Aggressive Rotty!!

[NicoRotty]

My 10 week old Rottweiler is very aggressive and doesn't like being told "NO". I do not shout at him, and I always try to give him other toys to play with (instead of my blinds and my rug ect) but he still continues to bite and growl at me. I love him to pieces, and when he's good.. he's very very good. But when he's bad, he's evil He doesn't have an issue with other dogs (as far as I know) just humans! Any advice, I don't want to lose him

[lilsis261279]

I think it might just be an issue with dominance. You are doing very good by not screaming/yelling/raising your voice to him. Try to just tell him no in a firm voice when he does something bad but when he does something good reward him with a treat and ecstatic response (like a little over the top) that way he will see that being good is rewarding. Hope this helps
Regards
Julie

[Masha]

At 10 weeks - are u sure he is being aggressive and not just a misbehaving puppy? Our guy was a difficult puppy too... but he grew out of it.

[Rgeurts]

Our Malamute puppy is the same way. I thought, at first, he was being very aggressive, but he's not. He just plays very rough and also does not like being told "no". He throws temper tantrums just like a kid

When I tell him no and point my finger he will growl and even snarl and try to bite my finger. The more I say no, the madder he gets. I have to tell him "no bite" and put him in the bathroom until he calms down. I try not to laugh, but it is pretty amusing (for now!). He's 16 weeks and now weighs 57 lbs, so we need to get him back to training asap

[cell]

At 10 weeks if he is truly aggressive/domineering he will display the same behaviours with other dogs as he does with people. If he is willing to listen to reprimand from another dog then he is capable of accepting reprimand from people. Many puppies still need to learn what humans want when we try and communicate with them, and that we're not just a big moving chewy toy,

[luckypenny]

Is this your first puppy, NicoRotty? At what age did you get him and do you know if he was handled extensively by the humans in his first home?

Biting and growling are pretty normal puppy behaviors...you'd have seen your pup do the same amongst his littermates. If you're as worried as you sound, I'd recommend you find a certified professional (not just a trainer)...you can contact a veterinary teaching hospital in your area for references. Your pup will be thoroughly assessed and based on the findings, you'll be given the appropriate behavior modification exercises to do with your pup.

Here's some info you may find helpful...

8. How can I stop my dog from snapping, biting at my clothes, or biting at my leg when I walk away?

This is a really bad habit that starts very early – it’s how puppies play. They run up to anything that moves and bite it, and we humans think it’s cute. When they get to be adolescents, however, this type of behavior is just not appreciated by people.

For some breeds, in fact, it’s instant damnation. People will think your pit bull or Rottweiler or shepherd is being aggressive. He’s probably not, but he is acting unmannerly, and in a fashion that’s downright dangerous for his health. All it takes is one person to report you have a dangerous dog and he becomes a legal entity. So regardless of his playful intentions, you must stop this.

So what do you do with this behavior? You say, “Stop!” Let him know this is inappropriate. There’s no need to shout or frighten the dog; there’s absolutely no need to hurt him. If necessary grab him by the collar, but only if necessary, as the last thing you want is your dog to develop a negative association with other people. Instead, praise your dog when he does act appropriately around people. Tell him, “Good boy! Yes, that’s the way to say hello!” It is also a good idea to give your dog a toy to carry in his mouth so he’s busy and less likely to try this behavior.

If you do have to reprimand the dog for lunging, snapping, or getting hold of people’s clothing, afterward cue the dog to sit. Then, ask the person if he wouldn’t mind giving the dog a treat. You can now have the dog approach the person in a mannerly fashion and sit, at which point the person gives him a treat. The dog learns he can say hello, as long as he does it in a fashion which is acceptable to humans.

9. How do I teach my puppy to stop biting and nipping?

Most puppies are virtual biting machines with needle-sharp tiny teeth, and they are going to grow up to be adult dogs with powerful jaws, so bite inhibition, or how to use their jaws gently, is the most important thing for them to learn.

Teach bite inhibition in two stages:
1. Limit the force of the puppy’s bite.
2. Inhibit the frequency.

It must be taught in this order; if you completely stop the puppy from biting too soon, he’ll never learn to inhibit the force of his bites. Why not simply teach him never to bite? As an adult, say someone steps on the dog and hurts or startles him while he’s sleeping or chewing a bone. His natural instinct will be to bite – hard. But if he’s learned never to hurt people, he’s likely to respond instead with just a growl, a snap, or a very gentle warning bite, rather than a damaging one.

So, to inhibit force: Play with your puppy, paying careful attention to his bites. When the bites don’t hurt, praise him. But, whenever a bite does hurt, freeze, then say, “Ow! Stop it, you worm!” (or something disapproving like that) and take a two or three second timeout. The fun ceases, forcing the puppy to briefly stop and focus before playing resumes. The puppy learns that soft bites are ok, hard bites are not wanted and end the play session.

To inhibit the frequency: Once your puppy is only mouthing you gently in play, start to pretend that soft bites hurt too, even if they don’t. When he’s mouthing gently, praise him: “Good dog, that’s very gentle.” But when it gets a little harder, say, “Ow! That really hurt me!” The puppy learns, These humans are soooo sensitive – I’ve got to be very careful when mouthing this guy.

Eventually, if you’d like, stop the play session if your puppy bites or mouths you at all.

To even better control his mouthing behavior, teach him the cue off and practice this exercise: Let the puppy mouth you, and then tell him, “Off.” When he releases, say “Good boy!” and give him a reward. Then, let him mouth again. To ensure the dog always maintains a soft mouth, continue these exercises into adulthood. Also teach him the rules of tug.

http://dogstardaily.com/training/dr-...swers-top-faqs

And here's a free download that will teach you just about everything you need to know about puppies.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/files/AF...ur%20Puppy.pdf

Good luck and please keep us posted.

[Marcha]

How much space does your pup have in the house, and how far can he roam from you?
Have you tried using a leash to keep him with you, for instance tied around your waist so that you have hands free to do what you want to do, and the pup needs to follow you? It helps them to realize that they need to follow you, that you're not following them around, and it allows you to simply walk away (with pup in tow) when he's getting into things he shouldn't be with. Also, how much crate time does your pup have, and do you have areas in the house that are sectioned off for the pup specifically?

[BenMax]

LP is correct, this 'could be' normal puppy behaviour, but in saying this it is unacceptable.

Where did you get the puppy and what age was he taken away from his mother?

[Mirela]

Originally Posted by NicoRotty

My 10 week old Rottweiler is very aggressive and doesn't like being told "NO". I do not shout at him, and I always try to give him other toys to play with (instead of my blinds and my rug ect) but he still continues to bite and growl at me. I love him to pieces, and when he's good.. he's very very good. But when he's bad, he's evil He doesn't have an issue with other dogs (as far as I know) just humans! Any advice, I don't want to lose him

He needs to learn what he's allowed to chew and what not - if you cannot leash him to you when he's not in his crate, try using a playpen - he'll have space to play but no opportunities to make mistakes. Leave him with only his toys within reach.
Also, try spraying some Bitter Apple extract (sold at petstores) on your drapes and rug ( try the back first, of course, to make sure it does not stain)then allow him supervised access - the bitter taste should help deter him and it's not harmful.

[Rgeurts]

Originally Posted by cell

Many puppies still need to learn what humans want when we try and communicate with them, and that we're not just a big moving chewy toy,

LMAO... that's exactly what I am to our little guy! I know it really isn't funny and it needs to change, but I'm always telling my husband that Nanook thinks I'm just his personal chew toy.

He will definitely accept reprimand from other dogs (he goes to daycare and was placed with "alpha" dogs at first as he was taken away from his mother way to young and had no idea how to act), in fact, he will drop to the ground, belly exposed, legs in the air and look very cute (super submissive to older dogs when they correct him).