Rottweiler generally begin to show some aggression signs between 6 and 9 months of age, when the puppy reaches puberty. In some Rottweilers, aggressive behavior can begin when they reach social maturity between 18 and 36 months, depending on how quickly they mature.
One of the most common reasons why Rottweilers get hurt is their instinctive aggression. When they see something that they do not want or believe is harmful, they act violently.
If they harbor hatred against a certain dog, they will most likely attack the latter. Since these dogs act primarily on impulse and instinct, they will most likely injure themselves in the process.
Reasons of Aggressive Behavior In Rottweiler
Aggression in Rottweilers is caused by many factors. It could be caused by sheer disgust against you or other dogs; It could be due to a perceived danger that aggression is the only way to survive, or it could also be due to a fear that they no longer know how to react properly.
Dog aggression can be classified according to its cause and nature. Here are some possible reasons why Rottweilers become aggressive:
1. When They Are Afraid Of Danger
Most of the time aggression in rottweilers is caused by fear. This is one of their protection mechanisms in cases of perceived danger.
Fearful aggression does not always indicate the presence of real danger. It could be the result of a misinterpretation of a certain situation. For example, you are running towards your rottweiler without the intention of hurting him.
Your dog can respond to this action of yours in two ways:
- First: He can react positively by putting a smile on his face, running up to you, and licking your face directly.
- Second: The dog may react negatively and perceive that you are running towards him as a threat. He might think that you are going to pounce on him or stab him, which could provoke a negative response.
2. When It Comes To Protection
If your rottweiler dog was terribly aggressive because he needed to protect himself from harm and danger, the dog will be protectively aggressive and will try to protect his valuable belongings.
Rottweilers have a tendency to care for their puppies until the puppies are capable enough to sustain a living. Relating it to the case, a female rottweiler who just gave birth to her puppies would want to protect these little ones as they grow.
Protective aggression is the reason why some rottweilers are hostile, even towards their guardian, after giving birth.
3. Social aggression
This phenomenon generally arises within the family, generally viewed as sibling rivalry. You may be wondering how sibling rivalry between dogs can happen. Although dogs are generally not capable of harboring envy, sibling rivalry occurs when a dog perceives a change in the family hierarchy.
Typically, Rottweilers follow this principle to meet their basic needs, such as food and water. Whoever is at the top of the hierarchy can choose the food they want and whoever sits at the bottom chooses last.
An alteration in this hierarchy is equated to a threat. A rottweiler that wants to protect his/her position in the hierarchy would try to show his aggressiveness to assert himself.
Other causes of social aggression in rottweilers include:
- Waking the dog while it sleeps
- depriving it of food
- Bathing the dog (Rottweilers are often hydrophobic or afraid of water) •
- Threatening them with a pointed object •
- Aggressively pulling its tail.
4. When They Get Hurt
Perhaps the most common cause of aggression is pain. When you hit a dog and the stimulus causes pain, what it usually does is growl, pull back its lips, bark, gnash its teeth, and stiffen its tail. This is also one of the main impetus for biting.
Usually, when rottweilers are hit, they have this tendency to take revenge, which is achieved by biting.
5. Territorial
Rottweilers can attack people who invade the spaces that he claims as his own. This includes your bed, food bowl, or garden.
6. When They Are Possessive
Similar to territorial aggression, this behavior will cause a rottweiler to attack other people or animals that steal his belongings.
7. When They Are Punished
This usually occurs when owners mistreat their rottweilers. If you yell at them or hurt them frequently when they do something bad, they will be more aggressive and obnoxious towards their owners.
8. While Hunting
All dogs including Rottweilers have an innate sense of hunting prey. That is why they chase, bark, or attack runners, cats, cars, or other moving objects.
How to handle an aggressive rottweiler?
When you notice your Rottweiler showing some aggressive signs, try to defuse the situation as quickly and calmly as you can.
If you get angry when your Rottweiler puppy starts showing signs of aggression, it will only make him more anxious, which will only intensify his aggressive tendencies.
Exposing your dog to his aggression triggers in a controlled situation with close attention to his reaction can help him break out of this behavior.
When you can control the situation and neutralize it, those triggers for aggression will be fewer in the future.
It is very important to socialize the puppy, take it for regular walks and expose it to other dogs and people. If he shows signs of stress, remove him from the situation. When he’s relaxed, be sure to give him a treat and praise him.
When they are educated with praise for calm behavior, they will learn that calm behavior has great rewards.
A home life based on praise will ease your Rottweiler puppy’s anxiety, make him feel secure, and hopefully recondition him for his aggressive tendencies.