# Puppy growl,Adult growl and hey we got a problem growl??



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

As requested

I dealt with growling issues with my guy. When he first met company he made it clear that he was not a fan of people. Maybe it was fear? But it struck me that he was flat out not messing around! No barking no moving around just a cold hard stare and a low deep growl!

I did not know if he had any past bad experiences but something was off. A (low growl greeted out first guest I used a muzzle (fabric muzzle) and instituted a "No you can't touch way dog policy" after awhile no more muzzle, Ignored people and moved on crossed the street or stepped aside,if I spoke to someone he went behind me. Still no touch for a bit more time. Then when I could read him and knew what he looked like when he was calm, I finally allowed people to touch him...no problem.

He learned what normal interactions look like. People safe dog, kid safe dog today..no dog parks for the record. 

Other time I heard will growl is when he protected me when I slipped on ice while protecting him! I heard that same growl but much much louder and this time I remember seeing his teeth!

Last dog (there were two) decided to pursue a different life choice! In seven years I have only heard "that" growl twice. If my guy growls he means business!

But..apparently he has a cat near his bowl grow also?? Cats drift near his bowl, I say "Rocky"
he stops goes back to eating, cats move on.

He is 99.9% cat proof never snapped at them, I think the cats do it on purpose. Kinda of the way it's been for seven years. I've deemed that growl as not being worth fixing.

He's in my sight, the cats are insight, He doesn't stare at them, he's just aware of them them when he eats. 

That growl, I let go...because if no growl then what??


----------



## ZoeD1217 (Feb 7, 2014)

When Zoe baby growls at me sometimes it seems more aggressive and less playful. And I know that makes me a crazy lady but there is a distinct difference in her "we're playing and I'm excited" growl and her "screw you and your no I can't get on the couch" growl. The latter has ferocious face! I am really looking forward to training. I know I'm a big part of the problem (somehow) bc her behavior towards me is different than it is with my husband. 

And I hope this is the right kind of discussion for this post.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

I may be criticized out the ying yang for this but when my little 8.5 week old puppy growled at me regarding food, I picked him up said "no" sternly and he went to the bathroom for a time out. 

I consulted this forum for growling issues regarding tyson and they all said "trainer" so that is were i am with tyson.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Chip18 said:


> But..apparently he has a cat near his bowl grow also?? Cats drift near his bowl, I say "Rocky"
> he stops goes back to eating, cats move on.
> 
> He is 99.9% cat proof never snapped at them, I think the cats do it on purpose. Kinda of the way it's been for seven years. I've deemed that growl as not being worth fixing.
> ...


I wouldn't fix that growl. Buddy growls at Wiggles or Ivan if they get to close when he has a frozen bone. I let him give that growl for the warning it is, stay away from my food.


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

My last male, Ike, had a "cat near my food dish" growl as well. I never corrected it, the cats respected it. It would occasionally turn into a "I am going to guard moms Chinese food from other dogs" growl. That one I corrected. Not sure why I took that path. But it never escalated. One used his growls very effectively. If I took him to a friends house, and her crazy golden was bugging him, he let out a warning growl. My friends dog never respected it. We would call her dog away and 5 minutes he would be bugging Ike again. Growl again. Ike gave lots if warnings, he would get up and move, he would avoid, and if I was being innattentive, at the 20 minute mark he would escalate. Never made contact, just would stand up and charge forward bark growling. Then the golden backed off. That golden was the only dog I allowed him to get that far with. 

He was super stable everywhere. Kids, other dogs, crowds. Just hated rudeness. 

I have never had one of my dogs growl at me in any way that was not play. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

shepherdmom said:


> I wouldn't fix that growl. Buddy growls at Wiggles or Ivan if they get to close when he has a frozen bone. I let him give that growl for the warning it is, stay away from my food.


Yeah that's kinda my thinking. And it is a diffrent growl then the other two times.

Mey dogs and cats have lived together for years and never any issue, they don't really play as such but they sleep together and the cats run up to greet Rocky if they are in the yard and 
see him come out.

I saw the Leerburgh video and went WOW! I use his video to help folks but I caution aginst the eating together thing, a step to far in my opinion.

Leerburg | Introducing Dogs or Puppies into Homes with Cats

My other dogs were raised with cats dogs were from 8 to 12 week olds I got Rocky at 7 months and he was my first GSD so I kinda just accepted that from him. The people growl, that was a big fix it issues!

I guess you need to chose your battles!


----------



## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

Yeah I've never been concerned with growls between my dogs. They like to lick out each other's bowls after meals, but they also let each other know if they're not done eating yet and still need some space.

The growls I am most interested in are ones most people feel would need correcting by one means or another (ie: growls at you or growls at people your dog should be comfortable with), and how people on this forum would handle growls like that?

As a kid our family dog growled at me once. He had a rawhide and was munching it in his normal spot behind the couch. I came running past him unconcerned with his presence or his bone, but he obviously saw me as a threat and let out a short growl. My dad was furious! He put the dog on his choke chain and had me walk past him several more times giving sharp corrections until he no longer growled at me. He also got the rawhide taken away and never got another one again.

Now I was young and my parents were not really "dog people," but I would be concerned that correcting the growling would only make it more likely for the dog to bite without warning in the future. As much as being growled at seems to be an emotional affront to most people, it is a valuable form of communication. So how would you handle your dog growling at you?


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Bequavious said:


> Yeah I've never been concerned with growls between my dogs. They like to lick out each other's bowls after meals, but they also let each other know if they're not done eating yet and still need some space.
> 
> The growls I am most interested in are ones most people feel would need correcting by one means or another (ie: growls at you or growls at people your dog should be comfortable with), and how people on this forum would handle growls like that?
> 
> ...


Ok well being a smart ass, I'll ask if the dog ever growled at you again?

But in all seriousness an actual growl at pack members needs to be addressed! My guy growled at company (he never) growled at me or my wife (no kids here) and no I never corrected him I used a muzzle for a short bit and training to ignore people problem solved it for me,

A growl means something our job is to figure out what it means and take "appropriate" action.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Chip18 said:


> Ok well being a smart ass, I'll ask if the dog ever growled at you again?
> 
> But in all seriousness an actual growl at pack members needs to be addressed! My guy growled at company (he never) growled at me or my wife (no kids here) and no I never corrected him I used a muzzle for a short bit and training to ignore people problem solved it for me,
> 
> A growl means something our job is to figure out what it means and take "appropriate" action.


Yes so how does one address a growl at pack members when the dog is a puppy? You don't want to train the growl out. The warning needs to be there but how do you let a puppy no its not appropriate to growl at a pack member?


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Unfortunately for me, I never observed that happening, if it did with my guys?? Puppies are a noisy growly bunch. 

If I see that happening and I'm clear on the target and the growling seems a bit over the top..I'm going to assume a dominant dog. And he found the other dominant dog in the pack and is saying "I'm coming for you, if not today give me time!"

I'd stop it cold! I'd get between him and his target firm "NO" play time is over! If it's a submissive dog he won't be doing that, if it's a Dominant dog, he needs to know who's in charge! 

I did pack walks with my guys once over two weeks, one Dominant male BullMastiff/Pitt mix and one Balanced Boxer girl and my friends out of control herder dogs one balanced male and one Dominant female. 

Intro done, pack walk all is going well and sure enough the two Dominant dogs found each other! Tussle ensued, I broke it up, That was it no more problems (remaining time) the two Dominant dogs gave each other space the balanced dogs never had any issues.

Rocky my GSD was my waterloo in my three dog household. Never saw it coming, 18 months trouble free, then out of the blue??? It was on big time no growl no warning! He starting attacking my male Bully!!

I never got a chance to fix it Gunther passed shortly unrelated to the fighting! But moving froward when Rocky did a low growl at company, I took that seriously and took action no corrections just "appropriate" training and it worked out well! 

A Dominant dog needs to respect "all" the members of the pack otherwise he will pick and choose who to respect! Failure in leadership on my part, Rocky never gave "me" any problems..."You can run the ship "I'll" run the crew was his take!"

Don't know if that's any help, but it's how I formed my "opinions". :


----------



## nktigger99 (Aug 22, 2006)

So guys....how would you go about correcting growling if it happens between a puppy and our children? We are getting an 8 week old on the 15th and have 4 small kids, 5 and under. Trying to be prepared.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

What about the body language during the growl? For example the other day at the dog beach my dog went up to another dog, facing the same direction as the other dog but not directly looking at him when he growled?


----------



## glowingtoadfly (Feb 28, 2014)

I think growls are a dog's way of communicating play or discomfort and it is bad to teach them not to growl because then they will be trained not to warn and go straight to biting. I live with a resource guarder and manage it with treats to correct the emotion associated with approach to the valued resource. She no longer growls over her ball, and we hand feed her.


----------

