Rottie Bolts up when he see’s a cat or my brothers??

by Jhon Ronell
(Ph)

What is the best thing to do when my rott bolts up when he see’s a cat or my brothers/parents??

He’s already 40 kg at 7 months old, the problem is when he bolts up, he almost drag us. He’s not aggressive it’s just that he went to hyper mode.

Hi Jhon
I’m not exactly sure what you mean by ‘bolts up’ and that he’s dragging you, but if it’s that he’s pulling on his leash I’d recommend getting a prong collar and using that to control him without hurting him.

You’ll find information these on my Big Dog Collars page. Contrary to what many people believe, these are not cruel or painful for your dog, in fact they’re safer and less likely to cause injury or pain. Correct his lunging by giving him a quick ‘pop’ with the leash and a verbal ‘No’, so that he realizes this behavior isn’t acceptable.

Another alternative is the The Illusion Dog Collar & Leash Set (Next Generation) from Cesar Millan.

If he’s bolting up like this when you’re at home and he’s not on a leash, getting a short leather training leash (also called a pull-tab leash) and keep it attached to his collar if you have people around or visiting and you expect your pup to indulge in this behavior. That way you can get a hold of him quickly and give him a ‘collar correction’ (a quick, firm tug with the leash) combined with a verbal correction, at the first sign of trouble.

Your Rottie is an adolescent and he’s a big boy on the outside, but still immature on the inside! His guarding and sexual instincts are just starting to surface and he’s going to be going through some phases and stages that may be challenging – for everyone! Just remember to keep the house rules, routine and everything else consistent and make sure he knows he’s loved, but also where his boundaries are (in terms of behavior).

Rottweilers often have a fairly highly developed prey drive, and that instinct is what makes them chase smaller dogs, cats, even small children sometimes. It’s a reflexive and instinctive behavior – something they don’t even think about, just do! But, you need to discourage it firmly as it can lead to trouble. Cats can generally take care of themselves, unless cornered, and although you want to make sure your pup knows that chasing the cat is not okay, it’s not as dangerous as chasing other dogs or children which can have potentially devastating consequences. Stamp this out now.

I’d also really recommend getting him into a basic formal obedience class, if he’s not already taking part in one. This can play a big role in helping owners to communicate with, and deal with, their puppy’s problem behaviors before they become a real problem. The extra socialization is great for the pups and the one-on-one, hands-on help from a professional trainer is invaluable.

Hope this helps some, best of luck with your pup.