacterial or fungal infections do not move into this inviting environment. There are lots of ear-cleaning products available at pet supple shops that are effective and easy to use.
Bathing Your Dog
You should bath your dog whenever he is dirty, smelly or has fleas. If you are brushing your dog frequently, and he does not get to play with other dogs, you will not have to give very many baths. Playing with other dogs tends to give your dog a doggy odor and sometimes fleas. I personally bath all of my Rottweilers once a week with either an aloe shampoo or oatmeal shampoo.
Bathing a Rottweiler is not difficult. Simply wet the dog, apply a canine shampoo, work the shampoo in and rinse thoroughly. During the summer months, you can bath them outside with a water hose. If you bath them in your bathroom, be prepared to wipe down all of the walls. We place a screen in the drain to catch the hair or your drain will clog up quickly.
If your dog has fleas, wet the dog’s neck and head thoroughly and apply a coat of flea shampoo around his neck and ears. Fleas have been around for centuries and they know where to go for safety. Apply the shampoo to your dog’s neck and ears first, hopefully the fleas will run to his back and belly, where you will get them next. Then wet the rest of the dog and shampoo. Be sure to leave the shampoo on the dog according to the directions on the bottle. I recommend leaving the shampoo on a bit longer to be sure the fleas are killed and not merely stunned. Rinse thoroughly afterward. Blow drying and brushing is recommended to be sure the dead and dying fleas are off the dog.
Dry Baths For quick cleanups, especially in the cold months, you can use any of several types of dry baths. These are products designed to clean the dog’s coat without the need for shampoo and water. Some are foams. Some are pump sprays. Just follow the instructions on the product. While they do not do as good as a job as a real bath, they certainly help remove the dust and grime quickly and with less hassle then a bath. Do not forget to wipe away excretions from the eye with a soft cloth or tissue.
