My 6 monthr rottie bitch hates being on her own.

by Jodie
(Wales)

We have a 6 month rottie. We never caged her and she has slept in the kitchen since day one.

She regularly spends time with us going for walks and sitting with us in the living room but as soon as she goes in the kitchen for instance; if someone knocks the door or if we go out for a bit, she pees in the kitchen mostly right by the door!!



Hi Jodie
Rottweilers are very people-oriented and bond closely with their family, they thrive on being with their people and this means that they don't like being isolated or alone.

However, it's necessary to be alone sometimes, and your pup needs to learn to accept this now, while she's still young, and more open to learning new behaviors. If she gets too reliant on being with you (or a member of your family) every waking minute, then she may develop separation anxiety and become very distressed when separated from you. This isn't something that you want to happen.

Although you've never used a crate, I'd suggest getting one and putting it in the living room or wherever she spends most of her time with you. Let her spend time in it while you or your famiy are in the room, so that gets used to being crated. In this instance, a wire crate would be the best choice as it is very open and she will be able to see and hear everything that's going on around her.

Don't get too big a crate though, it should be big enough for her to stand up, sit down and turn around in without touching the sides, not much bigger. Make sure she has one or two favorite, sturdy chew toys in there with her, and an old T-shirt or piece of your clothing may help as it will carry your scent and help her to feel more secure.

After a few weeks, when she is comfortable and familiar with the crate you can try leaving her in it for very short periods while you are out of the room. She is less likely to pee in the crate as her 'den' instincts will prevent her from messing in such a small area. Don't let her out if she cries, howls or barks. Wait the 5 or 10 minutes or however long you've decided on and then take advantage of any break in the noise to take her out of the crate. She must not learn that complaining wins her freedom.

There are several articles on dog separation anxiety on another of my sites which deals with puppy care for all breeds. Although your pup doesn't seem to be suffering from this, there are some tips and advice there that I think you may find helpful. Check out this page ... Separation Anxiety In Your Dog

Basically it's important that she accepts being left alone sometimes, without getting upset about it, and the way to achieve this is to start now, and take it slowly.
Hope this helps. Best of luck with your Rottie.