by shayan khan
(rawalpindi,pakistan)
my rottweiler is a female of age above 1.5 years……she is very playful with everyone…..i want her to be aggressive..what to do??
she plays with everyone….. and listens to everyone…i want her to listen to me or people she knows….please help me out…i want her to be my security dog
Hi Shayan
I have heard this question more times that I would like, and I think it’s sad that owners sometimes expect their Rotties to be more like the ‘big, bad dog’ that they are so often made out to be, but actually aren’t!
Rottweilers ARE a guardian breed, and of course it’s natural to expect that your dog will protect you and your home if threatened. However, it’s not right to want a dog who is aggressive to other people and animals without being provoked… and it seems as though that is what you are hoping for.
From what you say, your dog has a stable, sound temperament and is friendly and confident, and respects human authority. You should in fact be very HAPPY about that because it means that she is a well-bred and well brought-up dog, who is confident in both herself and humans in general. Give yourself a pat on the back for getting her to that point, because this is the correct Rottweiler behavior!
Contrary to media representation and popular belief, Rottweilers are NOT a dangerous, mean or aggressive breed (see my Are Rottweilers Dangerous? page for more on this). They are very discriminating in their guardian abilities and generally won’t act aggressively, or defensively, unless provoked or they feel that they (or their families) are under attack. Even if they do feel it necessary to be on guard, they are more likely to use their physical size and voice as intimidation tactics, and are not inclined to bite first and ask questions later. That is the way it should be.
If you are afraid that your Rottie won’t protect you because she’s friendly, then you don’t need to worry. She obviously hasn’t felt any threat to you, or your home/family, if she does then she will act accordingly. Also do remember that at 18 months or so she’s still not fully mature, and her guardian instincts are still developing (along with the rest of her body).
Don’t every try to encourage your dog to be more aggressive or to fear other humans or dogs, that will confuse and frighten her and interfere with the natural development of her guardian abilities. Rottweilers rarely get a second chance or the benefit of the doubt, and if you try to encourage aggressive behavior she could well become unstable and unpredictable in her behavior which could lead to tragedy.
Just allow her to develop naturally and trust that the generations of breeding that have produced today’s Rottweilers has given her the strength, intelligence and abilities that she needs to be your friend and protector.
Hope this puts your mind at rest, I wish you the very best of luck with your dog.