We are having problems with our rottweiler puppy, he gets lots of exercise and attention however in the evenings usually after he's dinner he gets very aggressive towards me less so towards my husband but still enough to be causing us stress. He bites and mouths us whilst growling and jumps all over us. The bigger he is becoming the more concerned we are getting. He has been castrated in the last two months. Can anybody suggest a behaviourist or have had similar experiences?

Usually after dinner..........

What are you feeding him?

We are feeding him chappie original and chappy biscuits, to be honest we have had real difficulties with his food, he has always suffered with a bad stomach. He has had nearly every test at the vets but they can't seem to find anything wrong with him.

Do you really mean aggressive? A 10mth old Rott is a lot of dog to be growling at you. It sounds more like he's demanding attention. A friend of mine had a rescue Rott. who spent his life grumbling. he wasn't aggressive, just an old grouch who grumbled all the time, but plenty of people misinterpreted it - that's why he was in rescue. Are you sitting down doing nothing (in his eyes) at the time? How well behaved is he at other times of the day? Do you do much training with him? There is another thread which you might find useful on the behaviour board "Boxer challenging me" - it may give you some useful info.

Well he can be laying down asleep and then just get up and come over and start biting when he is told no and pushed away he gets even worse to the point where I am sitting on him which still doesn't calm him down! - I have been training him and as I say he gets lots of attention, we are always playing ball which he loves...he is a lovely dog apart from this, with other people and other dogs he is very timid. I'm worried that we have fallen pray to the classic dominant male!

If he's timid with other people & dogs, doesn't sound like the dominant male to me - sounds like the classic dog-who-is-used-to-getting-his-own-way!
Forgive me if I sound critical, but you are not going about training him the right way by getting physical. A Rott is a big strong dog (you may have noticed that!!!!) so trying to control him physically is a waste of time. If you say Down! he should get down without having to be pushed. Pushing & pulling him makes him think you're having a game - which he can win. Of course he doesn't calm down if you're sitting on him - he probably thinks it's some weird & wonderful human game which he's happy to play.
Start from basics with him. train him to sit & down, while he's on the lead. Tempt him with titbits but don't grapple with him - he'll always win that way!
I don't think you need a behaviourist - you both need to find a good training class (not one that thinks Rotts are devil dogs) where you can learn the best training techniques. Rotties can do obedience beautifully if they are properly trained.
If he's well trained he'll also gain more confidence.
Good Luck.

Thanks for your advice - sounds like we did choose the wrong training class as the trainer did say that we should hold him down until he calms down but as I say its not been working. He does do sit and down very well we'll continue with it and hope for the best!

In what part of the country do you live. I may be able to put you intouch with a rottweiler club/training class near you that could give you some tips. Have you tried speaking to the breeder for advice etc. Perhaps you could join champ dogs and I could email you with useful info. You need to take him to an experienced training club where they have experience with Rotts. He is at the age where, if not properly trained, he could become a problem to you.

We live in the Kent area, I haven't spoken to the Breeder as we have since heard mixed reports on them since we bought him. Last night he was very quiet until he was fed, then we had the biting and growling from him, we tried telling him NO! but he continued, after about 5minutes I started training him to lay down and stay which took his attention away from biting us....do you think I should continue with this way of dealing the agression??

There are two clubs that probably cover your area, London & South East Rottweiler Club and the Rottweiler Club. I believe both run training/socialising classes. I would recommend you give them ring/email since if the dog does not get the correct training now he could become a problem to you rather than a pleasure. They are knowledgable people who have owned Rotts for many years. If you want me to email you privately with a contact number let me know.

I sold a puppy to a pet home some years back and they took her to their local training club and on her first night there she was pinned down to the floor by the trainer for mouthing the lead - not once but twice!! On the second time she snapped at him after screaming the place down. I did stress that they should go to another club but it upset them so much they wouldn't and she does not accept strangers now so the pleasure they thought they would get with her had been lost.

Thank you for this - I have found the number so I will give them a call! - Last nite he had a bone and when my husband bent down to stroke him he did nothing but growl and his heckles raised he didn't snap but was warning us - its his eyes that are beginning to scare me as he really tries to stare you down I'm managing to get him to look away first but is this correct behaviour by me?

I would be careful with this sort of scenario - Rotties have an active defence reflex (as opposed to a passive one) and if your hubby stares him out, he is really upping the ante (sp?) and putting the ball into Rottie's park.

To be honest i would not try to touch him, stroke etc when he has a bone, and definitely don't stare him out ..... he should accept your presence and allow you to do anything, but you do need some help here to get to that stage.

It's not a case of being hard on the dog, as for example the trainer mentioned above pinning the pup, but a case of understanding your dog and getting help with his behaviour. The recommended club sounds a good bet, if you go let us know how yougeton?

LIndsay

It does sound as if it was the wrong trainer for your boy as Anwen says dont fight him he will win every time, be calm and firm titbits work well make him work for his food when you say sit he must sit and then have a tit bit there are two Rotti's that i train at my dog club and they are great dogs work really well one is bolder than the other and needs firmer training but that is only because she is young, look around for a club and go and watch the trainer/s at work.

It sounds to me as if the dog is doing the classic after dinner teenage "notice me" thing, and if you are sitting trying to relax, he tries to MAKE you give him what he wants. The growling may be because some Rotts growl like chatting, or it could be a play growl where he is getting much too OTT with you - not nasty but could escalate due to excitement etc.

He doesn't sound aggressive, but he is big and strong and does need to obey your commands and not be allowed to be a Kevin teenager

LIndsay

Hi,
I had a girl Rottie called Star with my ex-partner and she was exactly the same with him. Normally in the evenings, when we would all settle down and watch a bit of telly, she would be sitting there and suddenly launch herself onto him, starting off play biting and making growling noises (but never baring her teeth). He always used to play back and tried to say no, but it never worked as she just got worse and more and more worked up. She never once did this to me - only him, so I began to wonder whether it was a dominance thing (I fed her and walked her). I have to say, she was about 8 stone at 10 months and she used to get REALLY rough with him and we were quite unsure of what to do. Saying NO was not getting through at all - we tried a little squirt of water on the nose and she hated that and I would never, ever dream of hitting her, so in the end we used to lock her in the kitchen until she calmed down. She used to bark and howl the house down! She eventually cracked onto this one and as soon we stood up to put her in the kitchen she lay down like a dead weight! It was impossible to get her in there! Funny looking back on it now, but not at all at the time!
Eventually, she did grow out of this. I think it was a challenge for her place in the pack and also an attention thing, as when out attention was not on here (ie the TV) she played up. So, instead of sitting down watching TV we all used to go out for a walk. We used to walk her and play so when we did come in, she would just flake out!

Anyway, sorry for rambling - it's just great memories - and what a great breed! It breaks my heart to think of as when me and my partner split up, I eventually had to give her up and she lives with him now. Probably one of the hardest decisions I have ever made.
Good luck with your Rottie, sorry I haven't given you much practical advice!
Lucy

This sounds exactly like his behaviour!! I'm relieved to hear that someone else has experienced this as well!