Grumpy Rottweiler!

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I've contacted a local very reputable behaviourist but always find lots of really good advice here so if anyone has anything I can try in the meantime that would be much appreciated!

I have a 3 year old rottie, she's always been really friendly with people and other dogs but recently she's started getting her hackles up and yapping at some dogs out on walks. She's absolutely fine when we get to the other dogs, she'll sniff them and let them sniff her, it just seems to be when they're approaching that she gets agitated. We have a 5 month old lab puppy and the last week or so she's been telling him off a lot and just being generally grumpy with him and our cat.

She was attached by a dog in December, it ripped her ear in half and she just lay there and didn't even growl back at it, but I wonder whether it's had a bit of a knock on effect.

Any exercises that anyone could recommend would be really appreciated. I mostly walk both dogs together but will take her out separately maybe 4 times a week.

First of all it could be worth a vet check if this is a sudden behavioural change. Did it coincide with you getting the pup?
She probably needs a lot more exercise than a young puppy so that's an issue?
Could she be protecting the pup?
I would avoid other dogs at the moment. Walk her alone as much as possible. When you see other dogs try and get he attention on you and treat her for being calm.
There's a great FB group you can get advice from too. From proper behaviourists. You can even post a video of the behaviour.

Dog training advice and support is the name of the group.

Thankyou for your reply wolfiefan! Please can you let me know what the facebook page is?

It might have coincided with getting the puppy but I'm not sure, she's been getting increasingly grumpier with him and the cat I suppose since the pup arrived, but reacting to dogs out on walks is a very recent thing.

She's probably being walked more now that we have the puppy, but they're broken up into shorter walks so maybe she's not getting enough, I'll up her walks even more and see if that helps. I do get her out on her own for much longer walks though, but I could up that.

I don't know if she's guarding the puppy, or maybe even me, it does seem to be closer to home that she gets like it, she can be absolutely fine with every dog that we walk past and then react to one that's quite far away.

This is the FB group that Wolfiefan recommended. It's really well worth joining, lots of great info on there from excellent professionals.

I also agree that a vet check should be your first priority to rule out any physical causes. One of the first signs my DDog2 is in pain or uncomfortable is that she has a much shorter temper with my other dogs than usual.

Walking her and the puppy separately is a good idea for both of them, same for doing training/mental stimulation separately.

It could be related to her being attacked, the after effects of an incident like that aren't always immediately obvious. Using something like the CARE Method out on your solo walks with her may really help, I've made some really good progress with my reactive boy using that.

I've requested to join the group, thankyou!

Cornflake I work at a vets so will take her Tuesday and see if they can find anything wrong with her, I don't think that it's a pain/health related issue though. Thankyou for the link, I'll have a read and give it a go. I'll definitely up the separate walks, it seems like that would be a good idea for both of them

I've been there and out the other side but just about to go out so will post properly tomorrow.
Definitely solo walks with you.
It'll turn around really fast 😄. Is almost certainly due to her being attacked.

If it's a recent change - definitely definitely get a full vet check.

Rotties are bloody stoic, mine reacting to dogs is literally the only way I can tell he's in pain, he's got 2 dodgy elbows and a dodgy spine and honestly you'd never know from watching his activity, he just carries on as normal.

It probably is because of the timing more likely to be the attack in December, but you want to rule out physical stuff just in case.

Tabulah how far into investigating do you go? I have a feeling my vets will just do a check and say everything's fine, should I be getting X-rays and bloods do you think? Does yours react to all dogs when in pain or just some?

I took her out this morning with a tennis ball (her favourite thing ever!) and every time we saw another dog I got her to concentrate on me and then she got the ball and she was perfect. She had a terrier stood next to her yapping at her (seems to happen a lot!) and she didn't react at all so I think taking the ball out with me seems to be the way to go

I'd want all her limbs and back properly examined, I wouldn't x-ray anything without a reason to though but bloods, yeah.

No, mine isn't reactive to all dogs, well, at times he nearly is, sometimes it's just some, some days he's pretty good all in...

It is way more likely to be because of the attack, but, knowing that my Rottie just doesn't show pain - I'd want to rule out physical stuff just in case.

One elbow I knew about from 6 months old, his back was only found because of his behavioural issues and the only reason I knew his other elbow was shot was because his ongoing behavioural issues got worse, he was still charging about like the big numpty he is absolutely fine to look at, it was his behavioural specialist that spotted that his other elbow was now an issue.

Hi OP, Rottie owner here. I always walk my girl separately, not only to keep on top of her training, but because she enjoys our quality time together. She has no distractions and no competition.
I'm sure the recent attack, will have affected her, and agree a vet check is in order, for her, and for your peace of mind.

Hi, sorry it took me a while to come back but we had a very similar situation with my old girl after an attack where she froze.

I fixed it by taking her out on her own and me going up and greeting approaching dogs & owners enthusiastically while she got the chance to hang back until she was comfortable.
Felt like a loon for a bit but most people understand. The key thing is that as soon as you see a dog coming, you're enthusiastic and excited about saying hello then steam ahead and say hello first ( treats help).
Ours started to relax with approaching dogs and our other pets really fast. It was a big transformation.