When your dog growls at you unnecessarily, it might worry you. It’s even more worrying when you have a sturdy pet like a Rottweiler. But why is my rottweiler growling at me?
Rottweiler may growl at you for various reasons like food or territorial aggression, fear, pain, excitement, or to get your attention. Growling is one of their ways to communicate with you.
Reasons why Rottweilers Growls at their Owners
Before diving into the question of why rottweilers growl, you first need to understand that growling is a form of communication among dogs. It could indicate that they are in pain, in fear, or just happy or excited.
You need to examine your dog’s body language and gestures before coming to any conclusion. Rottweilers are not inherently aggressive or uncontrollable; there is always a reason behind this particular behavior.
Territorial aggression
If your Rottweiler reveals some signs of agitation and discomfort whenever a stranger comes near, it’s most likely that they are possessive about their territory. It means that your Rottweiler is uneasy and scared among strangers and sees any foreign object as a threat.
However, with strongly built dogs, the situation might go out of hand and turn into excessive barking or biting in the worst-case scenario.
During such a situation, it becomes mandatory for you to pay attention and find the source of their behavior. You need to act meticulously during such times so that your dog doesn’t harm anyone.
Fear
Fear is one of the biggest reasons that fosters aggression among Rottweilers. If your dog is frightened, the first reflex would be to attack the object activating their fear. Hence, they start growling. Here are few common things rottweilers are scared of.
Food aggression
Dogs have a natural impulse to guard their food. If you try to touch them or disturb them while eating, they might growl at you.
Another reason for barking or growling is that your Rottweiler might be starving. If your dog is constantly hungry, it might be going through some digestive problems. You need to consult your vet if you suspect any digestive issues in your dog.
Happiness and affection
If your dog is not showing any aggressive body signs, it might be showing affection. Rottweilers are pretty affectionate and are a perfect fit for families.
They make deep noises with their throat, expressing their happiness and satisfaction towards you.
Excitement
Take your Rottweiler out for a walk and see it jumping with excitement and growling at you. However, this growling is not directed towards you but to the park.
This is because Rottweilers love open spaces and fresh air. If they are stuck at home for too long, they might start getting annoyed. This growling indicates their sense of excitement and happiness towards you.
Greeting
You might have heard that dogs get excited when they reunite with their owners. The same goes for Rottweilers. They wag their tail and growl loudly at you, which shows their excitement and happiness to meet you after a long day.
Playfulness
My Thor often growls while we play tug of war. This isn’t because of aggression or protectiveness. This is more out of excitement and fun.
How to Fix Aggressive Growling
Observe why your dog is growling
Identify and analyze the source of your dog’s growling and ensure that your dog doesn’t interact with the source.
If your Rottweiler encounters a triggering scenario, act calmly. Observe the different reactions of your dog, whether it’s attempting to bite, snarling, or growling.
Avoid your dog
If your dog is aggressive and intending to bite you, you should walk away. Many dog owners try to dominate their dogs during such situations and end up getting hurt.
Do not show dominance. Otherwise, your dog might respond negatively. Growling at you is your dog’s way of grabbing your attention. If you ignore them, they will think that all this growling is going in vain and will change their behavior.
Respond calmly
If your dog is scared, you need to react calmly and create a peaceful environment around them.
Creating a relaxing environment will calm your Rottweiler, and it will feel less anxious. If you react calmly to such situations, your Rottweiler will stop growling.
Make sure they socialize
Rottweilers love to socialize and are family-loving dogs. They will develop a strong companionship with you. If you isolate them or socialize less, it will make them more vulnerable to several harmful situations.
You should make them socialize more often, by taking them out for walks in parks or social places. The more they socialize, the more comfortable they become with strangers and even with potentially triggering situations.
Final Thoughts
Rottweilers are obedient dogs. If treated with patience, their aggressive behavior can be neutralized easily.
Most Rottweilers growl without intending to harm. Their hostile behavior is generally indicative of something wrong, and if you train them patiently, they are easy to deal with.
We hope that this article could help you to figure out the reason behind your Rottweiler’s growling.
