Rottweilers have a reputation for being big, mean, scary dogs. Even though dog owners all over the world are claiming this stereotype isn’t true, you still may find yourself wondering “are Rottweilers aggressive?“
Since Rottweilers are very adaptable dogs, they generally aren’t aggressive. However, this only applies to Rottweilers that have been trained and socialized by their owners. If a Rottweiler hasn’t been trained or socialized, then it won’t know how to behave in certain settings and may become aggressive.
Are you worried about your Rottweiler acting aggressive? On this page, we’re going to discuss what new Rottweiler owners should do to ensure they don’t have an aggressive dog. We’re also going to cover the signs to watch out for if your dog is becoming aggressive. Keep reading to learn more.
Are Rottweilers Aggresive?
Answering the question of “are Rottweilers aggressive?” is more complicated than just yes or no. The answer will depend heavily on how much effort the dog’s owner has put into training and socialization, among other factors. If the dog was adopted from a shelter, it may have past trauma that causes it to act aggressively.
On the other hand, if you were to adopt a Rottweiler puppy, it would be more adaptable. In most situations, the Rottweiler puppy will be more receptive to the training and socialization methods you present. If you continue ongoing training and socialization with your Rottie, it will know how to behave when new people or other dogs are around and won’t act aggressively.
One of the great things about Rottweilers is that they are very adaptable dogs. They respond well to new environments and tend to observe the situation before reacting.
More About Rottweilers Aggression
Typically, Rottweilers aren’t aggressive dogs when they’re placed with the right owners. Rotties do take more patience when it comes to training and socializing, so they aren’t a breed that’s recommended for first-time dog owners. To understand more about how to ensure your Rottweiler doesn’t become aggressive, you should know more about the breed’s temperament.
Rottweilers are very intelligent dogs. On top of that, they are also very strong and confident dogs. That is why they are an excellent choice for working dogs. Rotties are capable of being trained for a number of different jobs, such as guard dogs, search dogs, or even herding.
This is not a breed that will be satisfied to lay around the house all day. If you want to adopt a Rottweiler, you will need to ensure it has enough physical and mental activity to keep it healthy and happy.
Will My Rottweiler Be Aggresive?
If you’ve adopted a Rottweiler, it shouldn’t become aggressive. However, there are certain things you will need to do to make sure that doesn’t happen. Let’s take a look at what every dog owner should know so their Rottie doesn’t become aggressive.
Adopt From a Trustworthy Breeder
A Rottweiler’s temperament is often hereditary, so one good way to start off on the right foot is to adopt a dog without aggressive tendencies. Try to connect with a breeder that will allow you to meet the Rottweiler mother before committing to the adoption.
That’s not the only reason that you should adopt from a reputable breeder. A reputable breeder will always have the dogs’ best interests in mind regarding their health and breeding requirements. They will take the necessary steps and precautions after the puppies are born to ensure they are safe.
Rottweilers need to start socialization early. A good breeder will be aware of this and start the process before you bring the puppy home. While you won’t bring a Rottweiler puppy home until it is 8 weeks old, the socialization process should begin at 5 to 7 weeks in age.
Continue Socialization When You Bring The Rottweiler Home
Socialization isn’t a one-time thing. It’s very important that you are consistent with socialization methods. While a good breeder will have started the process, you will need to continue it. If your Rottweiler becomes familiar with different people, animals, and places while it’s a puppy, it will be better behaved in new situations when fully grown.
Try to introduce your Rottweiler to new people in all age groups while it’s still a puppy. Don’t stop there either, as you should also introduce your puppy to other dogs (and possibly cats if the situation arises) so it doesn’t view them as threats later on. This will help your Rottweiler become more adaptable.
Constant Training
Last but not least, your Rottweiler needs to be trained well to know how to behave in social situations. Since Rottweilers are intelligent, they can be trained new commands in a few repetitions. When training a Rottweiler, you need to firmly establish your role as the leader in the very beginning. Your dog needs to realize that you’re in charge of the situation, and not the other way around.
Rottweilers can be easy to train because of their intelligence, but there may be some challenges along the way. To ensure training goes smoothly, always keep it short and sweet. Never do more than a few minutes at a time or else your dog will get bored. When the training goes on for too long, it can actually set back how fast a Rottie’s response time is.
Why is My Rottweiler Acting Aggressive?
If you have socialized and trained your Rottweiler correctly, it shouldn’t be aggressive. However, there are certain circumstances that can make even the best trained Rottie act aggressively. That is when the dog believes that another person or animal is a threat to its family members.
Rottweillers have a very good sense of people’s intentions. If you invited a friend over who approached the property in a calm manner and you were happy upon their arrival, your Rottweiler likely won’t make a peep. However, if someone were to approach you aggressively, your Rottweiler’s protective instincts will kick in and the dog will act aggressively towards them.
One of the great traits about Rottweilers is that they will become very protective over their loved ones. They will begin to act aggressively in order to frighten off the person or animal they believe is a danger.
How To Tell If a Rottweiler is Aggressive
If a Rottweiler is showing aggressive tendencies, it generally won’t get up and attack. The dog’s first instinct is to scare away the threat. Since Rottweilers have a large physique and a mean bark, they are typically good at scaring away threats. This is why they make such good guard dogs. Most intruders aren’t brave enough to face off with a Rottweiler.
As a dog owner, you will need to become familiar with your dog’s temperament to judge how it will behave in certain situations. If a Rottweiler is becoming aggressive, there are a few signs you should watch out for. Growling and snarling noises are usually the first warning sign that something is triggering the dog.
If the dog still feels as though there is a threat present, it may begin snapping toward the person or animal that it is becoming aggressive at. These behaviors should be addressed immediately, especially if the dog is acting aggressively toward someone that isn’t a danger. If these traits are ignored, the dog could end up biting.
Prevent Aggressiveness in Rotties
It never hurts to take extra steps to ensure your Rottweiler is thoroughly trained. If you want to make sure that you won’t have to deal with aggressive behavior in your dog, you can ask for help from a professional. The help of a qualified dog trainer or obedience training classes can go a long way with a Rottweiler’s temperament.
Another way to ensure that your Rottweiler doesn’t become aggressive is to ensure that it isn’t bored. Rottweilers need a lot of physical activity to stay happy. In fact, they need at least 2 hours (broken down into segments) of exercises each day. On top of that, your dog will need a good quality chew toy to keep it occupied.
Providing enough stimulation for your dog is important to ensure that it doesn’t become aggressive from having too much energy built up.
Final Thoughts
Are Rottweilers aggresive? In most situations, Rottweilers aren’t aggressive. These dogs have a bad reputation for being mean and aggressive, but the truth is when they have the right owners they are actually very well-behaved dogs.
The key to making sure your Rottweiler doesn’t become aggressive when it’s fully grown is to make sure it receives the right amount of training and socialization as a puppy. This will ensure that your Rottweiler doesn’t view new people and other dogs as a threat. Since Rotties are intelligent dogs, they take on training and socialization well.
Rottweilers are very protective dogs that form good bonds with their family members. If your dog is well-trained and socialized but believes that you are in danger, it will become aggressive. This is your Rottweiler’s way of trying to frighten off the person or animal that is a danger to you.