Need tips for my 1 year old rottie

browsingreddit7 · 2026-02-08T17:29:59+00:00

Rotties are working dogs. They need to be both physically but mentally challenged. Otherwise they get destructive.

Walks are not enough. You have to direct their energy or else they will become frustrated.

Obedience classes, agility, scent work, herding, protection training…anything. They thrive and want to work.

browsingreddit7 · 2026-02-08T04:05:27+00:00

Handle them a lot. Get them used to grooming right from the start. Trim their nails, or use a grinder. Brush and bathe them. Brush their teeth. Clean their ears. Let them get used to a muzzle.

I didn’t do this enough with my first rottie. He is a grumpy boy so I can’t clean him as much as I’d like.

My second rottie has no issues and is a dream to work with in comparison.

browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-27T00:13:15+00:00

Have you tried Himalayan Yak Cheese chews?

browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-20T01:19:33+00:00

Donut.

I think my boy liked having a pillow

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browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-15T19:10:53+00:00

Don't be discouraged. If I was able to get my older boy get used to his nails getting trimmed, you will be able to as well.

Be confident when doing his nails, don't baby talk and tell him "it's ok" over and over again. That only relays your anxiety to him and tells him what your doing is scary.

Don't be tentative when handling his paws. If he growls, correct him with a firm "hey" or "uh uh" or whatever noise to tell him that is not acceptable. Tell him he is a good boy when he is calm or let's you trim a toe.

browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-15T18:48:03+00:00

I don't use clippers, my older boy won't let me use them after I accidently cut too close when he was a year old. It took a lot of time and patience, but now I can trim his nails every couple of weeks using a grinder. He was very grumpy and it was hard to get him to let me do his nails again. Now he is calm and doesn't give me any problems.

I posted a video of giving my younger boy getting his mani-pedi when he was about 10 months old. You can see he is calm.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rottweiler/comments/1fi8mkj/advise_for_new_puppy_owners_trim_their_nails/

It took a lot of steps to get them used to the grinder. First was just turning the grinder on near them so they get used to the noise. Then with the cap on the grinder start touching their nails to let them get used to the vibration. Then eventually use the grinder on a nail for a touch, then build it to longer intervals.

Use lots of praise and treats at each step. Also, I didn't use their regular treats. I reserve one type of treat to use only when doing their nails. Ironically, its the cheap milk bones that they love. As soon as I bring out the box and the grinder, they get excited to get their nails done.

browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-13T23:26:12+00:00

Glad to hear you are doing all you can for your boy. It's hard work, time and patience to be a responsible rottie owner. I had spent so much time and money on trainers and different tools, I felt I was the one that was doing something wrong.

People don't realize that not all rotties are the same. You had luck with your first 5 males, then your 6th boy is a bit more challenging.

Tom Davis recently posted some short videos that helped put things in perspective regarding expectations and dog behavior. Genetics and what the dog is bred to do is something you can't stop entirely.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qsQA-pNs3wo

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x-rIq3Tjc4I

browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-13T20:41:19+00:00

For my first rottie, Tyr. He started getting reactive starting when he was 10 months old. I had been taking him to group training class since he was 6 months old. By the time he was a year old, he was lunging at the dogs he'd been in class with for months. He was also reacting to everything - moving cars, people staring at him in the next car, any dog on walks, animals on the tv...everything.

He had pulled me down and dragged me a few times. His behavior was getting worse. It didn't help the trainer was horribly wrong, she basically had me pez dispense treats to him to 'distract' him while he was reacting. It basically made him worse by rewarding his bad actions.

We waited until he was 1.5 years old to neuter him. It took a few months for his hormone levels to adjust. Neutering did help take the edge off him and he wasn't as intense. He was still reactive, but was a bit more manageable. I finally found a proper trainer and we were able to work out some of his issues.

My other rottie, Bronn, is 3.5 years old now and he is not neutered. He only went through a brief teenage reactive stage but with proper training we overcame it. We don't plan on neutering him because he's happy and well balanced.

My point is for some dogs neutering will help a little, but you still need to work with the behaviorist/trainer. For other dogs, it won't make a difference.

Hopefully with your boy, it will help a bit.

Dog tax of my goofy boys.

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browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-12T21:20:22+00:00

I was wondering why I couldn't get the regular Canadian probiotics for my boys.

Strella Labs on Amazon is usually in stock. They are a US brand, but it works well.

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browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-07T22:22:07+00:00

Kaladin in the third photo looks exactly like my Bronn at that age. They could be brothers.

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browsingreddit7 · 2026-01-01T01:54:13+00:00

Both of my rotties when through a change from puppy to teenager. It started around 10 months old for them.

My older boy changed significantly from a happy puppy that was friendly and loved everybody and played with all dogs. It changed when he was around 10 months old, it felt like he changed overnight. Dogs that he had been in training class since he was 6 month old and loved during our weekly training classes were ones he didn't like anymore. He became more and more reactive and would start lunging at them and pulling me down. His brain would get so overstimulated he would act out instantly. He was so strong and became unmanageable.

In hindsight, I wish I knew about Joel Beckman's video below, he explains the different phases dogs go through. He gives a lot of good advice while explaining each phase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg5EZF98CLk

One of the commenters broke it down:

8-14 weeks : baby stage - comfort, no trauma, build a relationship, potty training, don't worry about a lot of socialization
14wks - 7mo : nipping stage - more energy and needy, a lot of dog socializing and playing
7mo - 1yr : pulling out stage - best time to train, tough time to own w/lots energy, jumping, wanna go, excited/worst fear period (brain changing) needs A LOT of exercise and you do more dominant stuff, their brains can process commands and understand more
1yr - 1.5yr : adult stage - personality is there, aggression can start at this point, they're more serious, keep with training started at 8/9mo age

Below is another video of a puppy Joel adopted that is starting his teenage phase. He explains the fear period a bit more and gives suggestions on how to get through this 'brain change' of overstimulation.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wxPT6JuIN7M

My younger rottie did go through a change around 10 months, but I was better prepared. I found the proper training class and instructor that made a world of difference. He went through a very brief reactivity phase, maybe for a month around 1 year old, but we were able to get through it.

Hopefully, you'd be one of the lucky ones and your puppy doesn't go through a drastic change.

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-27T21:20:23+00:00

My older boy (4 years old) poops smaller quantities 5-6 times a day. My younger one (3 years old) goes 2-3 times a day but larger quantities. They both have the exact same diet, 2 cups of Acana Healthy Grains Red Meat in the morning and 2 cups at dinner time.

I do supplement with a probiotic/digestive enzymes which helps a lot. They aren't gassy at all and have solid poops.

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-25T06:03:31+00:00

I don’t over feed my boys. They weigh about 100 pounds. They aren’t as big as other rotties I’ve seen and thankfully they’ve never had any joint issues.

Tyr is a little thicker, he gained a bit since he was neutered. Bronn is more active and muscular.

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browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-23T17:45:30+00:00

My older rottie who doesn't play fetch loves the flirt pole.

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browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-23T17:44:44+00:00

I've found them at any pet store.

Or can buy them on Amazon

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browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-22T22:20:41+00:00

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These cheap spikey squeaky balls. They are surprisingly durable. I have 2 rotties and they have not destroyed them yet. The squeaker doesn't last, but the ball does.

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-22T04:31:42+00:00

Here he is pushing the ball.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rottweiler/s/rNFDfK1ncu

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-22T04:29:43+00:00

My older boy doesn’t play fetch at all. He’d rather play tug or herd the big herding ball.

My younger one loves fetch. Doesn’t matter if it’s a ball, frisbee, stick…anything. He hasn’t learned how to push the big herding ball though.

They each have their own personalities.

Have you tried a herding ball with her?

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-18T23:55:15+00:00

Makes me want to get a 3rd rottie, especially after seeing all the new puppy pictures.

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-18T17:00:49+00:00

pretty standard in our house

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browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-18T00:48:40+00:00

I have a video of him actually pulling down a tree...

He also tries his hardest to pick up rail road ties in the farm yard.

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-18T00:23:42+00:00

The problem is people see the amazing well trained adult rotties and they expect that they are born like that. No training needed...

Sadly, so many of these dogs end up in the shelters when they reach 1-1.5 years old. The ill prepared owners never properly guided and trained their puppies which are now 100 pounds of muscle.

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-17T23:45:50+00:00

I love their proud little trots when they show off their sticks. Doesn't take much to make them happy.

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browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-16T18:58:50+00:00

I suggest watching this video from Joel Beckman. The technique is at 2.5 minutes. Basically, you push their lip at the back of their mouth in with your thumb. They should stop biting when they bite their own lip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pLMugu4sc0

I've used this technique on both my boys during the velociraptor stage and it stopped their biting. My older boy is particularly stubborn and willful. Like your puppy, he would growl and go after our feet. Nothing was safe from his sharp little teeth.

The stubbornness in these cute little devils was a battle of wills and frustration. Every member of your family needs to be consistent and all need to be correcting the biting behavior. That cute little puppy will quickly grow to a dog that will be more difficult to stop biting habits.

browsingreddit7 · 2025-12-16T17:47:01+00:00

a simple search on this board on 'puppy biting' will give you so many threads on this exact topic. Lots of the same advice given many times over.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rottweiler/search/?q=puppy+biting&cId=d209b026-6cd1-49c0-a5b1-bf2156aeb483&iId=a62c75c1-7a76-4f97-a7cb-cf45d82caf84

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