Why does my Rottweiler Growl at me?
Why does my Rottweiler Growl at me: You may have observed rottweiler growling at you while being petted or hugged, snapping could be observed.
Rottweiler is considered among the best guard dog breeds but still, they are not much vocal. They only bark whenever it’s necessary, however, they are known for growling. There could be many reasons for a dog growing at his owner. Usually, Rottweiler growls to communicate and show aggression. It can also be a warning sign before biting. Here we will discuss the main reasons why do Rottweiler growls at their owner.
Why do Rottweilers growl at their owners?
It is not rare for a dog to growl at its owner but there could be many owners for this. Here we will discuss the common reasons for your Rottweiler growling at you-
To communicate
Everyone knows dogs can’t talk like us so instead of talking they growl. As Rottweilers are not much vocal you won’t expect them to bark much instead of this they growl to communicate. Communication could be the main reason for your Rottweiler growling on you. Maybe your dog is trying to ask you for a walk or he is just welcoming you by growling. The only thing you need to observe the body language of your dog and it’s not much difficult to understand what your Rottweiler is trying to say.
Due to aggression
It is common for a fearless dog breed like Rottweiler to show aggression. The reason for your dog growling could be aggression and maybe his growling is a warning before biting. You could easily understand whether your dog is angry or not by just looking at him. You should be a little careful when your dog is growling at you because of anger and stop those activities which make him angry.
Due to fear
Usually, Rottweilers are not for being scared but unlike other breeds, fear makes them more aggressive. As they are of defensive nature, they growl or attack anything which makes them feel unsafe. Maybe you are doing something which makes them feel scared or unsafe. Like insisting on them to swim, trimming their nails, loud sounds, or forcing them to sit in the car. To avoid this you should know the reason behind their fear and try to avoid those things and make them comfortable. You should also take your dog to a dog behaviorist.
Due to pain and uneasiness
There are many diseases that could cause pain and nausea, maybe your dog is feeling uncomfortable and he is trying to tell you about that. The reason for uneasiness could also be injuries or dislocations also. In such a situation, you should carefully observe the health of your dog. You should also look out for these things- appetite, behavior, and activity level of your dog. If you find something unusual then you should take your dog to the Vet. To avoid health issues you should take your Rottweiler to the Vet for monthly health checkups.
Due to enjoyment and fun
It is not always a matter of concern that your dog is growling on you may be he is just enjoying and he is happy. For example – they usually growl when you pet them. Rottweilers also growl when they play with other dogs or family members. Sometimes they also become a little aggressive while playing so you should train them to avoid aggression until it becomes a habit.
To show possession
As Rottweilers are territorial by nature so it is a little obvious for them to become possessive of their things. Food aggression is the most common form of possessive behavior. They usually get aggressive when someone tries to enter their territory or taking their things like toys and chews. Such dogs also are a little aggressive or dominating to other pets also. To avoid such behavior proper training and socializing are necessary. By training your main objective is to teach them that it is okay to share things with others. You can also take your Rottweiler to a dog trainer for the same.
To show dominance
We all know Rottweilers are of little dominating temperament by birth. Dominative behavior could be observed by their day to day activities. If you have more than one dog you would see one of them would always show him stronger than the others. Dogs with dominating behavior always show them as the leader and they usually don’t share their personal space example they don’t want to share their bed. Not only with other dogs they can be dominating towards humans also. You may observe your dog growling when you try to hug him back, this may show his dominating behavior towards you.
How to stop your Rottweiler from growling?
First of all, the main thing that you should do is to know the reason why does your Rottweiler grows at you. Then understand if his growling is positive or negative, for example, if your dog growls to tell you that he wants to go for a pee then it is positive and if he growls at you for no reason or to show aggression then it is negative. Then start working towards the removal of that reason, you should avoid or remove those situations or things that trigger the growling.
If those reasons can’t be avoided then train your dog to accept and train them to be comfortable around them. For example, if your dog growls when you walk him on a leash then you should train your dog to be comfortable while walking on a leash. You should take your dog to a dog behaviorist or a dog trainer for that. Also proper socializing should be done from starting as it could help you to avoid your growling due to aggression.
Another thing that you have to understand Is that you have to teach your dog to stop growl not forcing him not to growl. Some things like physical punishment should be avoided this will only worsen up the situation, showing anger to your dog is like increasing triggers.
You have to use positive reinforcement in training. Ignoring growls could be bad as growling for no reason could be the habit of your Rottweiler. In the end, you have to understand that it is not uncommon for a Rottweiler to growl, all we have to do is to control too much growling not to stop it.
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