Last Updated on January 8, 2022 by
If you’re thinking about getting a Rottie, a very common question that comes up is “Are female Rottweilers more aggressive than males?” This question, however, isn’t simple to answer at all, because every dog is unique in temperament. In today’s article, we’ll be taking a very close look at Rottweilers and their typical behavior, providing insight into aggression.
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Rottweiler Temperament
Aggressive behavior, or lack thereof, is one of the most important talking points when we’re discussing a dog’s temperament. There are many breeds out there that are well-known for their aggression. Other breeds, like the Rottweiler, are known for being calm and collected, mindfully listening to their owners. However, aggression is completely natural behavior, and it’s in the instinct of most animals.
Most Rottweilers will start to show signs of natural aggression in puberty, or in adolescence at the latest. So, your Rottie could start behaving more aggressively at any point from 6 months of age up to three years!
Aggression is a completely natural mechanism and it’s important to understand that it’s a crucial defensive mechanism!
This doesn’t make your dog bad or dangerous – it makes it alert and protective.
Dogs usually act aggressively for several, very common reasons. They could be feeling frightened, protective or they could be in pain! There are instances where a dog will act more aggressively by nature.
As we already said, every dog is unique, and that includes the temperament of a dog. If you notice that your dog is acting aggressively for seemingly no reason, the best thing to do would be to work with a dog trainer. An aggressive dog can quickly prove to be more than even an experienced owner can handle!
Aggression as a reaction to fear
This reaction is completely natural to humans, as well, not only dogs. When a dog feels danger, be it actual danger or the dog misinterpreting a situation – it can become agitated more easily, which leads to aggression. A common example of that is a dog’s reaction to fireworks! Dogs despise fireworks because they scare them, which can make the dog act out in an aggressive way!
Protective aggression
Your Rottweiler will definitely show signs of aggression if it feels that you’re in danger or if your dog itself is in danger. They are crazily protective over their owners, as well as their pups. This could be the source of the misconception that females could be more aggressive!
If your Rottie just had her babies, then it’s very possible that it will be more aggressive. However, it’s uncommon for a Rottie to be aggressive to her owner, whom she loves, just because she had puppies.
Protective aggression also entails territory and possessions. Dogs, especially Rottweilers, don’t like other dogs intruding in their space – this can easily lead to a fight. If another dog somehow manages to get to your yard, you shouldn’t be shocked to find your Rottie reacting aggressively.
The same goes for their possessions, the food bowl, for example. If another dog, or even a person, tries touching their food bowl or their food – the dog could easily act aggressively.
Aggression out of pain
An aggressive Rottweiler isn’t an uncommon sight if your dog is in pain. This is a completely natural reaction and it’s purely defensive! Your dog doesn’t mean to hurt you, but if your dog injured itself or is suffering from any sort of pain, it could easily react aggressively when you approach it.
This is actually one of the more common symptoms of a health issue, and you should certainly look into it and maybe even take your dog to the vet if you notice other symptoms!
Male vs Female Rottweiler
There is no final answer to the question “Are female Rottweilers more aggressive than males?”
Experts agree that males are typically more aggressive, but many elements depend on the context of the situation. For example, same-sex aggression is much more common with males. A female Rottweiler is going to react more positively to another female than a male is going to react to another male. This, however, isn’t necessarily the rule to neutered Rottie.
Male Rotties are also more energetic, which is why some people perceive them as more aggressive. Firstly, they’re constantly on alert, which is why many people think that they’re always getting ready for a fight, which is untrue. Secondly, because they’re always running around, they can easily push someone over, be it a person or a dog – which is an accident, not a sign of aggression. Male Rottweilers are usually very calm and collected.
In comparison, females are much less energetic! They’re certainly going to enjoy spending time with their owners, but they’re not as nearly as willing to run around! They’re going to make sure that you know once they’ve had enough.
Another instance when a female can seem cold and possibly aggressive is during pregnancy, birth, and after birth. During this period, female Rotties can become very protective both regarding themselves and their puppies.
If we must choose aside, we can say that male Rottweilers are more likely to cause trouble, but take this with a huge grain of salt. Rottweilers are incredibly intelligent, trainable dogs. They’re very well known for being obedient and aren’t just going to start a fight for no reason.
Therefore, saying that male Rottweilers are aggressive in any sort of capacity would be wrong. Rottweilers won’t back out of a fight, yes, but they also won’t start one!
Verdict
In conclusion, Rottweilers aren’t an aggressive breed. They’re very composed and obedient! Female Rottweilers aren’t any more aggressive than male Rotties, and most of the time they’re actually less aggressive. A dog can become aggressive for many reasons – fear, protective instincts, pain, etc. – these are completely normal reasons for aggression and are nothing to be worried about. If you train your Rottweiler well, you certainly won’t have any problems with them.
However, if your dog starts acting up without any solemn reason, it’d be best to work with a dog trainer to figure out what’s wrong!
