# Do you let your dogs growl at each other



## shaner (Oct 17, 2010)

For those of you with multiple dogs in your house, do you allow your dogs to growl at each other during play?

My dogs are extremely vocal with each other when playing. It sounds like there's a dog fighting ring in my house at times. Even when they're not playing rough, they still sound like they're in the fight of their life. Tails are wagging and there's absolutely no aggression or tension, nor does it ever get out of hand. Sometimes they just lay on their sides face to face and growl, squeal and make all kinds of noises.

Cedar isn't like that with other dogs, which I like. Titan does growl when playing with other dogs, which I want to stop. It's fine at home where I know my dogs, but if we ever come across a strange dog and Titan growls, it could send the wrong message to the other dog, even though it's just pure play. It also freaks people out who aren't overly experienced with big dogs. 

At puppy school they have 2 brief off-leash plays where it's a combination of play and training. I always have to leash Titan up as he growls/barks/squeals during play and they don't want the dogs getting vocal or rough. 

So my question is do you allow your dogs to be vocal with each other during play? If so, are your dogs vocal with other dogs as well, or only with each other? Any advice is appreciated (other than don't let my dog around strange dogs, lets please not go down that road, I know how some on this site feel about dogs meeting other dogs and I disagree).

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Yes, I let them be vocal when playing as long as it's not disruptive. To not allow them to vocalize when playing means to not allow them to play.

I also allow growling for real like "leave me alone" or "this is mine, you can't have it". I've never had a dog fight.


----------



## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

YES, some dogs talk a lot and some don't but I always let them talk.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Absolutely I let them growl if they are playing. Onyx is my vocal growler...

This morning, she was growling at Karlo because he wanted to play in the house and she was warning him to leave her alone. I redirected Karlo, didn't correct Onyx. 
Depends on the growl whether I let it go or not. 
I'll correct if I hear growls while I'm preparing their meals. I don't think that is appropriate(always comes from Onyx) 
If they are resource guarding toy/bone with a growl(with each other), I let it go...it is their way of communicating. Seldom, if ever do I hear a resource guarding growl.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I allow growling when they are playing. I do not allow growling when I know it's a resource growl and I'm the resource.


----------



## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Liesje said:


> *Yes, I let them be vocal when playing as long as it's not disruptive. To not allow them to vocalize when playing means to not allow them to play.
> 
> I also allow growling for real like "leave me alone" or "this is mine, you can't have it".* I've never had a dog fight.


Ditto that. :thumbup:


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Daisy will growl at Lucky if he pushes her and I step in b/c she's 12. If they are playing no growls during it just heavy thudding on the floor. If Lucky is sparked to growl he needs removed . Now he whines when they play no big deal.


----------



## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

I allow growling as well during play as well as non-play situations between the two of them. I've also never had a dog fight.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Yes. I'm probably going to Cesar Millan ****, I even let them growl at _me_ during a good rough tug session.


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Akela growls. Diabla... she howls and roars!!


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

It depends on the situation. My two boys were littermates and they always had their play where they growled each other. I did not let them growl our other dogs, they were 90 lbs to the 40 lb mixes but I did let them growl each other.


----------



## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

Liesje said:


> Yes, I let them be vocal when playing as long as it's not disruptive. To not allow them to vocalize when playing means to not allow them to play.
> 
> I also allow growling for real like "leave me alone" or "this is mine, you can't have it". I've never had a dog fight.


Same here.


----------



## mssandslinger (Sep 21, 2010)

i let play growl but as soon as i hear serious growl i shut it down and make them all lay down away from each other.


----------



## MicheleMarie (Mar 29, 2011)

Liesje said:


> Yes, I let them be vocal when playing as long as it's not disruptive. To not allow them to vocalize when playing means to not allow them to play.
> 
> I also allow growling for real like "leave me alone" or "this is mine, you can't have it". I've never had a dog fight.


i do the same. both my dogs are play barkers (i.e-they bark a LOT when they play) so i never tell them to be quiet. I also have a 8 y/o and a 14 month old; obviously the younger one wants to play ALL the time and can be annoying so I allow the older one to growl when she wants to be left alone or if she wants to chew on her toy by herself instead of chasing around. I've never had a dog fight either


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Yep. Depends on the context. They are not allowed to guard toys or space from each other.
If the growl is in that context, the offender is removed from the situation. 
Our dogs do fight occasionally. 
We all know when/how to end the situation without bloodshed.


----------



## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

I don't have multiples of my own but when I have fosters I allow them to growl. I don't allow resource guarding growls from a distance a little grumble is fine but I stop the growler from going too far and the one causing the grumble is made to move away. 

GSD's are just a vocal breed which is why it's difficult with some other dogs but I'm not going to stop how my dog plays because the other dog isn't ok with it. I just watch closely for problems if another dog has one I remove my dog from that dog and let it play with another dog that is fine with the rougher play. GSD's sound like they are killing each other when they play together it's just how they are if things do get serious I put an end to it but just play and being verbal I will not stop.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

All my GSDs have been vocal when they play. I don't know how you could stop it even if you wanted to, unless you didn't let them play at all, and that wouldn't be any fun.  Some are more vocal than others, and some sound downright vicious when they are playing, but I don't worry about it. I don't let them resource-guard against each other, however. If I hear a real growl I enforce some space between them.

My girls have never been in a fight, but they've been in a couple of verbal arguments--I can tell the difference between playing and arguing. An argument gets shut down ASAP and both go to their separate quarters for a time-out.


----------



## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I only have one dog, but we often get together with my cousin and his dog and Sasha growls and barks and whines; I let her. She's not being aggressive. If we're around a new dog who has an owner who isn't comfortable with it then I just stop play. Her aggressive sound and her play sound are similar but different and the body language is entirely different.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Vocalizing - Yes. Jax is the vocal one that sounds ferocious. The Boxers will let out a sound like a whine.

As far as real growling, it's usually Jax that lets out the growl if she's sleeping and one of the dogs gets in her face and won't back off, the Boxers never pick up that it's a clue to get out of her face. So I need to intervene whenever that happens. Banshee lets out the occasional growl to be left alone.


----------



## lkcheertex (Apr 20, 2011)

Both my dogs are very vocal when they play. I allow it. I think you can definitely tell the difference between a play growl and one that's from resource guarding or aggressiveness


----------



## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

Emoore said:


> Yes. I'm probably going to Cesar Millan ****, I even let them growl at _me_ during a good rough tug session.


I not only allow them to growl at me in play, I encourage them. I know the difference in their growls, and enjoy hearing the play talk. 

Our puppy k class doesn't prevent growling or being vocal, but bullying gets the dog a time out. Otherwise, as long as they are having fun, anything goes. Well, within reason, Haha.


----------



## Draugr (Jul 8, 2011)

Definitely.

With other dogs, and with me. I even talk back to Samson, and we get in bark/growl matches. It's fun.

Samson's best (canine) friend, you would think they were mortal enemies if you didn't know much about dogs. They pretty much only play fight when they see eachother. It looks and sounds nasty but I know what to listen for. On rare occasion it does escalate into a real fight but they always know when it gets there and will settle out of it themselves. Sometimes they will just stand nose to nose, about an inch from eachother, but it seems that is enough to settle down so they can play fight again in fifteen seconds or so.


----------



## Ucdcrush (Mar 22, 2004)

My dogs play like that, growling, barking, biting. No problem at all.

In my opinion it's a good leadership reinforcement exercise to cut off that excessive play once in a while, like when it's annoying you, tell them to chill it out.


----------



## Rosa (Sep 18, 2010)

Yes I also allow them to growl and be vocal while playing!


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

All of my dogs growl while playing. Apache sounds like a grizzly bear, Kiya usually only growls if she gets mad, Lakota likes to bark more than growl when she's playing. I don't have a problem with them growling until I hear a mean growl that says "Leave me alone" then I usually tell them to knock it off or intervene.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Liesje said:


> Yes, I let them be vocal when playing as long as it's not disruptive. To not allow them to vocalize when playing means to not allow them to play.
> 
> I also allow growling for real like "leave me alone" or "this is mine, you can't have it". I've never had a dog fight.


This.

I have never had my dogs get to the point where I need to step in. 

I did step in when I noticed Zefra bugging Stark to the point of ME getting annoyed, but that was when she was a puppy and didn't know any better.


----------

