Having a Rottweiler that growls can be a very concerning thing and is something that you’ll be wanting to stop. This post will help you to figure out why your Rottweiler is growling and how to stop it.
So, why does my rottweiler growl? Possible reasons why your Rottweiler growls are that it is protecting food or possessions, fear, uncertainty, pain, frustration, having fun or you might have rewarded the behavior.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your Rottweiler might be doing it and it could be due to a combination of reasons. But, there are some things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason.
Why your Rottweiler growls
The different reasons why your Rottweiler does it will likely come with some clues.
Below are some possible causes and what would make them more likely.
Protecting food/possessions
The cause of the growling could be that it is warning you not to touch something that it thinks belongs to it. This would be more likely if it does it in situations such as when it is eating or when you are trying to sit where it normally sits.
Dogs that are normally friendly can become aggressive when they are being possessive. So, in this case, it would be advised that you seek the guidance of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist in your area to see how to train it safely.
Fear
The cause could be that something is causing it to be fearful or anxious. This would be more likely if it tends to do it more in situations such as when there are noises outside like fireworks.
Pain
The cause could be that something has been causing it to be in pain and it has been growling out of frustration. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being in pain such as limping. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Uncertainty of what’s about to happen
The cause could be that it is unsure of what is happening. This would be more likely if it does it in situations such as when you are training it to do something difficult or when you don’t feed it at the same time that you normally would.
It’s having fun
Often, dogs will growl when they are having fun and it could be the reason why yours growls sometimes. This would be more likely to be the reason if it growls in situations such as when you are playing tug of war with it.
Dominating nature
It could be the case that your Rottweiler has been growling because it is being dominant. This would be more likely if it is also unresponsive to your command, it tries to position itself to be in higher positions than you or it tries to get you to move from a certain position.
To prevent this it would be important to give it lots of positive reinforcement training so that it learns how it is meant to behave and so that it sees you as the leader.
How To Stop Your Rottweiler’s Growling
Below are some options you have when getting your Rottweiler to growl less.
Fix any pain
If it seems like it might have been growling due to being in pain, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to rule out the possibility of it being due to injury and to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Rottweiler.
Remove anything it doesn’t like
If it seems like it might be growling due to something in its environment then it would help to take measures to get it to be more comfortable in its environment. This means that you should move any objects that it doesn’t like such as Christmas trees, noisy fans or whatever else it might be if possible.
Train it to not growl
Another option would be to make sure of positive reinforcement training to get it to stop growling. Positive reinforcement training involves rewarding it when it does not growl and stopping rewarding it when it starts growling.
You can watch the video below to see how to train it not to growl using positive reinforcement training. However, it would be advised to seek the guidance of a professional dog trainer if it seems like it might become aggressive when it is growling.
Make sure to stop it when it’s still a puppy
If your Rottweiler is still a puppy, it would be very important to start giving it lots of positive reinforcement training now so that it is well behaved as an adult.
Get the help from an animal behaviorist
If you are unsure of why your Rottweiler has been doing it or it seems like it might be aggressive when it growls at you, the best option would be to get help from a professional dog trainer or behaviorist. By doing so you will be able to see how to train it safely.
Things to consider
Keep your distance
If your Rottweiler is growling then you shouldn’t approach it since you’ll be risking it seeing you as a threat. Instead, wait for it to calm down and then try to rectify it with lots of positive reinforcement training. Alternatively, if you’re concerned, try and get help from a professional trainer who will be able to deal with it using a lot more experience.
Don’t punish the aggression
It would also help to avoid punishing it since it might not know why it is being punished, it could lead to feelings of resentment and it might cause it to become aggressive. Instead, it would help to give it lots of positive reinforcement training so that it learns how to behave.