If your Rottweiler has been acting afraid around you, this post will show you a number of possible reasons why it has been doing it and what you can do about it.
So, why is my Rottweiler scared of me? Possible reasons are that you were aggressive towards it, it’s in a new environment, previous owners mistreated it or it is ill or injured.
Your Rottweiler might be behaving that way for a number of different reasons and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason.
Why your Rottweiler is scared of you
Below, I will show you a number of reasons why your Rottweiler might be being scared of you and what would make them more likely to be the main reason.
You were aggressive towards it
The issue could be that you were aggressive towards it and it is now not comfortable around you. This would be more likely to be the reason if it became scared of you at around the same time that you were aggressive towards it and if it is only scared of you.
If this is the case, then it would help to stop being aggressive towards it, to be calmer around your Rottweiler and to use positive reinforcement training instead of punishing it.
It is unsure of its environment
The issue could be that it is unsure of its new environment. This would be more likely if you recently adopted it.
In this case, it would help to give it attention throughout the day by playing with it, training it and exercising it. If it does not begin to improve its behavior after a few weeks it would help to seek the advice of a vet or a dog behaviorist.
Previous owners
It could be the case that previous owners mistreated it and it now does not trust humans much. This would be more likely if you adopted it from a shelter recently. In this case, it might begin to improve over the course of weeks. If it does not, consider getting help from a dog behaviorist.
It is ill or injured
The issue could be that it has gotten an illness or injury. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly, it has been showing other signs of being ill or injured and if it has not been hiding only from you. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Encouraging the behavior
It could also be the case that you have been encouraging the behavior by giving it things it wants when it becomes afraid. If you tend to give it things such as treats, toys or extra attention when it does it then it might be doing it more in order to get more rewards.
Instead, it would help to reward it when it is not afraid and to avoid rewarding it when it starts being afraid.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider about your Rottweiler being scared of you.
When your Rottweiler became afraid of you
If it was not always scared of you, it would help to consider what else happened at around the same time that it 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 becoming ill or injured, being mistreated or rewarding the behavior.
If it only becomes scared of you at certain times
It would also help to consider if there are certain times that it tends to hide more.
For example, if it tends to do it when there are certain loud noises outside, it would make it more likely that it is actually afraid of the noises.
Its age
It would also help to consider the age of your Rottweiler. If your Rottie is still young then it would be likely that it will become less afraid as it gets older since it could be going through a more timid stage. However, it would still help to give it positive attention throughout the day.
What to do about your Rottweiler being scared of you
Below are some options you have when trying to get it to be less scared.
Be calmer around your Rottweiler
When interacting with your Rottweiler it would help to be calm and to use positive reinforcement training to get it to behave the way you want it to. Being aggressive around it will likely cause it to become more afraid and it will likely not understand why you are being aggressive.
Play and exercise
It would also help to get it to be more comfortable around you by giving it positive attention in the form of training, exercise and by playing with it.
It is generally recommended for healthy adult Rottweilers to get at least an hour fo exercise per day.
Avoid reinforcing the behavior
It would also help to avoid giving it rewards when it is scared of you. Instead, it would help to reward it when it shows signs of being interested in you and to use positive reinforcement training.
Be patient
When training your Rottweiler is it important to have patience. It is unlikely that a single training session will allow for big results but it will be more likely that it will improve if you’re consistent over the course of weeks and months.
Take it to a vet
If you cannot figure out why your Rottweiler has been doing it or it has started doing it suddenly, it would help 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.