{"id":1309,"date":"2021-07-19T16:52:39","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T16:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/?p=1309"},"modified":"2023-11-11T20:50:51","modified_gmt":"2023-11-11T20:50:51","slug":"how-to-discipline-rottweiler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/how-to-discipline-rottweiler\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Discipline A Rottweiler"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rottweilers can make amazing family pets, but like any dog, they occasionally require discipline in order to ensure good behavior and their safety as well as that of the people and other dogs around them. <\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Rottweilers have gotten an unfair and unfounded reputation<\/a> of being aggressive and vicious, although these characteristics are often the result of training – or a lack thereof. <\/span>With proper training and discipline, Rotties thrive and their goofy, lovable personalities can shine.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, how should you discipline a Rottweiler? <\/span><\/p>\n

The best way to discipline your Rottweiler is to firmly and immediately tell him no, and then ignore him. Your Rottweiler likely craves your love above all else, so withholding your attention will send a clear message that you won\u2019t tolerate bad behavior. Conversely, reward good behavior right away – positive reinforcement is highly effective!<\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019re going to cover exactly how to do this and why dominance doesn\u2019t need to be part of your training vocabulary. <\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get started!<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s No Need to Establish Dominance<\/b><\/h2>\n

While it used to be the norm for dog training to involve a human establishing dominance over a dog, this has since been <\/span>debunked as a less-than-ideal training method<\/span><\/a>. It\u2019s based on the incorrect assumption that dogs purposely misbehave in an effort to establish their dominance over a human.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The original thought process there was that since wolves establish hierarchies within packs and dogs are descended from wolves, so a human could establish himself as the \u201calpha\u201d over his pet dog. <\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, it has since been discovered that wolf pack hierarchies are largely dictated by family structure (parent wolves are the natural leaders and offspring the natural followers) rather than by a fighting or a display of strength. As a result, <\/span>the term \u2018alpha\u2019 is no longer used<\/span><\/a> in the context of wild wolf pack hierarchies and therefore isn\u2019t particularly apt to describe dog\/human relationships either.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of this to say, Rottweilers and dogs in general are unlikely to try to assert dominance over humans or even other dogs, and any attempt for a human to establish dominance over a dog will generally have little to no effect on eliminating unwanted behaviors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understand Why Your Rottweiler is Misbehaving<\/b><\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve established that it\u2019s doubtful that your Rottweiler\u2019s misbehavior is related to a scheme for dominance, so why is he engaging in these pesky behaviors? <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, he probably just doesn\u2019t know any better yet! <\/span><\/p>\n

Your Rottie may not be able to make a connection between, for example, him chewing the coffee table leg while you\u2019re at work and your frustration at him when you arrive home hours after the deed has been done.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His misbehavior might be a result of his natural instincts, fear, boredom, the pleasure of the action (who doesn\u2019t love a good table leg chew honestly), or just the fact that he doesn\u2019t know that you would prefer for him not to do certain things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rottweilers are extremely smart, ranking <\/span>ninth<\/span><\/a> in overall intelligence among all <\/span>197 AKC-recognized dog breeds<\/span><\/a>. Their high ranking is based on extensive research by <\/span>Stanley Coren<\/span><\/a>, a neuropsychological researcher who focuses on dog intelligence. Rottweilers\u2019 prodigious brainpower means that they can learn quickly and obey commands speedily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, on the flip side of the brainiac token, Rotties require a lot of mental and physical exercise and they are happiest when they have a stimulating job to do. A <\/span>lack<\/span><\/i> of stimulation can leave your Rottweiler bored, increasing the chances that he will assign himself a task that you may find undesirable, like dismantling that coffee table. Idle paws are the devil\u2019s playthings, as they say.<\/span><\/p>\n

The good news is that with some patience and dedication, you can train your Rottweiler to understand the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior – in a way that\u2019s fun and positive for both of you!<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Discipline a Rottweiler<\/b><\/h2>\n

Rottweilers are extremely eager to please which typically makes training much easier<\/a>.<\/p>\n

They love to be around people and hate to be ignored or isolated, which leads us to our number one tip for disciplining a Rottweiler…<\/span><\/p>\n

Ignore Them For Bad Behavior<\/b><\/h3>\n

If your Rottweiler does something you don\u2019t like (i.e. jumping, barking, etc.), firmly tell him \u201cno\u201d and then turn your back to him and don\u2019t pay him any attention. Since Rotties hate to be ignored, this will be sufficient discipline for most behavioral infractions. Once your dog has calmed down, stopped the unwanted behavior, and moved on to something else, re-engage with him and reward him with your attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order for this form of discipline to work, you and anyone who interacts with your dog must ignore bad behavior <\/span>every single time<\/span><\/i>. Otherwise, your Rottweiler may continue to try to use the behavior to get what he wants, remembering that it works every once in a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even a negative reaction to bad behavior can just register as attention to your Rottweiler. So, even though your first instinct when he jumps up on you might be to push him away and give him a stern talking to, it\u2019s best to simply prevent him from doing it again by turning your back and moving away from him. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then when he approaches you calmly and keeps all four on the floor, reward him with love and attention<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Positive Reinforcement<\/b><\/h3>\n

That last step is a prime example of positive reinforcement, which is an excellent tactic for training Rottweilers. Remember, they want nothing more than to please you, and rewarding good behavior allows your dog to build his confidence and know exactly what you expect from him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Positive reinforcement can be given with food, treats, toys, petting, or verbal praise. Be mindful of giving too many treats though, especially people food like lunch meat<\/a>, as your Rottie might gain weight. As an alternative for treats, reward him with a few pieces of kibble. Most dogs will love any kind of treat<\/a> and don’t need anything too high value to get the message across.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reward or Discipline Your Rottweiler Immediately<\/b><\/h3>\n

Like all dogs, Rottweilers require immediate feedback in order to understand the reason for a reward or discipline. Going back to our earlier example of your Rottweiler chewing up your coffee table while you are at work – by the time you arrive home hours later, it\u2019s too late for discipline. He may greet you at the door with perfect manners, and if you discipline him then, he will likely be confused as to why his current good behavior is being punished.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, it\u2019s crucial to reward or discipline your dog immediately for good or bad behavior so that he can make the connection. <\/span><\/p>\n

As such, training your Rottweiler will initially require a lot of time together so you can supervise him and catch him in the act, whether it\u2019s good or bad. During times when you aren\u2019t able to be with him, set him up for success by eliminating access to anything you don\u2019t want him to mess with and providing him with toys and activities to keep him occupied. Whenever possible, tire him out beforehand with a long walk, jog, or play session.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tips For Training Good Behavior<\/b><\/h2>\n

Since Rottweilers are so smart, they can progress quickly through training. Maximize the effectiveness of your training sessions with these tips:<\/span><\/p>\n

Start Training As Soon As Possible<\/b><\/h3>\n

While it is in fact possible to teach an old dog new tricks, it\u2019s much easier to start \u2018em young. As you can see in this video, early training and exposure to potentially scary objects can be extremely helpful for you and your Rottie long-term:<\/span>
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