13 month old male rottweiler still destroys the house

by kam
(canada)

hunter at 11 month old

hunter at 11 month old

hunter at 11 month old

hey i have a 13 month old boy rottweiler weighs 100 lbs, he is amazing very well behaved and obedient… until i leave the house.

as soon as he gets bored he starts destroying the furniture, as a puppy i used to crate him and correct him when i’m home however he is almost an adult now and still has the same behavior.

i was wondering what should i do, should i always crate him when i’m not home ?

Hi Kam
At 13 months old Hunter is actually still a pup, although he’s an adolescent rather than a baby. This means you’ll likely still see some puppy behaviors and he’ll have more energy to burn than an adult Rottie would.

From what you describe though I’m wondering if perhaps he’s suffering from some separation anxiety issues, because this type of destruction can often be a symptom of that.

Dogs who have separation anxiety often exhibit the same anxious behavior even when crated, but if Hunter has become familiar with being in a crate when you’re not home without any problem, it could be that he feels safe that way. BUT, if you leave him alone in the house without the comfort level afforded by his safe place (ie his crate) then his anxiety surfaces and he shows it by causing havoc!

I’m not certain that this is what’s happening, but it does sound as though it could be.

There are all sorts of tips, techniques and so on that you can use to help a dog overcome this type of behavior problem and you can find out all about this here… Separation Anxiety In Your Dog

However, if Hunter seems perfectly happy being crated while you’re gone, then I’d suggest that you continue to do that if you’re going to be away for any length of time. Dogs are naturally den animals and they feel safe and secure in their crates. As Hunter is old enough to control his bladder and bowels, and as long as he has safe, sturdy chew toys to keep him busy, there’s nothing wrong with crating him at this point.

If you feel that separation anxiety could be the root of the destructive behavior you’re seeing, then setting up some very short absences from your home and following the advice on the page above during those, may help. You can then work up to leaving him for longer periods once he’s less anxious and destructive.

Hope this helps helps, best of luck. You have two very nice looking dogs 🙂

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Jan 26, 2012

Try Crating Your Boy NEW
by: Christopher Bayhi

I ALWAYS crate our two Rotties when we are not at home even though they don’t have “destructive dog syndrome”. You never know what your dog will get into (household poisons, wood chips from chewed on furniture causing a puncture in the stomach or intestin, etc.). The crates also serve as their sleeping area at night. During the day they have an outdoor kennel and run system.

We found extra large crates difficult to find at first until we found some at Tractor Supply. They have an XL Remington Crate that is 27″W x 40″L x 30″H that is rated for a 90 pound dog. The crate is FAA approved for live animal air transportation, and is way large enough for our 110 pound male to sit, stand, lie down, and turn around in. The price runs about $89-$99 and the stock # is 2401260.

We have a second one for our female who weighs 85 pounds. We placed a cedar filled dog bed (the pillow looking type) in it as she was gettting raw sports on her elbows from the hard plastic floor of the crate. Even though the bed takes away from the inside height by about 3 to 4 inches, she seems to enjoy having it in there and can still sit, stand, turn around and lay down comfortably. The bed is washed weekly or as needed and holds up well.

I would recomend trying to crate your dog a little at a time until he is comforable with it. Expect accidents every now and then and make sure to wash with soap and water followed by a Lysol spray at least once a week or as needed.


Jan 26, 2012

Similar NEW
by: Rachel

I have a similar problem….. My pups are a year old they are the second set I’ve had. They are 1 year. I have a large family so when they were little they always had someone with them just because there are so many of us lol. Now when we leave them alone…. They either dig outside or take things off the table or counters…. Like dish towels, napkins, they got Doritos once… etc. they leave the furniture and other things alone. I’m not sure if this is separation anxiety or just them being curious , bored and a little naughty while mom isn’t looking lol. I’m hoping it’s just puppy behavior that they’ll grow out of.
Anyway…… Good luck and keep us updated


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About The Rotty lover 2159 Articles
My name is Dr. Winnie. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Duke University, a Masters of Science in Biology from St Georges University, and graduated from the University of Pretoria Veterinary School in South Africa. I have been an animal lover and owners all my life having owned a Rottweiler named Duke, a Pekingese named Athena and now a Bull Mastiff named George, also known as big G! I'm also an amateur equestrian and love working with horses. I'm a full-time Veterinarian in South Africa specializing in internal medicine for large breed dogs. I enjoy spending time with my husband, 2 kids and Big G in my free time. Author and Contribturor at SeniorTailWaggers, A Love of Rottweilers, DogsCatsPets and TheDogsBone