Why is my Rottweiler sad?

If your Rottweiler has been acting sad, you might want to know why and what you can do about it.

This post will show you a number of possible reasons why it is sad and what you can do to get it to be less sad.

So, why is my Rottweiler sad? Possible reasons are that it is depressed, not getting enough exercise, ill, wanting more attention, it has an issue with its diet or it might have been mistreated.

Your Rottweiler could be being sad for a number of reasons and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the exact reason and there are a number of things to do about it.

Why your Rottweiler is sad

Each of the different reasons why it is sad will likely come with some clues.

Below are a number of possible causes and what would make them more likely to be the reason.

Depression

Dogs can become depressed and it might be why your Rottweiler has been being sad. This would be more likely if your Rottweiler started doing it after something happened that might have made it depressed such as an owner or another pet dying or if it started being left alone for a long time.

In this case, it might begin to get better after a few weeks. It would help to give it positive attention throughout the day in the form of training, exercise and by playing with it. If it does not improve then the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Not enough exercise

Rottweilers are a breed that is meant to get a lot of exercise on a daily basis in order to be fully stimulated. Generally, it is recommended for them to get at least an hour of exercise per day when they are healthy adults. If your Rottweiler has not been getting that much, as an adult, it would help to make sure that it does. If it is a puppy, it would help to confirm how much it should be getting with your vet.

Illness

The cause could be that it has become ill or injured. This would be more likely if it became sad suddenly and if it started acting abnormally in other ways too such as by being fatigued or limping. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Poor diet

It could be the case that there is an issue with its diet. It could be that it has been getting fed too much, not enough or the wrong foods. A problem with its diet would be more likely to be the cause if it started being sad suddenly or if it does it more when it has eaten certain foods.

It would help to make sure that no one else has been feeding it, to talk with your vet about its diet and you can also look here to see what you should and should not be feeding it.

It was mistreated

The cause could also be that someone mistreated it. This would be more likely if you adopted it from a shelter or if it becomes sad at certain times or around certain people.

How to tell if your Rottweiler is actually sad

It might be the case that your Rottweiler seems to be sad but it actually isn’t. Below are some ways to tell whether or not it is actually sad or it just seems sad.

It eats less

If your Rottweiler has started eating less suddenly, it could be because something has been causing it to be depressed. It could also be because it has become ill. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

It is less active

Another sign that it is sad would be if it has suddenly started being less active. This could also be a sign that it is ill or injured so, again, it would be best to take it to a vet.

It avoids you

If your Rottweiler has suddenly started avoiding you it would also be a sign that it is sad or depressed. However, it might be the case that it does it due to being fearful if you have been aggressive towards it.

It’s displaying compulsive behaviors

Suddenly displaying compulsive behaviors such as constantly licking itself would also be a sign that it is sad or that something is causing it to be stressed. In this case, it would be the best option to take it to a vet.

Things to consider

What happened when it started being sad

It would help to consider what else happened when it first started being sad since it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start doing it.

If it started doing it suddenly, it would be more likely to be due to things such as a sudden change in its diet, becoming stressed, ill or injured, getting less exercise or getting less attention.

When it is not sad

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to be less sad. If there is, it could be the case that the timing also has something to do with it.

For example, if it does it shortly after eating, it might be a sign that there is an issue with its diet.

How to get your Rottweiler to be less sad

Below are some things you can do about your Rottweiler being sad.

Ensure that its diet is right

As mentioned above, the cause could be that there is a problem with its diet. It would help to make sure that no one else has been feeding it without you knowing and it would help to consult your vet about its diet. You can also look here to see what to feed it.

Take it to a vet

If you are unsure of why it has been doing it, your Rottweiler has started being sad suddenly or it has been showing signs of being ill or injured, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to rule out medical causes and to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Rottweiler.

Give it exericse

If it is healthy, it is important to make sure that it is able to get exercise on a daily basis. It is generally recommended for Rottweilers to get at least an hour of exercise per day.

Give it attention

It would also help to give it daily attention in the form of training, by playing with it and exercising it.

Reward it when it is not sad

It would also help to avoid encouraging it to be sad by avoiding giving it rewards when it is sad. Instead, it would help to reward it when it behaves the way you want it to.