Grooming tip - Use shampoo that your vet recommended

When choosing a shampoo, do not use flea and tick shampoos or other medicated shampoos unless directed by your vet. These types of shampoo do not work well with a rottweiler's coat.

Rottweiler - Dog Lover

Grooming tip - Begin a regular grooming schedule early in their lives

With this breed in particular, it's important to to begin a regular grooming schedule early in their lives. Since rottweilers grow to become large and powerful dogs, you can have problems with grooming if they're not used to it.

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Grooming tip - Nourish coat

Let your dog air dry, then spray on a light coat of coat conditioner, coat gloss or mink oil to give his coat a beautiful sheen.

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Grooming tip - Wash with a regular dog shampoo

Wash with a regular dog shampoo. Ask your vet, breeder or pet store for any recommendations. During the bath, remove shedding hair with a rubber brush or natural bristle brush. Also take this time to remove any stray or long whiskers with grooming scissors.

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Grooming tip - Trim stray hairs

Trim stray hairs on his thighs, neck and back of his front legs with blending shears before bathing him.

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Grooming tip - Bathe your rottweiler once every two to three months

Bathe your rottweiler once every two to three months, unless he gets himself excessively dirty playing outdoors. This breed is one of the most odorless of all breeds, so baths are not a high priority.

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Grooming tip - Clean your dog's ears at least once a month

Clean your dog's ears at least once a month. Apply ear cleansing solution, found at any pet store, to a cotton pad and carefully clean the inside of his ears and the outer rim. Be careful not to insert the pad into any part of the ear canal you can't see.

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Grooming tip - Clip your dog's nails once a month

Clip your dog's nails once a month. Using large nail clippers, cut just the tips of the nails. Be careful to avoid cutting the quick, the reddish inner part of the nail, because it's painful and results in bleeding.

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Grooming tip - Brush your rottweiler at least once a month

Brush your rottweiler at least once a month with a natural bristle brush. You should increase your frequency of brushing during their major shedding times which are fall and spring to avoid hair all over your house.

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Grooming tip - Rottweiler is an easy breed to groom

Rottweilers coloring consists of a black coat with tan or rusty-brown markings on their chest, throat, lower legs, above the eyes and on the sides of the muzzle. With an undercoat only on their neck and thighs, rottweilers' outer coat is short, flat, coarse and dense. They are an easy breed to groom.

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Owner guide - Closely supervise your rottweiler if small children are near

Closely supervise your rottweiler if small children are near. They have a tendency to "herd" children and to chase moving objects - which could include running children.

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Owner guide - Rottweiler can generally be taught to obey with positive reinforcement

Rottweiler can generally be taught to obey with positive reinforcement. However, you may need to use a sharp tone if your dog is being stubborn.

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Owner guide - Understand rottweiler's health problems

Understand that a rottweiler is prone to certain health problems, such as hip and elbow dysplasia (a malformation of the joints), osteochondrosis dissecans (a bone disease that causes lameness and arthritis), paneosteitis (a rotating lameness), Von Willebrand's Disease (a bleeding disorder), bloat, heart disease and allergies.

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Owner guide - Play with your rottweiler often

Play with your rottweiler often. They love to run, swim and play catch. You can't overexercise this breed.

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Owner guide - Keep your rottweiler on a leash when away from your home

Keep your rottweiler on a leash when away from your home. This breed can be aggressive with unfamiliar dogs, although early training and socialization may curb this tendency.

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Owner guide - Walk or run your rottweiler at least twice a day

Walk or run your rottweiler at least twice a day, for 20 minutes or more each time. This breed is very active and will also need a large backyard to romp around in. If a rottweiler becomes bored or doesn't have enough activity, she may become destructive.

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Owner guide - Avoid leaving her alone with unfamiliar people in your home

Remember that a rottweiler has a strong instinct to protect her home and family. Avoid leaving her alone with unfamiliar people in your home; if the dog perceives an unfamiliar visitor as an intruder, she may become aggressive. Allow your rottweiler to slowly become familiar with visitors.

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Owner guide - Trim your Rottweiler's nails

Trim your Rottweiler's nails every two to three weeks.

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Owner guide - Brush your rottweiler's coat awhen necessary

Brush your rottweiler's topcoat and undercoat only when necessary. The same goes for bathing. Rottweilers are average shedders and lose their topcoat and undercoat twice a year.

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Owner guide - Feed your rottweiler

Feed your rottweiler high-grade dog food. The first ingredient should be meat if you want a quality product. Crude protein should be no less than 30 percent, and crude fat no less than 20 percent. Also, the fiber content needs to be 4 percent or less.

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