Very aggressive behavior in Rottie
 

Hi all!!

I need your advice. I have 3 dogs......Kiah, is my 8 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback, Kahn is my 4 year old Rottweilier, and Bella is my 10 month old yorkie. Kahn and Kiah are strictly outdoor dogs. Bella is my indoor pal.

Well as of late....within the last 4 months or so, Kahn, has been showing SEVERE aggression over food and toys. (NEVER had such a behavior in him EVER,he has always been my mold mild mannered boy.) He has attacked Kiah 3 times over food, and it gets kind of ugly. He hasn't drawn blood on her, but I know has come close.

I have been almost scared and embarassed to type this, but right after Christmas he bit Bella over a bone. She tried to take his bone and he snipped at her trying to get it back. He caught her in the nose, she bled and bled, but finally stopped and was back to normal within a day or two. Vet said she was fine. He snarled at her again today over a toy. I have made the decision to kennel him in his kennel when Bella is in the back yard for potty and play.

I really don't know what to do. He has always been such a teddy bear and is fantastic with kids.....but I am starting to wonder......what if he turns on my 3 year old grandson? Or bites Bella again, and kills her. She is 4 pounds he is pushing 50 or 60. He could hurt her very easily. I am heart broken over this, but unsure of what anyone else would do?? He is my baby too, but I can't have an aggressive dog........I just can't. Not one that is this big. I can't imagine what triggered this behavior, in 4 years he has been PERFECT!!!!

Advice please!!

Sue

Youve got to keep him separate from your yorkie at all times which I know you already know. Problems from Aggression from a small dog can sometimes be answered on here but big dogs are alot different and I really feel you need the help from an experienced trainer

Have you consulted a trainer or dog behaviorist?

no offense...but it sounds like you got a Rottweiler "to standard" --- people breeding Yorkies try to bring out good coats, ear set, etc., etc. Like it or not Rottweilers were purposely breed to be aggressive. You got exactly what you bought. Rottweilers were never breed to be passive lap dogs, I hope you weren't led to believe you would get something that wouldn't most likely follow with its generation after generation breeding: aggression.
I have seen what a nice little Rottweiler can do - even after living years without incident in a loving home and it isn't pretty.

I love Rotties, grew up with them, that being said I will never own one for the reasons you have stated. Rotts were bred to herd cattle (I believe) and to protect the farm, they have a high prey drive and should (in my opinion) not live in a home with a small animal. I'm sorry, maybe check with a trainer in your area that specifically trains this breed or other aggressive dog breeds. For now, keep him totally separate from your little one, it even sounds like you need to keep him from your RR to be on the safe side...btw this may be a silly question but has he been neutered?

Sue i don't want to assume you've not taken your Rottie to obedience and training classes, but if you have, you now have to get back to them, and if you've used a trainer before, c all and talk with them about the relatively recent aggression issues.

As an earlier posted said, you can't trust your Rottie around your Yorkie and it's probably not to good to trust around the RR.

For now, your Rottie must be fed separately from the other two. Exercised separately, and probably crated at night, or the other two are crated. Also you better check that "you" can still take the food bowl from him. As well as he should give you a bone on command. Yes and I do mean a real meaty yummy bone. He should be able to drop on command anything that he has in his mouth, including a beloved toy.

It is time to reassert your dominance/Alpha position over the rottie.

Somthing has changed in your household dynamics, or in his own health. You would know best what that could be.

This behaviour IMO will not go away on its' own.

Kahn has been very and is still very obedient for me. (I actually did buy a rottie with the idea that he would be a great watch dog, as my husband is a pilot and is gone a lot of the time. At the time of purchase, I didn't have an overly small child, and had no intent on having one around the house for quite some time. Until surprise surprise my daughter gets pregnant. ) Kiah and Kahn were complete indoor dogs up until a couple of years ago, we got an infestation of ticks. I have never in my life seen anything so bad. Our whole town turned into a haven for ticks. We tried EVERYTHING to remove the ticks from the yard and the dogs. For the safety of the family (I had ticks EVERYWHERE in the house from the dogs going in and out, it was disgusting.) With a new baby in the house, and we couldn't have the ticks around, the dogs turned into outdoor dogs. We moved a few months later, to a house 10 miles away, and not a tick since. Thankfully!!

Kahn did not have any 'class' obedience training, as I have always trained my own dogs. He knows sit, stay, drop it, down, heel among many other commands....and is excellent and well behaved. He will allow me to take his food, or his toys.

He and Kiah have a very large gated area in our back yard as 'their' quarters, with large dog houses, toys etc. The other area of our yard is for Bella and the family. My husband just today reinforced the gated area, because Bella can sneak her butt in their area. She is now not able to sneak under the gate. And it is sad because Bella LOVES the two big dogs!!
They get plenty of exercise. They go on daily 2 mile walks, plus several hours of play time with one or all of our family members on the family or poo free side of the yard. (Yes they are trained to poo only on the dog side of the yard, which is VERY NICE!! Well Bella isn't, but my big dogs are.)
I mentioned a dog behaviorist to my husband, and being extremely stubborn said that was ridiculous. And said, as others of you have said, he is bred for being aggressive when needed to be. But is giving me no ideas. I hate the idea of exiling Kahn away from everyone. I am very sad in writing this. I hate not trusting this once trust worthy dog!!!
I don't think anything in our household dynamics have changed. Everything is the same as it has always been. His health is fine, or seems to be anyway. He was in for his vet check a few months back and got a clean bill of health. I just don't know.

Maybe I should call the dog whisperer?

Sue

OMG, NO he has not been neutered!!!!! My female RR is spayed, so my husband having sympathy for him, said lets leave him be since she is fixed. Maybe Bella's being close to heat is triggering something in him.

Calling the vet now to talk about getting rid of the family jewels.

Sue

LOL! You could not be any more wrong, close-minded and ignorant.

Do research before stating things like they're a fact. Rottweilers were originally bred as herding dogs. They were also used as cart dogs, where butchers were relevant and inevitably more dogs were needed to drive the cattle to and from the markets. Later and in more recent times, they are used as police and guard dogs, as well as family companions.

Yes, a Rottweiler CAN be aggressive, just like a Yorkie CAN be aggressive! Go read the training forum and see how many Yorkies have resource guarding problems. Does that mean they were purposely bred for aggressiveness? Uh, no. Yes, they are strong dogs, and yes they do need more socialization and training as well as vigorous exercise more than than some breeds. But NO a Rottweiler is not BRED to be aggressive or is "supposed" to be aggressive.

According to the FCI Standard, the Rottweiler is good-natured, placid in basic disposition, very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. Their appearance is natural and rustic, their behavior self-assured, steady and fearless. They react to their surroundings with great alertness.[8] The American Kennel Club says it is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in its environment. It has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making them especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog.

I would definitely think a female being in heat and an unneutered male would cause this type of behavior in any dog.

I think we have found a solution to this problem :D

and i agree about rotties. they are not bred for aggression. they can be great guard dogs but it's their loyalty to their family that makes them this way not their "mean" spirit (which most do not have) just because a dog is big and used in movies and on TV as a mean dog doesn't mean that that's it purpose in life or it's actual breeding.

I was scared to death of the 2 pound chihuahua my aunt owned as a little girl, but used to ride their German Shepherd and rottie around the yard. I think its just that big old mean dogs can do very severe damage, where little ankle biters don't do nearly as much damage.

I can't tell if Bella is in heat to be honest, her vulva has been a bit swollen for a couple of months, but have noticed NO blood. I think she is just maybe approaching her first heat. She is just coming up on 10 months, so would think any time now really.

Meaning big old mean dogs a tad sarcastically, not seriously btw. :)

why don't you go ahead and fix him either way since that can and prob. will help aggression and i'd have Bella spayed as well. she's more than old enough to be spayed and you sure don't want to run the risk of her getting around your male and him killing her while he's trying to tie to her. also you don't want her to get loose and drive all the neighborhood dogs crazy or have an oooops litter of puppies.

Yes, I have talked to my vet and she is ok with neutering him and said since he is older it could be a bit more taxing, but he will be fine. So we set up an appointment week after next. :D

Yes, I do plan on spaying Bella, but had a harrowing spaying experience with my female RR. So building up my courage to git r done so to speak. LOL

Cute, cute puppy stuff BTW, Rachelandsadie!!! Puptarts.....really had me curious

i wish you the best of luck and really do hope that the neuter is the ticket. and good luck on that spay. i know it's scary, but if you trust your vet with their health then you should be just fine. it's like second nature for them to do spays if they've been a vet very long! i used to work for a vet so to them it's really a minor easy surgery.

and thanks so much on the compliments. i wish you well and sure do hope that your lovely rottie behaves himself once he looses his ummm...juevos. :p

Mastiffs are known to mature very slowly, mentally and physically. I am surprised when you said he is only 50-60 pounds? Is he a purebred Rottie? Most males are well over 120 pounds+. I would get him neutered, and then back to obedience class, you and him...and distraction. Yes, he could have killed the Yorkie. They do get jealous. We have a large dog with the small, but we have had to worry about the Yorkie attacking the Cane Corso....You need professional help. The Rotttie has pretty much been ruined from what it was intended for, and most now are just skittish and will bite first. I am sorry it happened, but now you know. Ridgebacks also can be agressive if not socialized and obedience trained. You have 2 strong willed breeds, be careful.

Yes, he is pure bred AKC. He was the runt of the litter, and when I say runt I mean runt. Nobody believes me but he was 3-5 pounds when I brought him home at six weeks. I felt so bad for him that I had to take him home, nobody else wanted him. But me......:D He is built more like a female, almost a dainty looking dog, and thin....he hasn't quite filled out completely. It took my RR over 5 years to get to her full grown size. OF course now she is a tad over weight. Well maybe more than a tad.

My ridgeback is the opposite of my rottie. She is very hesitant with children, but fantastic with any animals including cats. My rottie adores kids but hates cats and skunks, but that is a whole different story. My RR took over the care of my rottie when he came home, she let him NURSE off of her, which was a riot, because she had no milk, nor did she ever have pups. She is the best surrogate mom anyone could ask for. And my RR is actually my most misbehaved dog. She is a professional counter surfer, and nobody will ever tell her any different. She is VERY VERY strong willed. RR are not a dog for people who are novice dog owners. Kahn was a dream from day one, until lately. DANG I do love my dogs. :) The things we won't go through for our furry friends. :D

And yes after his family jewels are gone, he and I are going to start working very hard on obedience training again.

Imho...

He's jealous and reacting like any other child.

8 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback - outside

4 year old Rottweilier - outside

10 month old yorkie - inside, and the youngest, most likely getting more attention.

Was the Rottie inside & spoiled when he was young, or has he always been an outside dog? You say he's your baby. Perhaps he feels left out a bit?
Not to say a Yorkie can't instigate things.

My 2 cents..

Another thought.

Dominance. If the Rottie was always the dominant one, he may feel threatened by the Yorkie. Everyone that has ever had a Yorkie knows (even if they don't) that a 5 pound Yorkie thinks they are 150 pounds, and they have to come to an understanding. Not an easy task for you to be in the middle of.

A little harsh Brit. Although the Rotties were bred for herding and guarding the herd up to the mid-19th century, the recent history sicne then HAS been very full of aggression-type training. You have to admit, there are a lot more Rotties in protective service than herding nowadays. There are many Rottie breeders that selectively breed for aggression, strength, and the ability to train as guard dogs.

From the same reference you quoted, further on: "The breed has received some negative publicity. In the US, in a 1997 report by the CDC, the Rottweiler was listed as the second most likely breed of dog named in fatal human attacks, following Pit Bulls, although at approximately half the rate of the Pit Bull. Breed-specific bite rates are not known, and less responsible owners being drawn to certain breeds may be a factor.[11] Dog related human fatalities need to be considered in the context that there are fewer than 30 dog related fatalities in the United States each year out of approximately 4.7 million bite incidents,[12] from a total dog population estimated by the American Pet Products Association[13] at 77.5 million dogs. A 2008 study surveying breed club members found that while Rottweilers were average in aggressiveness (bites or bite attempts) towards owners and other dogs, it indicated they tend to be more aggressive than average towards strangers. This aggression appears unrelated to the fear of the dog, but is correlated with watchdog and territorial instincts.[14]"

Rottweilers are potentially dangerous dogs due to their usual size and strength coupled with at least average aggression with owners and more than average aggression towards strangers. I emphasize this not to down the breed, but to make sure people understand the serious responsibility that goes along with any dog ownership, especially those with the potential to do fatal harm. Too many (NOT THIS OP) do not think enough about what is necessary to keep their dog well behaved and others safe. I appreciate Suze's concern over an aggression display that she has deemed inappropriate and potentially dangerous. I hope neutering and further training will help.

Most are surprised that the 3 most aggressive dogs (measured only in number of bites reported) are dachshunds, chihuahuas, and Jack Russells! I have had dachshunds & have a sweet Jack Russell now that would sooner faint than ever bite anyone. So I was a little surprised by the list too -- but part of the reason they bite more often is people are not afraid of them so they put themselves in harm's way more easily than with a large dog. They rarely do significant damage with their tiny teeth and small jaws. It is still the large, massive, overly strong breeds that require the most vigilance as they are the ones that can kill. But all dog owners are still equally responsible to do everything they can to ensure a safe and happy dog. Good training and bringing in an expert when needed only makes sense to me. Want to give the Rottie every chance to be a happy part of the family.

Shoot another double post. Having trouble getting my posting to work tonight! Sorry!

I'm so sorry you're going through this. There is nothing worse than an aggressive dog that you have no idea why he's like that. :(

My question: I think one of your posts said neither the Rott or Yorkie were "fixed". That might be the problem.

I also thought you said the Rott was an outside dog? How did your inside Yorkie take a bone or toy away?? Did the Rott come in when he saw the Yorkie get the toys?

Maybe take him to a long term away from home trainer. Then he can come home "fixed" and better trained.

I really hope you find a way to help them. So sorry

It saddens me to see Rotties getting a bad rap. They are among my favorite of dog breeds. My first experience with them was when I was a child and I grew up to have a lot of experience with them.

Ours were lazy, docile, easy going dogs that just didn't get too excited about things, and fiercely loyal. Our first one was already in our family when my first daughter was born. When my daughter became a toddler we'd go outside for walks around the property (in the country). That dog guarded her like a hawk. She would move with my daughter always staying at her side or a little ways behind. When we would stop to check out something, the dog layed down and waited while she watched over her. When we moved along, the dog got up and mozied on behind.

Having said that, Rotties are not as "tolerant" as other large breeds of dogs. They don't like their hair pulled, their skin pinched, or their feet stepped on like children often do. We took extreme measures to make sure our baby didn't use the dog as a tiny tykes jungle gym. They put up with it, but I could tell they didn't like it, so for the dog's sake and the child's sake, we set limits. I think truely knowing your dog is part of responsible ownership as well. They require an incredible amount of time and training, and reassurance of where their position in the family is. They are not the kind of dog you can bring into your home and just expect it to be a pet. They must have training and stimulation and showed where their place is, or they will create their own position in the family.

Rotties have a strong pack drive, not prey drive. Their human family is part of their pack, and being the loyal pack member they are they will protect that pack. This is often why guests are not necessarily greeted with wagging tails and long tongues. It is more a wait and see if you mean harm, cautious greeting.

The fact is, regardless of breed of dog, you still have the same situation when any one of them turns aggressive. Size alone is the advantage with any lg. vs. sm. dog. It is uncommon for a mature dog (who is otherwise non aggressive) to injure a puppy, but as the puppy matures and begins to establish his position in the pack the dynamics do change. In my opinion, your Rottie needs more time and training.

Yes, all my dogs are my babies. Kahn even at his size still climbs up (with only his front paws and head) and sits in my lap. Kiah too, although I can't let her sit on my lap anymore, even just her front end is too heavy and she still has her dews. OUCH!!!! Those suckers can cut glass I swear. They have not always been outdoor dogs. Just the last couple years, going on 3 years I guess now. (Tick issue posted about in another thread)

YES he could be jealous, I wouldn't doubt it. To be honest even the vet couldn't see any bite, or puncture marks on Bellas nose, she said it was possible that she had a bloody nose, this is where the blood seemed to be coming from was inside the nose. Her whole beard was covered in blood, but was mainly on the left side of her face. Nobody completely saw what happened, and Kahn according to my father, who was sitting next to Kahn never saw him move, he said he saw Bella moving to the bone, but he didn't think Kahn moved at all. It is possible he smacked at her with his paw and caught her in the nose or maybe trying to get his bone back he hit her nose with his face. I don't know!! If Kahn is upset he growls, which I personally LIKE. But he didn't growl during this incident. He did growl at her yesterday, through the fence when she came to the fence while he was chewing on his toy. Not an "i'm going to kill you growl, just a stay away you little fur ball growl".

He will go bananas on Kiah though. Especially over food. I shouldn't say food..........but people food. If they get any meat left overs or things like that. He will claim his share and I have seen him attack her. Then again, they attack each other that bad while playing. He just sounds so damn vicious its scary. His play growl is kinda baby bear like. But his mad growl is evil, devil like. (I think I am trying to make excuses for my dogs behavior. Oh my......LOL)

Can't wait for N day......

Sue

Out of any of my dogs, I would trust my rottie with kids before the RR or my yorkie. My rhodesian tolerates children, but does not overly like them. Just kind of ignores them. She did once growl severely while kennelled, at a friends child, so we are extremely careful with her. My yorkie loves small children when they are sleeping. She cuddles with their nice warm bodies. Ignores them while they are awake. My rottie loves kids, and will tolerate anything and everything from a child. We are extremely careful with children around any dog though!! NEVER EVER left unattended together, even with the yorkie!!!

While I strongly feel your dogs should all be neutered/spayed, I seriously doubt it will change any dynamics already going on. You have a large dog who will not put up with his possessions being taken away. He's trying to tell the small dog to back off by these warning growls, but the small dog thinks he's mighty enough to challenge. At some point, those warning growls, will become I told you so!

Ummmmmmmm maybe my yorkie needs more discipline toO!