>>My rott is a year old. She's been a house dog since she was about a month old. She always sleeps in the house and stays in the house while we're gone.
>>I can't handle her shedding anymore. I've got a big backyard with grass and all but she's used to sleeping in the house and being in the house a lot. I'm trying to keep her out at night but all she has to do is look at me with those beautiful eyes and she's back in.
>>My question is...will she eventually get used to sleeping outside? And also, is there anything (shampoo or whatever) that will stop or make her not shed as much?
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>>Thanks!
I notice you got several answers to this, and I hope you'll be keeping your dog indoors with the family. Besides being better for her, it puts her where she could actually protect you and alert you to danger at night. It also will help the shedding! Outdoor dogs shed more!
To deal with shedding, here's a great routine. Whenever you bathe the dog, add back the natural oils that have been removed. My favorite product is a hypoallergenic human bath oil called Alpha Keri. I'm not sure it's still around, but if not, another hypoallergenic bath oil would do. Must be hypoallergenic, because dog skin has the same type of reactivity as human lung tissue! Bath oil was designed to mix with water. Put about 1/4 cup of the bath oil into a 1 pint spray bottle, and fill up the rest of the way with water. After a bath or any time the skin is dry, spray the dog with this and rub it in with your hands.
A warm bath loosens the hair and is a good way to help with heavy shedding times. Right now your dog may be shedding extra, changing from a puppy coat to an adult coat and also possibly around the time of a first heat. Plus her undercoat could be shedding out to make way for a fresh winter coat. She probably won't shed this much in the future, unless you don't spay her, or unless you keep her outside. Outdoor dogs have to change coat more than house dogs do. House dogs mostly shed a little at a time.
A curry groomer is a great aid for shedding in short-haired dogs. It's made of rubber and probably will cost around $10. The dog loves the way it feels. Use it in a circular motion to remove the most loose hair.
On a daily basis for upkeep, use either your hands or a curry groomer to work through her entire coat each day. This time put in with your dog has a lot of other benefits, too: better bonding, better obedience, dog more tolerant of all kinds of touch, faster to find health problems, better health of skin and coat. I make this neater by taking a bed sheet and tying it around my neck and draping it out over my lap as I sit with outstretched legs. I get the dog on my legs/lap, and groom the dog where the sheet catches all the loose hair. As needed, usually once a week, I launder the sheet separately so the hair doesn't spread to other wash.
Occasionally you might need to use a Greyhound comb or other tool on the more heavily-coated areas, around neck and hindquarters, to help some of that loose hair work its way out. This will probably be, for a house dog, around April, July and October.
A dog who spends nights outside is going to be dirtier, smellier, and less pleasant to touch. A dog who lives in the house with the family can be kept clean and huggable with a time investment of something like 15 minutes a day. This is enjoyable, productive time with your dog, and once you get into the routine you can easily do it while watching TV or talking on the phone using a headset.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com
