Are Rottweilers So Hyper: Learn About the Rottweiler Dog Energy Level

In most cases, no dog lover deliberately sets out to choose a hyper dog breed. Hyperactive dogs can be so impossibly difficult to train and manage that many end up getting relinquished. This can be heart-breaking for both owner and dog.

So you definitely don’t want to find yourself with a hyper Rottweiler and not know what to do to fix the situation!

Are Rottweilers so hyper that they are hard to train and control? Or is this just a myth caused by too many dog owners who want a guard and protection dog but don’t have the skill to train their new Rottie well?

Rottweiler dogs do have a naturally high energy level, which is totally normal for a working dog breed. But hyperactivity is a companion canine is a different issue and it is an important one to know before you choose a Rottweiler or any working dog.

In this article, we break down the reason why Rottweilers may be hyper and what the experts have to share about fixing this issue.

Are Rottweilers So Hyper? The Truth About Hyper Behavior

Learning the truth about Rottweilers and hyper behavior starts by understanding what the word “hyper” really means.

As MedLine Plus explains, the term “hyper” or “hyperactive” refers to a level of constant activity that is abnormal.

So anytime a human or an animal is labeled as “hyper,” what this really means is that something about the activity level is not normal.

Hyperactive Vs Active Rottweiler Puppy

One of the most common phases of life where Rottweilers (and all dogs) can be unfairly labeled as hyper is in puppyhood. Puppies are naturally exuberant, energetic, and active. But this behavior is normal and is very different from hyperactive behavior.

Puppies may jump for the joy of jumping, play-bite because they are teething and in pain, bark just to hear their own voices, rip apart couch cushions out of boredom (or teething pain) and get into everything because everything is new and interesting.

Initially, most Rottie puppy owners find these behaviors cute. But then their Rottweiler gets bigger and stronger and cute behaviors turn into dangerous behaviors.

Once a behavior becomes a problem, it is harder to enjoy life with your dog. Some Rottie owners even start to feel unsafe around their own dog simply because the dog hasn’t received the right training earlier enough in life.

Luckily, positive dog training solves these problems – and make no mistake about it, they are problems. A hyper dog can easily become an out of control dog, as this YouTube dog training video highlights.

In the video, the dog trainer shares that the Rottweiler’s owners were worried their dog would get taken away or put down because the dog was so hyper. But after training, the problem behaviors subsided and things settled down.

As the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains, the Rottweiler absolutely needs early and ongoing training and socialization to strange people and strange animals to learn to manage themselves well in a family and community.

There are many training methods that can be effective to eliminate hyperactivity in a Rottweiler dog. Because there are so many dangers involved with ignoring the behavior, never hesitate to reach out to a dog training expert for help with this.

Why Would an Adult Rottweiler Dog Be So Hyper?

As a large to a giant dog breed, the Rottweiler dog takes a long time to grow up into adulthood.

If you are just learning about the Rottweiler dog breed for the first time, you may not yet realize that those adorable fluffy little puppies can easily grow up to weigh 135+ pounds and stand up to 27 inches tall!

Even though Rottweilers, like so many large and giant dog breeds, have a shorter life expectancy of just nine to 10 years, they can take up to three years to completely outgrow their puppyhood life phase.

What does this mean for you, the Rottweiler owner? It means you may be seeing puppyhood behaviors well into your dog’s second or even third year of life!

It is easy to look at a Rottweiler dog that seems fully grown and looks like an adult dog and not understand why some of the behavior still seems so puppy-like and hyper.

But once you understand that Rotties stay puppies for longer, you can more easily understand an extended period of energetic behavior and also make plans to train accordingly.

Also, when an adult Rottweiler exhibits behavior that is not characteristic of (aka normal for) this dog breed, it is important to dig deeper and look for another reason that may be causing your dog to act this way.

What Might Cause An Adult Rottweiler to Become Hyperactive?

VetStreet gives a good overview of the typical or normal adult Rottweiler dog personality.

These dogs actually grow up to have a moderate daily energy level with moderate activity needs. Rottweilers also have naturally low barking tendencies and only tend to bark when they think you need to know about something or a threat has been identified.

So with this breed profile, you wouldn’t necessarily expect an adult Rottweiler to exhibit hyper behavior.

What might cause an adult Rottie to become hyperactive or to not outgrow the high energy levels of puppyhood? Let’s take a closer look at this important question.

1. Your Rottweiler is lonely

The number one thing to know about the Rottweiler breed is that they are intensely bonded to “their” people. These dogs need to be a huge part of your life and your family’s life.

If a Rottweiler dog has left alone a lot or banished to the outside areas of a home, this is going to be a very lonely dog.

And a lonely Rottweiler is going to be so glad to see their people that hyperactivity is one potential result.

2. Your Rottweiler is bored

The Rottweiler is incredibly intelligent. These dogs score in the highest tier of canine intelligence as measured by a canine psychologist and nearly 200 canine trainers.

So if a Rottweiler dog is not given sufficient mental as well as physical activity, stimulation, and interest in their day, this is likely going to result in hyperactivity.

A bored Rottweiler is going to turn into a destructive Rottweiler in short order because boredom will drive your dog to find something interesting to do, even if it is digging up your yard or remodeling your den.

3. Your Rottweiler isn’t getting enough exercise

While Rottweilers in adulthood don’t need to go nonstop to stay healthy like some working dog breeds, they do need one to two hours of activity per day to burn off steam.

The best way to achieve this is either to get your dog enrolled in some type of canine athletics or to schedule at least two to three periods of walks, jogs, play sessions, and activity every day.

This will ensure that instead of a hyperactive Rottweiler, you have an exhausted Rottweiler who is happy to doze off on the couch with you at night.

4. Your Rottweiler is sick or injured

Dogs don’t have the ability to tell their people in words when they are suffering. They have to show you with their behavior.

As Dogs Naturally Magazine points out, many times a dog is mislabeled as hyperactive when really that dog doesn’t feel good.

Here are some of the most common reasons why health might provoke hyperactivity in a Rottweiler of any age:

• Thyroid disease.
• Vaccination side effects.
• Medication side effects.
• Feeding the wrong food (food allergy).
• Coming in contact with a toxin or poison.
• Skin allergies or infections.

5. Your Rottweiler is afraid

Finally, if it seems like your Rottie has random periods of hyperactivity followed by periods of calm behavior, it may be that your dog is afraid.

Loud noises, strange people or animals, odd odors, weather events, and other incidents may be causing periods of hyperactivity that are directly linked to something fearful in your dog’s environment.

Because Rottweilers are so people-oriented, they can develop separation anxiety that may manifest as hyperactivity.

A sudden move to a new home, the addition of a family member (human or animal), a separation from a family member (such as divorce or a child leaving for college), the loss of another pet with whom your dog was bonded – all can cause intense fear.

Being relinquished and re-homed is a common source of fear that can lead to hyperactivity and/or separation anxiety in Rottweilers. Because these dogs can be difficult to socialize, some owners find they are “too much dog” for their lifestyle.

Now you understand how Rottweilers have gotten the reputation as being more hyperactive dogs. With the right socialization and training and lots of love, you can help your Rottie live happily and calmly with you and your family.