Last Updated on April 24, 2024 by Dr. Julie
Some Rottweiler owners are worried that their dog might become aggressive, so they’re constantly on the lookout for the most common Rottweiler aggression signs. Although they’re not aggressive or dangerous dogs by nature, Rottweilers are very protective, and if left untrained, those protective instincts can easily turn into aggressive instincts. In today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at aggression in Rottweilers, how to recognize it and how to control it.
Table of Contents
Rottweilers Are Protective, Not Aggressive
Rottweilers are possibly the most beloved protective dogs in the world. Many professionals utilize them precisely because of their protective instincts, while many homeowners are more than happy to let their Rotties roam around the yard and keep the home safe.
This isn’t without reason! Rottweilers are one of the most vigilant dog breeds and they’re constantly on the lookout for danger. This isn’t a matter of training, but a matter of instinct. These dogs were used as military dogs by the Romans and they were then bred to be guard dogs.
Even if you don’t provide your dog with professional training, they’re still going to remain vigilant and alert. With training, they can be an incredible defense system for your home, as no one can get in a yard with a protective Rottweiler inside.
However, it’s easy to confuse the two. After all, if a Rottweiler has to protect their home or their family, they need to quickly become aggressive towards the perpetrator. Because of this, the myth of Rottweiler aggression has developed and many people needlessly believe that these dogs are dangerous and that they’ll try to bite anything and anyone they come across.
This is untrue. It doesn’t matter whether they’re home or walking in the woods – Rottweilers won’t start a fight with another dog or a person if they’re not threatened by them. These pups keep a very cool head under stress. However, if a fight is started, a Rottweiler won’t back away. Because of this fierce behavior, people have the tendency to label Rottweilers as aggressive dogs.
Untrained Rottweilers Could Pose A Problem
The thing about Rottweilers is, and this usually applies to all dogs – the dog is only as good as the owner. Rottweilers are some of the most intelligent dogs in the world, and their mind is made to be trained. They love cognitive stimulation and teaching them basic tricks and commands is crucial for their development.
These dogs will actually get cranky and moody if you don’t stimulate their brains enough, which is why mental training is as important for Rottweilers as physical training. What sometimes happens is that Rottweilers have lazy owners who don’t train them and they don’t discipline them. The direct consequence of this is an aggressive dog that can turn on a dime.
When a Rottweiler isn’t trained properly, it becomes agitated very quickly, very easily, and that means trouble for everyone. These dogs aren’t at fault for their behavior, as the owner is the one who was supposed to keep them in line and teach them how to behave. Nevertheless, an undisciplined Rottweiler can become an aggressive Rottweiler, and that’ll often end with fights and violent incidents.
Because of this, it’s absolutely crucial for every Rottweiler owner to start training their dogs while they’re still young. This way, you’re teaching them how to behave, but you’re also stimulating their brains and ensuring that they’re not aggravated easily.
Most Common Rottweiler Aggression Signs
A Rottweiler can become aggressive towards the owners themselves if they’re not properly brought up. This can manifest through different signs. The most common Rottweiler aggression signs are growling, barking, starting at the owner – and the most dangerous one – biting.
Barking isn’t always a sign of aggression – it’s one of the dogs’ primary ways of communication, so not all barking is bad. But if a dog wants to scare you off, they’re definitely going to bark at you.
The next level of aggression is growling – the only reason a dog growls is aggression – they feel aggravated and they need to send a signal to the other party, saying “Back off!” Don’t approach a growling Rottweiler, as they’re not growling without reason.
Then, we have to start with the owner. Sometimes, the dog will lunge or just do a quick sprint towards the person they’re aggressive towards. Don’t confuse this with an excited Rottweiler that just wants to play with you, as these two actions are very similar. However, if a dog wants to actually start at you, you’ll notice that the run is more aggressive in comparison to a dog that just wants to play with you.
Lastly, we have bitten. Dogs will often playfully bite, but if a dog really wants to hurt you – you’ll know it. A Rottweiler could easily break your arm with a bite, so if it bites you so hard that you’re in pain, the dog is definitely doing that on purpose.
All these are obvious signs of aggression, and you should definitely see a dog trainer try and fix your dog’s behavior before it’s too late.
Read more about: Why Does My Rottweiler Growl at Me?
FAQ
How do I stop my Rottweiler from being aggressive?
You need to train and discipline your dog to control its aggression and provide the mental stimulation it needs to keep calm. It's best to talk to a professional dog trainer about this.
Why do Rottweilers bite their owners?
Dogs will often bite you playfully, but an undisciplined dog will bite out of aggression. There's no specific reason for this - the dog is simply undisciplined and needs training.
What do to if your Rottweiler growls at you?
Not every growl means aggression - a Rottweiler will likely growl at you if you touch its food, for example, telling you to leave it alone. If it's growling aggressively, though, you need to start training exercises.
At what age does a Rottweiler become aggressive?
A well-trained Rottweiler won't ever become aggressive, while an untrained Rottweiler will show signs of aggression from an early age.
To End
Rottweilers are generally very well-behaving dogs that are disciplined and don’t start trouble. There are, however, instances where owners don’t discipline their Rottweilers properly and they become aggressive towards the owner, but also other dogs. In this instance, the solution is dog training, preferably with a dog trainer with experience with bad behaving dogs.
Rottweilers need dog training from an early age in order to learn to behave.