Do Rottweilers Drool A Lot?

Do Rottweilers Drool a Lot?

Rottweilers are big dogs with big jaws. You might expect that they drool, but do actually Rottweilers drool a lot? 

Rottweilers drool a lot compared to dogs with less jowls, like sighthounds, but they don’t drool much at all compared to dogs with heavier jowls, like Saint Bernards or Newfoundlands. Rottweilers drool more if they have bigger heads, shorter muzzles, and more jowls.

Whether you’re considering a Rottweiler and wondering whether drooling will be a problem for you or whether you already have a Rottweiler and want to get drooling under control, here’s what you need to know about Rottweiler drooling.

Why do Rottweilers Drool?

Rottweilers are not among the dog breeds that drool the most, but they certainly aren’t among the dog breeds that drool the least either. Why do Rottweilers drool anyways?

Physical Reasons Why Rottweilers Drool 

Jowls

Rottweilers have jowls, also known as flews, which are loose upper lips that may even hang down over the lower jaw. The more jowls a dog has, the more they tend to drool. 

Since Rottweilers have a fair amount of jowl compared to a thinner lipped breed like a sighthound, they tend to drool more. Of course, when you compare the Rottweiler’s jowls to a dog like a Saint Bernard or Newfoundland, there is considerably less jowl and considerably less drooling. 

Different individual Rottweilers and even different lines of Rottweiler may have more or less jowl than others. In general, German Rottweilers often have more jowl than American Rottweilers. 

If you want a Rottweiler that drools as little as possible, look into lines to help you choose one that is lower on drooling. Look at parents with tighter lips and longer muzzles that tend to create less drool. 

Big Heads and Relatively Short Snouts

Rottweilers have huge heads with some of the biggest (and strongest) jaws in the canine kingdom. All of this jaw provides plenty of area for drool to gather. The bigger a Rottweiler’s head, the more they are likely to drool. 

For this reason, German Rottweilers, which tend to have larger heads, and male Rottweilers, whose heads tend to be larger than female Rottweilers, are likely to drool the most. The relatively short snout makes drooling more likely because there is the less room for drool to be distributed. 

Again, German Rottweilers often tend to have slightly shorter snouts than American Rottweilers, so they may be more likely to drool. Lines of Rottweilers that tend to have shorter snouts and bigger heads will also drool more than lines of Rottweilers with smaller heads and longer snouts. 

Big Dogs

Even if the Rottweilers head was big compared to their body, you would not notice as much drooling if Rottweilers weren’t so big. Rottweilers can top in at a hundred pounds, which is large enough to make a big difference. Even a relatively large dog of around 50 lbs is going to seem to drool a lot less than a Rottweiler. This is a big dog that drinks a lot and has a big mouth, which leads to some drooling. 

Behavioral Reasons Why Rottweilers Drool so Much

Now that we’ve gone over some of the physicality of Rottweilers and how it might relate to their drooling, here’s what you need to know about the specific instances that your Rottweiler may tend to drool and why they may drool sometimes more than others.

Another Dog Around

Many dogs, including Rottweilers, may respond to another dog being in the area or the smell of another dog by drooling. It may be that drooling makes smells more potent to a Rottweiler, or it may simply be that the presence of another dog results in drooling.

Anxiety

Drooling is a fairly common response to feelings of anxiety. Whatever your Rottweiler may be worried about, there is a fairly good chance that they will express their anxiety in part by drooling. 

No one’s sure why dogs drool when they’re anxious, but it seems to be a very common response that occurs among a variety of breeds. If your Rottweiler only seems to drool at certain times, try to ascertain whether these are times when they may be more likely to be experiencing stress.

Arousal

A male Rottweiler is extremely likely to drool if they smell a female dog anywhere around. This is more likely if the Rottweiler is unfixed and is especially likely if the female dog is in heat, but it may occur at other times as well. 

Female dogs may also drool at the smell of a male, although males drooling over the smell of females is typically more common. The other dog does not have to physically be near. Simply the smell of a dog of the opposite gender can be enough get a Rottweiler drooling. 

Hunger

Hunger may be the most obvious reason for drooling to humans since this is the reason that humans typically drool. It is very likely that your Rottweiler will drool before dinner time or when there are delicious smells of food around. Drooling because of the smell of food is often associated with licking and being focused on the food source.

Heat

Rottweilers pant and drool to cool themselves off, so if your Rottweiler is drooling and it’s hot out, it may be that they are drooling because of the excessive heat. Rottweilers can be prone to overheating, so if you noticed your Rottweiler panting and drooling excessively, it’s essential to be sure that they have plenty of water and somewhere in the shade to lie down. The Rottweiler’s dense, black coat makes them very susceptible to overheating in the sun.

Medical Issues That May Cause Excessive Rottweiler Drooling

Dental or Jaw Problems

Rottweilers aren’t particularly prone to dental problems, but any dog can be afflicted with these kinds of issues. Drooling because of dental issues becomes more likely the older your Rottweiler gets. 

If your Rottweiler has not had a dental recently and you have noticed them begin to drool more than they used to, it’s important to have a veterinarian check them out. Teeth problems may not seem like a big deal, but an infected tooth can easily spread to infect the jaw and cause serious health problems for your Rottweiler. 

Below is a video of a Rottie suffering from a relatively rare disease called Masticatory Myositis, which is an inflammation and contraction of the muscles of the jaw that causes excessive drooling. While this disease isn’t common, it is more common in Rotties, and it’s painful. If your Rottie starts drooling suddenly bring them to the vet immediately in case this disease is the cause.

Gastrointestinal Upset

Excessive drooling can be an indication that your dog is feeling nauseous. Rottweilers can be prone to irritable bowel syndrome with symptoms very similar to what humans experience. 

Dogs who are experiencing irritable bowel syndrome may also have diarrhea and vomiting. They may not have a good appetite or they may be excessively hungry because of a failure to get the nutrients that they need from their food. 

If your dog drools all the time along with other signs of nausea like lip licking and vomiting and diarrhea, it could be gastrointestinal upset that is responsible for your Rottweiler’s drooling. 

Sometimes, gastrointestinal upset results from a single bad meal and will go away on its own. At other times, it may point to something more serious, like irritable bowel syndrome. 

If you notice your dog drooling regularly along with other signs of gastrointestinal upset, it’s important to talk to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Gastrointestinal upset is very uncomfortable for your Rottweiler, just as it would be for you.

Bloat

Bloat is an extremely serious condition that affects a number of large, deep-chested dogs, such as the Rottweiler. Bloat can be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening, so it’s very important that you treat bloat immediately. 

Bloat occurs when gas builds up in the stomach, causing the stomach to flip over. Bloat typically causes excessive gas and belching, and drooling excessively isn’t unusual either. The stomach may also be hard and tender to the touch. 

It is essential that you bring your dog to the veterinarian the second you suspect bloat, as it can be life-threatening. On the way to the vet, giving your dog an anti-gas medication such as Gas-X may delay the symptoms long enough for you to get to the veterinarian.

Upper Respiratory Infection

If your dog has a respiratory infection, they are probably sneezing and sniffling as well as drooling. Be sure to talk to your veterinarian if you suspect a respiratory infection, as they can be very unpleasant for your dog, are quite contagious, and can develop into worse problems down the road.

What to do About Rottweiler Drooling

If your Rottweiler’s drooling is affecting your quality of life or even preventing you from wanting to spend as much time with your dog as you would otherwise prefer, it’s important to take steps to reduce the problems that drooling is causing in your life. 

Rottweilers need to be with their people to be happy, so if you’re subjecting your Rottweiler to time outside because you don’t want to deal with their drooling, you are probably not providing as high a quality of life for your dog as they would prefer. Thankfully, there are some things that you can do to reduce the effect drooling has on your home. 

Water Tips

Rottweilers typically need to drink a lot of water to keep themselves hydrated. However, water drinking often results in excessive problematic drool. In fact, many people aren’t so much concerned about the Rottweiler’s drooling as their tendency to drop water all over the ground when they drink. 

If you’re having problems with your Rottweiler dropping water when they drink, you can consider giving your Rottweiler water in a designated area such as a washroom or patio where they won’t make as much of a mess. 

Many people find that dog water fountains cause less water to escape than traditional water bowls, which many Rottweilers are more likely to bite at than actually drink out of. Putting an absorbent pad around the area can prevent your Rottweiler from stepping in water and tracking it all over the house. My go-to water fountain for big breeds like Rotties is this one on Amazon. It might look a little small but that’s what actually helps keep water in the right spot.  

Consider a Bib 

Bibs are frequently used for dogs that drool a lot, particularly Newfoundlands and Saint Bernards. However, bibs can also be functional for your Rottweiler. 

This specially made bid from Wipe Up can be picked up on Amazon and it will keep the drool from staining the dog’s neck and chest, which presents a much less gross effect overall. As an added benefit, you can easily grab the bib to wipe your dog’s mouth whenever they are drooling, so that you aren’t confronted with ribbons of drool every time you want to pet your dog.

Clean Regularly

Regardless of how careful you are to control your Rottweiler’s drooling, there is sure to still end up being some drool on your carpet and furniture. Cleaning regularly is the best way to take care of these issues. 

Without regular cleaning, you will quickly begin to see crusty white stains everywhere as the drool dries. A simple combination of baking soda and vinegar is a great way to remove drool. 

It eliminates the proteins that bind together and stops the ugly white drool stains. Simply combine 1/4 cup of vinegar with a cup of water and a teaspoon of baking soda. Spray or rub on to drool spots and watch the drool disappear in front of your eyes. 

Your Rottie is Worth the Drool

Rotties do drool, but most Rottweiler owners find that the joy of Rottweiler ownership more than makes up for the occasional drool spot. With the right management of water and cleaning and as long as you rule out medical causes for drooling, you will likely not mind your Rottie’s drooling much at all. 

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