I have a 4 yr old male rotweiller. I walk him daily. Am I making him agressive?

Question

I have noticed that in the last month he has become more agressive towards people we meet along the way. As a result when some one gets close, I am having to pull him in close to me so that he won't go after them. My question is, Is it possible that I may be bringing this on by shorting up his leash, and pulling him closer to me? I have a training collar on him, with the prongs. He weighs about 140 lbs and this is the only way I can control him. My next step is to buy a muzzle for him. I don't want to stop the walks, he loves it and needs the excercise. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

I am no way an expert, but maybe an idea would be to buy him a muzzle then try to arrange with help of some friends that you can let him go up to these people whilst muzzled and on a longer lead, hopefully he will then accept that people you meet are NOT a threat to him. I think you would be best to consult your vet with a veiw to him seeing a behaviourist. Good luck

Answer 2

Yes, you could be influencing his behavior by your reaction. Dogs get their cues from you, and when you pull on the leash and tighten/tense up he gets the command to be on guard/this is not a good situation. Try bringing great treats on a walk-- something he usually doesn't get but loves-- and getting him to practice sitting far away from people- like in a park. Make people being around a positive experience. Gradually as he calms down and is not barking, struggling, etc move closer to people and continue this a little at a time. If he gets too upset you know you need to back off and move slower with acclamating him to having strangers walking around him. It will take a while, but the slower you work on socializing him to the situation and only rewarding him for being good and calm on-leash the better he will eventually get. Remember, don't tense up or he'll sense it and get protective!

Answer 3

Most of the time when dogs do this, it's because a) they're not properly socialised and b) they've learned to become dominant and think it's their job to protect you from strangers. You have to teach him that it isn't.

Nothing wrong with pulling the dog up, but it won't correct the root of the problem. Find some training classes to enrol your dog in, and be sure to tackle the problem at home too i.e teach your dog his place in the 'pack'. This means he does not get the same privileges as the humans - no going on the sofa or bed, no eating at the same time as you or eating any of your food, reprimanded for incorrect behaviour and rewarded for good behaviour etc etc etc.

Dog behaviour can be reeaally complicated, but it's important to get it corrected, especially with a dog as big and powerful as a rottie.

Chalice

Answer 4

I had a Rotty years ago,he went about 150 lb.s. My moving around kept me from holding on to him(left him with a friend back east in the country). It's when we didn't have our walks,because I worked long hours,that he really became agitated and aggressive. What your doing is exactly what he needs. Remember,he's reaching adulthood so his behavior will also be coming to fruition as well.
As with all canines,they are instinctively curious of there surroundings. He's just examining things. We as humans with our self imposed fears with things intimidating like a large animal be it a dog,horse,bovine,etc.,seems to be what your concerned about. Your worried of how his behavior amongst people in general will be accepted. You don't state that he's clearly attacked people out of aggression for no reason,so I'm not factoring it in to my answer.
I misses my boy even now,he was the best. Our relationship demanded respect,from the both of us. My son back then was 4 and Zeus clearly outweighed him by 110 lb.s. Uncertainty to compatibility,hell yeah! I was seriously worried that my son would over step the unspoken boundaries I shared with Zeus and fear of his reprisal scared me. But not once was my fears realized,as how a best friend should be.
Your letter has me believing that your concerns about his(your Rotty's) social acceptance and behavior,are based out of love for him. Walk him,walk him as often as possible. I believe the more he's exposed to the mass public,the more accustomed he will become to the do's and don'ts of our society. It would be more detrimental to the both of you to stop with your walks.
My question to you is,are you up for the challenge? Or have you bit off more than you can chew? These dogs need firm attentive care. I ask this because Zeus came to me from a person that thought it was just cool to have one. Not realizing the amount of attention they need. 4 years would say you are.
Well, my answer is don't stop the walks,not if you care. The aggressive nature may never go away,but he's a Rotty what did you expect? How you handle him makes all the difference in the world. Firm Kindness!

Answer 5

Another idea might be to put him in a sit/stay while the people pass by. Do not apply pressure to the collar and see what he does.

Might also get a muzzle and try this, but ask if the passer-by's would mind petting your dog.

Answer 6

Yes:
by shortening the leash and causing him PAIN (the prong-collar),
U are both reinforcing his sense of threat
('stay by me, where it's safe - s/he's dangerous!'),
and associating 'ouch!' with strangers.

if he's One Hundred Forty Pounds,
he's FAT, Fat, Fat!
he needs a Lot more exercise, and a lot Less Calories.
it takes BOTH to peel pounds off dogs...
merely cutting calories will not work,
dogs can easily maintain on as little as 50% of their former daily-cals.

* habituate him to a Gentle Leader,
* Loosen up on the leash (it should hang in a slight belly),
* and go to a good POSITIVE Reinforcement trainer...
Not! a BarkBuster, a Cesar-Millan-DogShouter-wannabe,
or any of the other aversive, force-based, or dominance-based trainers that abound these days.

see for research, training protocols, etc.

also join AgBeh...
the list on Yahoo-groups for 'aggressive behavior in dogs'.

good luck!

Answer 7

do not stop your walks with him, but do bring a muzzle and put it on him if he starts growling. he is a big strong guy so to be on the safe side muzzle him.he is being protective of you and doesn't want any one to close. my border collie is like this to, she is very aggressive when we walk and more so on a leash.so i have a muzzle just in case.i walk her everyday and most people should know enough to cross the road when they see you coming,especilly with a dog like yours. good luck.

Answer 8

You should probably see if there are local pet trainers/obedience classes in your area. WIth a dog that size he needs to be properly handled. Its not fair to him to have to have a training collar, or muzzle on him.

Answer 9

Rottweiler - muzzle, longer lead, training class, walk, walk, walk, diet. Take all the advice you've read here, you will have a great dog!

Answer 10

I would say for the protection of your lovely companion, that you get a muzzle for him..

Good luck to you , your doggie needs his walks!