If your Rottweiler keeps barking, you might want to know why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of reasons why it might be doing it and what you can do to stop it.
So, why does my Rottweiler bark so much? Possible reasons are that it is excited, fearful, being protective, bored, in pain, hungry, looking for attention or you might have reinforced it by giving it things it wants when it whines.
There are multiple reasons why it might bark a lot and it could be the result of a combination of reasons. However, there are some things to consider that will help in figuring out the exact reason. There are also a number of things you can do about it once you have a good idea of the cause.
Why your Rottweiler always barks
Each of the different reasons why it does it will likely come with some clues.
Below are a number of common reasons why your Rottweiler might be barking a lot and what would make them more likely.
Excitement
One of the reasons why it sometimes barks is likely to be excitement since it is not uncommon for dogs to bark when they are excited. This would be more likely to be the reason if it barks more in situations such as when you are about to walk it or when you come home.
Fear or anxiety
The cause could be that something is causing it to be fearful or anxious. This would be more likely if it does it in situations such as when there are noises outside or when you are about to leave home.
Protection
The cause could be that it is being protective. This would be more likely if it barks more in situations such as when someone is at the door or when you are near someone else.
If it does it when there is someone it doesn’t know in your home it would be normal behavior. But, if it does it in situations such as when you are talking to someone when walking it then it would help to train it to stop with the use of positive reinforcement training or positive association training.
It has been reinforced
It could also be the case that you have encouraged the behavior by giving it things it wants when it does it. If you tend to give it things that it likes such as toys, treats or extra attention when it barks then it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.
Instead, it would help to reward it when it is being well behaved and to wait for it to stop barking before rewarding it.
Boredom
Rottweilers are a breed that is meant to get a lot of exercise everyday. When they do not get enough exercise it can cause them to behave abnormally and it could be why yours has been barking a lot.
Generally, it is recommended to give them at least an hour of exercise daily and the American Kennel Club actually recommends 2 hours of daily exercise. If your Rottweiler has not been getting much exercise and it is healthy it would help to make sure that it does start getting more exercise.
Hunger
Being hungry could also be the reason why it does it. This would be more likely if it tends to bark more when you would normally feed it or if it does it when you are eating.
Pain
It could be the case that it has been barking because something has been causing it to be in pain. This would be more likely if it has started barking more suddenly and if it has been showing signs of being in pain such as limping. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
It wants attention
The cause could also be that it is looking for attention. This would be more likely if it does it more when you have not given it much attention and if you tend to give it more attention when it does it.
It would help to give it attention throughout the day by exercising it, walking it and playing with it. But, it would also help to wait for it to stop barking before giving it attention unless it seems to be doing it for a different reason.
Possessiveness
The cause might also be that it is being possessive which is where it tries to protect something that it believes belongs to it such as a space on the couch or its food.
Dogs that are normally friendly can become aggressive when they are being possessive so if yours seems to be being possessive it would help to get the advice of a dog trainer to see how to train it safely.
How to stop your Rottweiler from barking a lot
Below are some options you have when getting your Rottweiler to bark less.
Positive reinforcement training
Positive reinforcement training involves rewarding your Rottweiler for showing signs of behaving the way you want it to and avoiding rewarding it when it does not.
To use it to get it to stop barking you would reward it when it does not bark and it normally would and stop rewarding it when it does bark.
You can watch the video below for tips on using positive reinforcement training to get it to stop barking.
Avoid reinforcing the bad behavior
As mentioned above, it could be the case that you have been inadvertently encouraging it to bark by giving it things it wants when it does it. Instead, it would help to wait for it to stop barking before rewarding it and to try to recognize when it is likely to bark and to redirect its focus onto something else.
Give it attention
It would also help to give it attention throughout the day so that it is less likely to seek attention from you. Ways to give it attention would be to exercise it, play with it and to give it training.
Give it distractions
In addition to the above, you could also give it things to be distracted with so that it is less likely to seek its own amusement. Things you could give it would include toys, puzzle games and bones.
Take it to the vet
If you are unsure of why your Rottweiler has been doing it and it seems like it might be doing it due to being in pain, the best option would be to take it to a vet for a checkup. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Rottweiler and to rule out the possibility of it being due to injury.
Give it exercise
As mentioned above, it is important to give your Rottweiler exercise daily so that it is fully stimulated. If your Rottie is healthy then it would help to make sure that it is able to get exercise every day.
Things to consider
When it started barking
It would help to consider when your Rottweiler first started doing it since it might be the case that there was an event that caused it to start.
If it started doing it suddenly it would be more likely to be due to things such as a sudden change in its daily routine leaving it confused such as if you feed or walk it at a different time or that it is injured. It would help to consider what else changed when it first started doing it.
When and where it tends to bark
It would also help to consider the timing of when and where it barks since the timing might have something to do with it.
For example, if it tends to bark when you would normally feed it then it would be more likely that it is trying to remind you to feed it.