My new Rottweiler puppy is growling. Is this normal or concerning?

There are a lot of things going on here, so I'm not sure exactly what your question is. In generally, I would recommend going everything you can to be calm and consistent with your new pup. You should walk away whenever she mouths you inappropriately but not yell, etc. Try to become very boring whenever he's too rough. It's also important to offer appropriate chew toys for his normal need to chew. Keep a close eye for behavioral issues to develop over the next couple years and try to schedule a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist who can help you through them.

It appears Toffee is a puppy. This needs to be addressed now so it doesn't become a problem. Rottweilers can be awesome dogs but if not socialized and handled as puppies their size can make them dangerous. Please talk to your veterinarian about his behavior and ask for a referral to a trainer for basic obedience work. This will likely get worse if not addressed. Dr Sophia Yin wrote a great book on puppy behavior. https://drsophiayin.com/product/perfect-puppy-in-7-days-how-to-start-your-puppy-off-right/ That website also has helpful articles. Good luck. He's a cutie!!

Saban is very cute! Biting and mouthing is very normal for puppies this age - and since it sounds like he was taken from his mom and littermates much too early, it's likely that his bite inhibition and general play skills aren't as good as they would be in most puppies. This doesn't mean that he can't learn, but it does mean that you'll need to be very patient with him, and you may need to enlist professional help to get things on the right track if you're having trouble. In general, we want to focus on redirecting puppies to something more appropriate when they start to bite our hands, feet, clothing, etc. - so when he does this, I would grab one of his toys and encourage him to bite it instead, then reward by tugging on the toy and engaging in play. I would also make sure that he has plenty of things to lay and chew on, such as bully sticks, rawhide chews, cow or pig ears, and puzzle toys such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. If he isn't already enrolled in a good puppy kindergarten class, I would also start this right away. You can search for a qualified trainer offering classes in your area here: www.ccpdt.org. If you are not seeing improvement in the next few weeks or if things are getting worse, then I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person to help determine if what you are seeing is normal or not, and can also put together a detailed plan to help you address the issues he's having. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Rottweilers, as a breed, can be very good pets - some are aggressive, but many are friendly and easy-going. I'm not sure if there was something about your puppy in particular that may have concerned your vet, such as signs of aggression or extreme fearfulness during the visit - if so, early referral to a veterinary behavior specialist would be the best option to determine if there is a problem and start working on it early in life. If the puppy is acting normal (friendly and curious, not overly anxious or aggressive towards anyone), there is no particular reason at this stage to think that he won't be a good pet when he's older.

What you are describing may be normal puppy behavior for Bear because some puppies respond very poorly to dominance type of behavioral training. However, I would be concerned with the behaviors that you are describing. I would recommend contacting your veterinarian or the foster organization for a recommendation on a trainer to work with to have someone else observe Bear's behavior to help you decide where to go from here. The longer this behavior continues, the more serious it will be become, so this needs to be dealt with immediately. In the meantime, I would not reprimand or challenge Bear since that seems to escalate the situation. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem with Brutus! Owner-directed aggression is a complex behavior problem that can be quite serious, especially in such a large dog. This is a more complicated issue than we can really address in this type of forum, so I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Brutus in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan to work on the problem. This will likely include management recommendations, training exercises to work on, and possibly medication if the behaviorist feels that this would be helpful for him. In general, I can tell you that treatment for this problem normally involves identifying what situations tend to trigger the aggression (verbal corrections, collar grabs, and disturbing the dog while resting are all very common triggers), and either finding ways to avoid them, or working with Brutus to teach him to be more comfortable in these situations so that he doesn't feel the need to snarl or bite. Punishment of any kind is not recommended for this problem, as it is likely to make the issue worse over time and will greatly increase the risk of a bite. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

If he has had his vaccines, consider obedience training and socialization classes. Most pet stores or even your veterinary clinic may offer them. these will teach appropriate behavior and basic commands in addition to acclimating him to other people and pets. Reinforce the training at home by making Zeus "work" for everything. This can be as simple as having him sit or wait to eat, to play, to go out, etc. He should not be allowed to initiate contact or play. This should be done on your terms. He should not be allowed on furniture or bedding. provide a crate or bed on the floor for him. these actions will teach him his place in the pack. Right now, he is trying to establish himself as the dominant dog in these situations. As he gets older and stronger, this behavior is unacceptable as it could escalate. A bite typically follows a growl. You can also discuss early neutering with your veterinarian. Most males are neutered at 6 months of age, but if both his testicles have descended, he could be neutered as early as 4 months. Some pups are done even earlier.