rotweiler behaviour

Question
I have a 1 year old male Rotweiler and his behaviour towards me is

becoming aggressive day by day . He growls at me and 3 or 4 times

he has even bitten me . I love him so much..i am the one who takes

care of his food..i sometimes play with him too.My husband is the

boss of my dog.They both share an awesome chemistry. he loves

him like a baby.But when it comes to me.... he thinks i will take his

toys or his bone, he immediately takes his ball in his mouth when he

sees me coming. I m badly worried...as now i m expecting. Please

help me out as i love my rotweiler but he don't let me touch him. i

feel helpless i can't show my afection to him.

Answer

Hi Kajal,

At a year old, your dog is maturing, and this behavior may get worse without the right intervention. If he hasn't yet been neutered, he should be. Castrated dogs tend to be less aggressive both toward other dogs and also people.

Just reading about solutions isn't the answer. Your dog should be evaluated by a veterinary behavior specialist who will meet with you and your dog to assess the situation. Your vet or a local boarding kennel might be able to give you a referral.

Along with working with a professional dog behaviorist, make sure that you are using "Alpha Techniques" to teach your dog that YOU are the top dog.  Carry treats, and praise and reward your dog for positive interactions.  If he is aggressive, reprimand him by squirting him in the face with cold water, and growling a guttural growl. The minute he backs off (out of shock and surprise!) praise him.  Your husband should be taking part in these training sessions with you.

You can read more about the "Alpha Techniques" of dog training here:

http://www.pets.ca/dogs/articles/whos-in-charge

http://www.positivedogtraining.org/article/alpha-dog-training

Best of luck,

Patti