Fur Problem – My Rottweiler Has White Hairs Around Her Ears

by Binu Mathew
(India)

I am the owner of two rottweilers.Recently i noticed some white hair developing on either sides of the ear, which was not there at all.Her parents never had any.Since you a pro, wanted to inquire that will breeding result in pups with white hair or is it something that fades away with time.

I asked a very famous breeder about it and this is what he has to say———A very interesting query, a rotty can develop white hairs after its been bitten by another dog which is interesting as you have two and they can bite each other, this doesn???t happen with all rotts but can occasionally occur.

My obvious reply was
Yes both of them engage in playful activities but surprisingly only the bitch had that developing around either sides of the neck. The dog looks fine. do you suggest i keep them at bay from each other? Can those white hair be treated? if so how?
Can this bitch be used for breeding because i don’t want the pups to have white hair too!!

He hasn’t replied yet
Please advice.

Hi Binu
Personally I’ve never experienced, a Rottweiler developing white hairs as a result of being bitten or nipped. I suppose this could happen very occasionally due to damage to the skin and surrounding area. If these areas of white hair don’t spread to other parts of her body and you know that she does get bitten or nipped regularly around her ears then it’s possible this is the problem, but it’s unlikely (in my opinion).

Generally if a Rottie is going to have some white hairs, they are present at birth and appear on the chest or feet most often. There are however certain conditions which can cause a Rottweiler (or many other breeds) to have coat hair that turns white. Vitiligo (also called Leucoderma) is fairly rare, but if these are truly white hairs then this might be what is causing them.

It’s a genetic condition and can cause loss of pigment in the coat, skin and nails. It usually appears sometime after the dog is 2 years old. If she develops more patches of white hair, or white skin or nails I’d recommend getting your vet to check her out and make a diagnosis. Vitiligo is hereditary and you don’t want to breed a dog who has it.

You can find out more about white hairs in puppies here… White Patches On Rottweiler Puppies. This is something that also is genetic and certain bloodlines are more prone to produce pups who have white hairs than others. However, unless they are more than a few hairs it’s not a big deal for puppies who aren’t show contenders and doesn’t mean a pup isn’t purebred.

As far as breeding goes, there are lots of things to consider before a dog can be deemed worthy of being bred. Hips, elbows, eyes, heart, temperament and overall conformation all have to be excellent and the appropriate health evaluations made. Only then should you even consider breeding your female, and I’d definitely recommend getting to the root of the white hairs before thinking about it.

There is one other possibility.. if the hairs around her ears are silver or grey rather than plain white, and are softer than her regular coat, then it’s possible you’re simply seeing an undercoat showing through. Some Rotties have a grey, or tan, undercoat and it shows more clearly around the neck, ears and legs. Just a thought.

Anyway, best of luck with your dog, hope you find out what’s causing her white hairs.