Among the many myths surrounding Rottweilers, the most commonly heard one is that they smell bad. But contrary to the popular belief, Rottweilers do not stink any more than other breeds of dogs, if taken care of properly.
For those of you who have had a pet dog, you might already know that all of them generally have a doggie odor irrespective of their breed. And how bad this smell gets depends solely on how well you take care of them.
For instance, a dog that is regularly bathed in a good shampoo and brushed regularly would obviously smell good than the one who is not. Apart from this, you also need to understand that the smell of dogs says a lot about its health too.
Rottweilers may smell bad and it entirely depends upon how well you are taking care of them and whether they have any health issues. As said earlier, chances of a Rottweiler who is bathed regularly and cleaned using a proper shampoo to smell bad is bleak.
If a Rottweiler still stinks, it might be pointing to some underlying medical conditions that need immediate medical attention. For instance, infection in ears or mouth.
In this article, we will have a detailed discussion on the common reasons why Rottweilers smell bad and what can be done about it. Let us get going!
7 Common Reasons Why Your Rottweiler Smells Bad
As said in the earlier section, your Rottweiler smelling bad might be an indication of an underlying medical condition that needs immediate attention. In this section, we will have a look at the 7 reasons why your Rottweiler might be smelling bad.
Infection in ears
Not just the Rottweilers, dogs, in general, are prone to infection in ears. The reason for infection can be anything from excessive moisture in the ear due to excessive swimming or water getting into the ears while you give them a bath, lack of cleanliness or presence of dirt in the ear.
Though this may sound gross, the strength of smell from your Rottweilers’ ear speaks a lot about their health.
For instance, a yeasty smell from its ears indicates that it is time for you to clean your dog’s ear. Similarly, if the infection is serious, there will be a more sickening smell from your dog’s ear in which case you need to take your Rot to a vet. In most cases, the smell of an infected ear can be easily identified when the dog comes near you.
Bad Breath
Bad breath is another commonly found reason for bad smell in Rottweilers. In most cases, occasional bad breath is caused by the build-up of odor-producing bacteria in your Rot’s mouth. Whereas, persistent bad breath might also be a result of an underlying abnormality in your Rottweiler’s respiratory system or digestive system.
Owing to these reasons it is advised to take your Rottweiler to a vet, in case of persistent bad breath.
Flatulence
If you are a Rottweiler pet owner, you might know how nasty can their gas attacks be. Tough occasional burping, gurgling and flatulence are common for a Rottweilers, in some cases, it might go out of control.
Excessive flatulence in Rottweilers is rarely caused by an underlying medical condition, rather in most cases, it owes to their squished-up noses. When a Rottweiler eats or drinks water, their squished up nose causes them to suck in a lot of air which leads to flatulence and burping.
But if you feel that your Rot is having excessive gas lately, it might be an indication that something is wrong and you should take your Rot to a vet immediately.
Wet Dog
A wet dog is indeed a stinky dog. Irrespective of how often you bathe your Rottweiler once he/she gets wet, they are going to smell bad.
Even if you brush your dog regularly, there will be microbes like yeast and bacteria hidden inside a Rot’s fur. As long as your Rot remains dry there won’t be any unpleasant smell. But once your dog gets wet, the fecal matter dropped by these microbes separates from the dog’s skin and becomes airborne, causing an unpleasant smell.
Urinary infection
If your Rottweiler constantly smells like urine, chances are that he/she might be having urinary infection. Common symptoms of urinary infection include drinking more water than usual, strain while urinating, presence of blood in urine and pain while urinating. If your Rottweiler shows any of these symptoms, take him or her to a vet at the earliest!
Skin issues
Rottweilers have a short yet thick fur over its skin that’s prone to bacterial and fungal infections. Once the Rottweilers get a bacterial or fungal infection, yeasts begin to proliferate on the Rot’s skin causing skin rashes, hair loss and eventually an unpleasant smell.
Chances are that when your rot gets infected he’ll end up licking and biting those areas with rashes and these can lead to a secondary infection eventually worsening the existing unpleasant smell.
Another commonly seen cause for skin infection is the build-up of sebum (An oily secretion produced by the sebaceous gland) and consequently yeast over its skin. This condition is called canine seborrhoea which if left unattended can cause serious infection on the skin.
Dental Problems
Though dental problems aren’t common in Rottweilers, there are some chances. In most cases, dental problems are caused by the overgrowth of gums that eventually lead to small pieces of food getting stuck inside it consequently producing a rotten smell.
Apart from this, the other commonly seen dental issues include the build-up of tartar and plaque over their teeth causing bad breath.
It is for these reasons you need to keep your dog’s teeth clean at home. This might seem awkward but you need to brush your dog’s teeth once in a while and take him/her to a vet for professional teeth cleaning.
Now that you know the common reasons for your canine friend smelling bad, let us see what can be done about it!
How do I get rid of the dog smell on my Rottweiler?
Give them a bath
Bathing them is the best way to start fixing your Rottweiler’s odor issue. The best way to go about bathing them is to wet them entirely using warm water and using a dog shampoo to clean them. Lather the shampoo from the top of its head to its paws.
Make sure that you don’t let the dog lick the shampoo or the shampoo to enter its ears or eyes. Rise the shampoo using water and let your Rottweiler shake off the water. Using a clean towel dry them properly to avoid a wet dog smell.
Clean your Rottweiler’s ears regularly
As said in the previous section, Rottweilers are prone to infection in their ears and this infection can be a common source of the bad smell.
Clean your dog’s ear once in a week using wipes, mineral oil or pet ear cleaner. Make sure that you thoroughly clean their ears and remove any wax built up inside it.
If you feel that there is a strong odor coming from its ears, it would most likely because of an infection. In that case, take your Rottweiler to a vet immediately.
Brush their teeth
This might seem to be a bit awkward but you need to clean your Rottweiler’s teeth at least once a week. The build-up of tartar and plaque are the most commonly found reasons for bad breath in dogs. Use a dog toothpaste and clean their teeth thoroughly with a brush at least once a week.
Control their diet
Excessive flatulence and gas attacks are the common reasons for bad smells in Rottweilers. The best way to keep them at bay is to control their diet and giving them adequate exercise.
Consult your vet and decide what to feed your Rottweiler because in most cases these gas attacks might be caused by the unhealthy food your dog eats.
Also, check whether your Rottweiler is lactose intolerant and if they are, avoid feeding them milk and other dairy products.
Apart from controlling their diet, giving them adequate exercise is equally important to make sure that their digestive system is functioning properly.
Clean your dog’s bedding
Cleaning your dog’s bedding regularly can greatly reduce the issue of bad smell in Rottweilers. Make sure that you use a non-scented detergent while you wash their bedding and also avoid using fabric softeners. Dry the bedding in sunlight for about 5 to 6 hours.
Conclusion: Why Rottweiler Smells Bad?
As said in the previous section, no dog breed is stinkier than the other, even the Rottweilers. When it comes to a Rottweiler smelling bad, it all comes down to how well they are being taken care of.