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Do Rottweilers Run Away? [Answered]

Do Rottweilers Run Away? [Answered]

Rottweilers are independent dogs with a lot of curiosity. Luckily, they are relatively easy to train, but they sometimes have a mind of their own. This may cause you to ask, do Rottweilers run away?

Because of how independent and curious these dogs are, Rottweilers are known to run away. They will sometimes try to dash out a door whenever it is opened. You can train your dog and use fences to prevent your Rottweiler from running away, though. 

Keep reading to learn more about Rottweilers, why they run away, and how to stop this behavior.

Do Rottweilers Run Away?

Rottweilers are known for their independent, hard work, and loving nature. Their independence means you don’t have to be with them at all times, while their energy makes them a great companion for active individuals and children. Unfortunately, their independence and energy have a downside.

Rottweilers are known to run away. Their independent nature means that they’re curious and want to explore. One of the best ways to explore is to run away and start smelling. At the same time, Rottweilers are energetic and love to play. This extra energy means they can bolt out of your door or fenced-in area pretty quickly.

If your Rottweiler is running away, it does not mean that your dog is unhappy. On the contrary, a Rottweiler that runs away and bolts out the door is likely very happy and healthy. After all, it’s impossible for a Rottweiler to run away if it isn’t healthy and in shape.

Instead, your Rottweiler is probably just excited and wants to explore when it tries to run away.  Remember: your Rottweiler trying to run away is no reflection on its happiness with you.

Do Rottweilers Try To Run Out Of Open Doors?

Because of how eager and energetic these dogs are, be careful whenever you open your doors. Rottweilers are known to try to bust out of the door whenever they are open. Especially if your dog is young and not trained well, expect your Rottweiler to try to get out.

Once again, Rottweilers will try to bust out of front doors for the same reason they try to run away. They’re simply energetic and curious. They want to play and figure out what’s on the other side of the door. The only way to do this is to bust out.

The good news is that you can train Rottweilers to stop this behavior. Through proper training, you can train your Rottweiler to stay away from the door whenever you are opening it. That way, your Rottweiler cannot run away when the door is open.

Why Does My Rottweiler Try To Run Away?

To further understand why Rottweilers try to run away, let’s take a closer look at the most common reasons.

Curious

Rottweilers are intelligent and curious by nature. These dogs are so intelligent that they are often ranked as one of the top 10 most intelligent breeds. This intelligence means Rottweilers can learn commands quickly, but it also means that they want to know what’s going on outside.

At the same time, Rottweilers are extra curious because they have independent streaks. Rottweilers were bred for working purposes, which means they don’t need to be with their humans at all times. This independent curiosity makes the outside a huge temptation for Rottweilers.

So, your Rottweiler might be trying to run away just because it is curious and wants to explore. This is a sign of a happy and healthy Rottweiler, though we understand that running away is an unwanted circumstance.

Extra Energy

Rottweilers are incredibly energetic dogs. At the very minimum, they need at least one hour of strenuous exercise every day. Without this exercise, your Rottweiler will be bouncing off the walls.

Sometimes, Rottweilers will try to run away and bust out the door whenever they are bored. Their boredom causes them to feel cooped up, and they look for any opportunity to get this extra energy out. What better way to do this than to sprint out of a door?

To ensure your Rottweiler stops this behavior, make sure that you play with it on a regular basis. Integrate heavy play into your Rottweiler’s daily schedule to make sure it is well exercised.

Not Trained

Rottweilers are one of the easiest dogs to train. Their intelligence means that they pick up on commands really quickly. Simultaneously, Rottweilers love their owners and are eager to please them. A well-trained Rottweiler is not likely to run away often.

On the contrary, a Rottweiler that is not trained is likely to run away often because of its curious nature and extra energy. The only way to stop this is to properly train your Rottweiler and to expend the extra energy. It’s as simple as that.

Sees Something Outside

Even the most well-trained Rottweilers may try to run away from time to time. This is especially true if the Rottweiler sees something tempting and exciting outside. Rottweilers are very playful and territorial. If there is another animal outside, the Rottweiler is likely to run.

Training is one of the only ways to prevent this, but it doesn’t work in all cases. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings before you open the door to make sure there is not something extra tempting to convince your Rottweiler to run away.

How To Stop My Rottweiler From Running Away?

If you are having problems with your Rottweiler trying to run away, there are some things you can do. The four ideas above will help to prevent your Rottweiler from running away from your property or busting out of your doors:

Fences

If you do not have any fence around your property, expect your Rottweiler to run away. Their curious nature means that they will roam if they are not stopped. Put up a fence to try to prevent your Rottweiler from roaming around the neighborhood.

A big, sturdy fence is best. Remember, Rottweilers grow to be very big, and they are athletic. Their big size means that you need a big fence to adequately keep the dog inside. Make sure it is sturdy too so that it does not break or fall down prematurely.

Training

In addition to building fences, training is a must. Training is what will prevent your dog from running away anytime you open the fence gate or house door. Rottweilers are relatively easy to train, which means you shouldn’t have much difficulty with this step.

Your number one goal for training is to teach your Rottweiler to respect the door. In other words, you want to prevent your Rottweiler from running away every time a door is opened.

Experts recommend teaching your dog to sit and stay. Once they have mastered these commands, specifically teach them to do this whenever the door opens. Begin training with a leash on the dog so that you can catch the Rottweiler if it tries to run. Eventually, work your way away from the leash to see if the dog will sit and stay even when the door is fully opened.

Whenever the dog behaves, make sure to reward it. Praise your Rottweiler and give it treats when it sits and stays as it should.

Discipline

During the training process, you will have to discipline the dog when it misbehaves. Never hit or physically discipline the dog. Instead, put the dog in timeout and use a stern voice to express your unhappiness with the dog’s behavior. The Rottweiler will pick up on this discipline very quickly because of how they are so astute with their owners.

Exercise

Lastly, make sure to keep your dog well exercised. Even well-trained dogs will try to run away if they aren’t properly cared for. By exercising your Rottweiler frequently, it won’t have the energy or desire to run away like other dogs.

Make sure to play with and walk the dog for one hour every day. If you can handle more activity, do that. Invest in mental stimulation toys too so that the Rottweiler is mentally exercised in addition to physically exercised.

Conclusion  

Because of their curious and active nature, Rottweilers are known to run away, especially when you open a door. If your Rottweiler is trying to run away, it’s no sign of their happiness in the home. It just means that the Rottweiler is curious and wants to know what’s going on outside.

To prevent this behavior, you’ll need to put up any fences if you have not already. More so, train your Rottweiler. Training will also consist of discipline but never use physical punishment. Only use a stern voice and timeout to get your point across.

Even after you have trained the Rottweiler, go a step further and make sure it is well exercised. If your Rottweiler does not get the exercise it needs, it may still try to run away since it has pent-up energy. Provide your Rottweiler with at least one hour of physical stimulation every day and provide mental stimulant toys as well.