If your Rottweiler has been being needy, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it.
This post will show you some common causes and what you can do about it.
So, why is my Rottweiler so needy? Possible reasons are that it wants attention, it has separation anxiety, it’s bored or that you have inadvertently rewarded the behavior.
There are actually many reasons why it might have been behaving that way and it could be due to a combination of them. However, there are a number of things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason. There are also a number of things you can do about it.
Why your Rottweiler is so needy
Below are some reasons why your Rottweiler might be being needy and what would make them more likely to be the main reason.
It wants attention
The reason why it has been doing it could be that it is trying to get extra attention from you. This would be more likely if it tends to be needier when you have not been giving it much attention and if you tend to give it extra attention when it does it.
Instead, it would help to give it attention throughout the day by walking it, training it and playing with it. However, it would help to avoid rewarding it with attention when it becomes needy and to wait for it to stop before giving it attention again.
It was mistreated as a puppy
It could also be the case that it has been doing it because it was mistreated by previous owners and it now likes being around someone that it trusts. This would be more likely if you adopted it from a shelter.
In this case, it might start to become less needy as it gets older and you can still do the training tips below. If it is bothering you then you could also consider getting help from a dog behaviorist.
It has separation anxiety
The reason why it has been being needy could also be that it has some separation anxiety. This is where it does not like it when it is left alone and being left alone causes it to become anxious. This would be more likely if your Rottweiler starts being needy when you are about to leave home.
It’s bored
Rottweilers are meant to get daily exercise. When Rotties do not get enough exercise it can cause them to behave abnormally and it might be why yours has been being needy.
Generally, it is recommended for Rottweiler to get at least an hour of exercise per day as healthy adults.
You have reinforced the behavior
It could also be the case that you have inadvertently encouraged it to be needy by giving it things it wants when it does it. If you tend to give it things such as toys, treats or extra attention when it is needy 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 try to avoid rewarding it when it misbehaves unless necessary.
Nature
It could be the case that your Rottweiler does it naturally. Rottweilers were bred to work with their owners, intensively, for hours on a daily basis so, it will naturally look to you for direction. This is why it is important to give it lots of training so that it learns how it is meant to behave.
Things to consider
When it started being needy
If your Rottweiler has not always been needy, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it since there might have been an event that caused it to start.
If it started being needy suddenly it would make it more likely to be due to things such as a change in its schedule, something causing it to be anxious or you might have inadvertently rewarded the behavior. It would help to consider what else changed at around the same time that it started doing it.
When it becomes needy
It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to become needy since the timing might also have something to do with it.
For example, if it does it more when you are about to leave home, it would be more likely to be due to separation anxiety.
How to get your Rottweiler to stop being needy
Below are some things you can do when getting your Rottweiler to be less needy.
Positive reinforcement training
Positive reinforcement training is where you encourage the behaviors that you want to see by rewarding it when it shows signs of displaying them.
To use it to get your Rotweiler to be less needy you would stop giving it attention when it is too clingy and then reward it when it shows signs of being less clingy.
You could also train it to sit or stay and then tell it to sit somewhere else when it starts being needy.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As mentioned above, it might be the case that you have encouraged it to behave that way. Instead, it would help to try to reward it when it is not clingy, to stop rewarding it when it starts being clingy and to try to redirect its behavior when it seems like it is about to start being clingy.
Exercise
It is also important to give it exercise daily if it is a healthy adult. It is generally recommended for Rottweilers to get at least an hour of exercise per day as healthy adults. If it is already getting daily exercise, you could try wearing it out more by getting it to play fetch.
Give it attention throughout the day
It would also help to give it attention throughout the day so that it does not feel the need to get it from you as much. Ways to give it attention would be to walk it, train it and to play with it.
Take it to the vet
If you can’t figure out why it has been doing it or it has been showing signs of illness, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Rottweiler and to find out if it is due to medical causes.
Another option would be to get help from a dog behaviorist. By doing so, you should be able to see why it has been behaving that way and how to get it to stop.