Rottweilers. They are easy to recognize due to their distinctive features: blocky body, massive head, black coat with tan points. And they can be quite intimidating. People researching this breed often wonder at what age Rottweilers become aggressive.
It’s understandable why people ask this question. Yet, part of the answer is that Rottweilers do not necessarily become aggressive.
Aggressiveness is not a key feature of these giants but can develop if the dog is not trained properly.
So, what we suggest is to give this dog breed the presumption of innocence. Let’s start by knowing the Rottweiler better, in the first place.
Rottweiler personality traits
The Rottweiler is a guardian dog and not recommended for first-time owners. They can become good family companions with the right training and continuous socialization. [1]
Even if it was a working dog at its beginnings, the Rottweiler is currently classified as a guardian dog. This means that individuals with certain traits have been selected for breeding. For this reason, males can be slightly aggressive and dominant.
The positive side of their dominant personality is that Rottweilers are very confident and independent. They are intelligent and active and will try to act on their own. This is why guidance from the first weeks of life is crucial.
But my Rottweiler is not aggressive, many owners will say.
Yes, but their large size means they can inflict severe damage if they attack a person or a pet. This is why obedience training and discipline are very important to obtain a well-behaved Rottweiler. They can even be a child’s companion if they are trained and socialized.
Aggressivity is not the only behavior issue for this breed. A major trait of Rottweilers is being wired to the idea of working. This is why they have been created in the first place.
If you don’t keep a Rottweiler occupied by giving tasks that use brains and energy, it will develop negative behavior. Boredom can make Rottweilers a nuisance. They will bark a lot, dig and chew, and their size makes them capable for considerable destruction.
Lack of socialization will definitely make them aggressive. Rottweilers have an innate desire to protect owners. They are cautious with people they don’t know due to their guardian dog past. A cautious Rottweiler that is not socialized can have a mean behavior. If they are not used to interact with other people, Rottweilers will see an enemy in every stranger.
To conclude, the Rottweiler is one of the most intelligent dog breeds out there. It has an amazing ability to learn and to adapt to environments. On the other hand, if you don’t offer affection, discipline, and socialization, its qualities will work against it.
What are the most common Rottweiler behavior problems?
If a Rottweiler is not properly trained and socialized, it may develop various behavior issues. A Rottweiler puppy growling may not be such a big issue. But once they reach full size and strength, this could be a problem. People ask “Why does my Rottweiler growl at me?” and fear they could be attacked.
Before discussing the solutions, let’s see what other types of negative behavior a Rottweiler can have:
- Separation anxiety
Not necessarily a type of behavior, but a cause of behaving badly. Rottweilers are very sensitive and get very, very attached to their humans. If you leave your big friend alone for long periods of time, he or she will feel unhappy. [2]
If you go missing for a few hours, leave some old clothes that have your smell. They will provide comfort to four-legged friend.
- Chewing furniture and pillows
The powerful jaws of Rottweilers can cause a lot of damage in your home, and it’s not the dog’s fault.
Once you decide to adopt a Rottweiler, you take responsibility for meeting its needs. Adolescents and young adults, especially, need appropriate outlets for their energy.
- Jumping on furniture
Almost two centuries ago, Rottweilers used to pull heavy weights and work hard at the farm.
Today, they may get half an hour of exercise a day and lots of food. No wonder they will try to consume their energy around your home and possibly become overweight.
Get a Rottweiler only if you have time and energy to ensure outdoor vigorous exercising every day.
- Stealing your seat
Rottweilers like to lay on your couch because it’s cozy and it smells like you. If you are bothered by this, create a comfortable place for them to call their own.
- Being cautious or mean around strangers
At what age a Rottweiler starts barking at strangers? We’ll answer that a bit lately.
A bigger problem is misbehaving with strangers that you welcome in your home or guests. The dog can be shy, jump at people, growl at them, and so on. This happens when a Rottie has not been socialized at a young age.
If your dog has not been socialized as a puppy, it may not ever be comfortable around strangers. However, you can still teach the dog to not behave aggressively towards them, at any age.
- Dominant behavior
Rottweilers are known for having a will of their own. Their size also helps them to impose their point of view.
Many times, dominance can be a type of behavior the dog has learned from their owners. This is why you don’t need to try and dominate the dog. The key is to understand the dog and communicate with it in a language it understands.
- Jumping on people
Rottweilers jump on their human parents when they get home to tell how much they missed them. For you, it can be fun.
The situation is different when you have guests, who can feel threatened. However, dogs greet each other by sniffing faces and do the same with humans, too. You will need to teach the dog good ways to greet your guests.
- Puppies biting and nipping
Biting and nipping represent typical 1 year old Rottweiler behavior. While this may seem like aggressivity, it is probably not. Puppies bite because they want to play or feel bored. You will need to use training methods to teach them that biting is not allowed.
What causes aggressive behavior in Rottweiler?
A trained and socialized Rottweiler should not be aggressive. The breed standards for Rottweiler suggest this is a calm, confident, and courageous dog. Only their ancestors used to have aggressive tendencies.
But even if a Rottweiler inherits such traits, aggressivity becomes a problem when the dog is not properly trained.
Another issue is the owner’s inability to establish themselves as the pack leader. If the human does not take the leader role, the dog will. And it will not listen to humans anymore.
The warning signs of aggression in Rottweilers are snarling, growling, snapping, and eventually biting. If you don’t take action immediately, someone can get hurt.
How to prevent discipline problems in Rottweilers
Adopting a dog, especially a Rottweiler, comes with lots of responsibilities. You will need to dedicate a good amount of your time and attention to your gentle giant. Here are some tips to get your prepared for owning and disciplining a Rottie:
- Be the pack leader
Rottweilers, like any other dogs, require a calm, stable, and firm pack leader. If you are unable to take that role, they will assume it for you.
Don’t be surprised if the dog starts to behave aggressively when you want to discipline it. The Rottweiler will think that he or she is the boss and will obviously try to discipline you in return.
- Socialize puppies
As a dog owner, you are responsible (not just an option) for exposing your dog to all kinds of situations.
When a Rottweiler is used to meeting lots of people, the likelihood of getting aggressive towards strangers is reduced.
Try could be trained to become service dogs.
- Never mistreat your dog
Don’t try to impose your will by mistreating the dog, yelling, or kicking it. This is abusive behavior and can cause the Rottweiler to turn on you.
- Train the dog
The Rottweiler is not a dog you can keep without training. Aggression is often caused by lack of training. A Rottweiler should receive both command and obedience training.
You can get help from a professional dog trainer and you can also train the dog yourself. The dog should take part to at least 30 minutes of training every day, split into two 15-minute sessions.
By putting adequate time into training your dog, you can get a great family pet.
How to discipline a Rottweiler
There are many techniques that can be used to discipline dogs in general and Rottweilers in particular. No matter what method you use, you need to be calm and firm.
Biting during play is one of the most annoying bad behaviors in a Rottweiler. This is why we will present this technique to teach a puppy that biting is not OK. The method can be adapted for other negative behaviors, too. [3]
- Observe puppies playing with each other
When two young Rotties are playing, they tumble around and bite each other. When one of the puppies bites to hard, the other will let out a high pitched yelp. This determines the aggressor to stop. After a short break the puppies starts playing again.
- Play with your puppy
Allow the puppy to gnaw gently on your hand while playing. When they bite too hard, make a yelp immediately, the way a puppy would.
Don’t pull your hand suddenly as this could determine the pup to latch on tight and injure you. Say “No” firmly if the puppy is too rough.
- Take a break
If the puppy is too rough and does not loosen their grip on you, stop the game and walk away. Come back in 15-20 seconds and try again.
Puppies do the same while playing. If their play partner is too aggressive, the victim steps aside and tries playing again after a short break.
- Reward the dog for good behavior
Continue the play for 15 minutes. If the dog behaves gently the entire 15 minutes, reward them for their positive behavior.
- Keep a chew toy within reach
Whenever the puppy tends to get rough, shove a chew toy in their mouth. This transmits the dog the message they can only bite hard on the toy, and not on your hand.
At what age Rottweiler become aggressive – Final Word
Rottweilers start displaying signs of aggressivity around the age of two. The first signs may appear when the dog reaches puberty (between 6 and 9 months of age) or when they develop social maturity (18 to 36 months).
The reason behind their behavior is that they want to protect what they consider to be theirs. It can be their humans, their toys, or their territory.
Unlike other dog breeds, Rottweilers are vey confident and would go to any length to protect their owners and belongings.
At 6 months of age, your puppy may begin to bark at strangers, which is acceptable at this age. The dog will become more aggressive as it develops more confidence in its abilities.
But when does Rottweiler become aggressive may not be the best question.
A more adequate one would be “when do Rottweilers begin guarding?”
The two-year age is the answer in this case, too. Guarding develops once the dog realizes your property is its property, too. Rottweilers enjoy having control over their territories. The dog will only guard what’s theirs.
For guarding purposes, you need to invest in training, too. The dog’s instinct alone is not sufficient to ensure the protection of a large property and guarding against intruders.
Do you want your Rottweiler to ensure your protection? Start by treating the dog as a member of your family, while establishing yourself as the pack leader. As a result, the dog will instinctively do everything in his power to protect and please you.
