Do Rottweilers Bark a Lot? How Much & How To Stop It (Vet-Reviewed)

Although they have a fierce reputation, Rottweilers are generally gentle, loving dogs when raised by a dedicated, caring family and trained with the proper social skills. Amazingly, Rottweilers bark very little during a typical day, with many Rottie parents reporting that they seldom hear their beefy fur babies barking.

Rottweilers do bark, however, and in the right situation, they can bark an awful lot (and loudly). It's often to alert to the presence of visitors or unusual activity. Indeed, if a Rottweiler is barking, it’s usually for a good reason, unlike many dogs that bark at just about everything.

If your Rottweiler is barking a lot and you want to know why and how to stop it, read on. We’ll discuss several reasons that can make your Rottie bark up a storm, and what you can do to calm them back down, below.

What Can Make a Rottweiler Bark a Lot? 5 Common Reasons

Rottweilers aren’t the type that barks a lot, like the chihuahua, poodle, and most small-breed dogs. When they’re home, and all is well, the typical Rottie won’t bark at every noise it hears or critter it might see through an open window.

When something does happen to make them bark, it’s usually one of the following:

1. They’re Protecting Their People From Harm

Rottweilers were bred as guarding and herding dogs, and the instincts they learned are still with them today. If there is any danger, whether a stranger, an animal, or even bad weather with lightning strikes and thunderclaps, your Rottie may be barking.

Rottweilers do it to alert you and also to scare off any potential attackers, and they are one of the few breeds that will bark at strangers without being trained to do so, although this is somewhat dependent on their personality.

2. They Are Excited to See You

The average Rottweiler is a big, scary-looking baby and, like most babies, will become excited and happy every time they see you. If you’ve been out and about and have just come home, your Rottie will likely bark and bounce around out of sheer joy.

However, the dog will bark less and less from excitement as they get older.

3. Your Rottweiler Is Bored and Lonely

Rottweilers are a breed that gets very close to their family members and is very social. If yours is alone most of the day or left out in the yard while the family is at work and play, there’s a chance they may start to bark.

4. They Want Something

The average Rottweiler doesn’t back down, and when they want something, they will let you know, often by barking directly at you. They might also want something from another dog or pet, like a toy or bone.

While Rottweilers were originally bred as herding and guard dogs, their loud, commanding, and fierce bark has helped them get attention and assert themselves. Individual temperament and training influence how often a Rottie uses barking to communicate

5. Your Rottweiler Is About 2 Years Old

This last reason your Rottie might be barking has to do more with their age than anything else. Since barking is something they do instinctively as a protection method, at about 2 years of age, you’ll notice that your adolescent Rottweiler puppy starts barking a lot more than usual (and maybe for the first time), driven by instinctive protection and alert behaviors.

While this increase in barking can be surprising at first, it usually indicates normal growth and the development of a confident, attentive adult dog

How to Stop a Rottweiler From Barking in 7 Steps

To stop a Rottweiler from barking, you first need to know why they’re barking in the first place.

1. Eliminate or Reduce the Threat

If danger or a threat is causing your Rottweiler to bark, you will need to eliminate or reduce that threat (or they might do it for you). If thunderclaps or other weather is the cause, talking to your dog in calm, caring words and stroking them will be helpful.

2. Teach Your Rottie Good Manners

If your Rottweiler barks a lot when you return, your best bet is to train them to relax and be calm when you do. Of course, this takes time and diligence through positive reinforcement and won’t be easy to eliminate. One thing is common; as they get older, your pet may bark less and less when they see you, so enjoy it now.

3. Give Your Rottweiler Plenty of Play Time

A bored Rottweiler will get into all sorts of trouble, as will a lonely one. Making sure your dog gets plenty of playtime, walks, mental enrichment through interactive games, snuffle mats, puzzle feeders, and the occasional new toy is critical. If you’ve gone for several hours every day, consider buying a doggie camera to keep in touch with your pooch.

4. Proper Training

Like all dogs, Rottweilers require attention, physical exercise, mental stimulation, high-quality food, and fresh water. The problem with Rottweilers is that they are big, beefy dogs who tend to throw their weight around. That’s why proper and dedicated training time is needed. A well-trained Rottie will know how to be patient and ask for things politely. Since Rottweilers can be a handful, especially for a novice owner, it is always best to have access to a vet's help and behaviorist advice as and when needed.

5. Be Patient

If your Rottweiler is barking because it just learned how to bark, be patient. Like all adolescents, they will calm down and learn that barking is best saved for the more important stuff.

As long as you train and socialize them well, focusing on positive reinforcement, the average Rottweiler is more likely to be calmer and quieter by the time they reach age 3 or 4, at which point their barking will often be much less frequent.

6. Block Off Parts of Your Yard from View

Blocking off parts of your yard where people and pets walk by, in many cases, is a great idea, as Rottweilers have a very high protective instinct. By blocking the sight of “threats,” you can reduce their protective urges and help keep them calm and quiet when needed, although this works best alongside consistent training and socialization.

7. Exercise

The average adult Rottweiler needs between 2 and 3 hours of exercise every day, which is quite a bit. Regular exercise helps reduce barking driven by excess energy or boredom, though dogs may still bark if stimulated.

Long, vigorous walks are recommended; at the very least, you should play with your pet in the backyard for an hour.

Conclusion

Rottweilers don’t usually bark unless there’s a reason for it, at least in most cases. Rotties have a very high protective instinct, and protecting you is one of their primary goals. Barking is how they do that, to alert you to strangers or noise, but Rottweilers may also bark if they’re bored, lonely, excited, or want something. We hope the information we’ve provided today will help you realize why your pup is barking and, more importantly, help you stop their racket and keep their barking to a minimum.

Featured Image Credit: JumpStory