# Growling



## mrez (Feb 17, 2011)

I have a 2 1/2 yr old german shepherd. Well trained on and off leash, friendly, good with other dogs, never any problems at all with aggression. The house consists of myself, my wife & our 7 month old gsd pup, no problems. Last night my wife and I came home from dinner, let the dogs out and were getting ready for bed, usual routine. The 2 1/2 yes old was laying on his bed as usual and looked "sad", ears down, head down. My wife approached him as she would normally and he let out a deep growl and continued to act strange. Growling, ant the fur on his back up as if he was scared...even towards myself, never snapping or lunging at us. I have him commands like sit and lay down he listened but still growling. After a few minutes he was back to normal, kissing and licking our faces. Well today, all day he was fine... Acted his usual playful self. Until tonnight the dog was in our bedroom my wife walked by spoke to him because he looked sad bent down to pet him and he growled again... She got up slowly left the room and he followed growling... He again also growled at myself. He just is acting strange... He seems out of it... When she would call his name he would come but growled. This has never been a problem and first sign was last night. He almost seems like he falls into a mood and then snaps out of it?We plan to take him to the vet tomorrow but just wondering if anyone had any insight???? Sorry so long... Concerned.


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## SageDogs (Oct 6, 2013)

I would take him to the vet to make sure there is no health concerns or problems. A friend of mines dog did that to them out of no where, then after a vet visit they found a really nasty painful issue with their dogs intestines. Just an in case measure, try and get a check up. Otherwise there are a lot more experienced GSD owners here that might help  I'm still a newbie myself, so hopefully I was able to help in any way  


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

going to the Vet is the best idea. if my dog behaved like that
i would crate him.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

I agree. To the vet!

David Winners


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## PhoenixGuardian (Jul 10, 2013)

Agree with previous posters, keep us posted!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

also agree vet visit, I would check eye sight as well.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I agree with a vet visit as well, it could be an eyesight, hearing, or even pain issue just to name a few.


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## mrez (Feb 17, 2011)

Thanks for the input, waiting on the vet to open now. 
It's strange, almost seems as if he don't like my wife or her smell for some reason. Approaches then smells and then gets weird. She hasn't change any fragrance, soap etc. also seems to be a issue at night vs morning/daytime. 
Btw, the dog is not fixed (male) and only on heartworm and advantix.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Both times was he on his bed? Could he be resource guarding it? Still, a vet visit is the place to start.


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## louis.uk (Aug 29, 2013)

Keep us posted. Good luck. 


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

He seems to only do this in the evening. How soon after he eats does he appear to be 'sad'? Do you only feed once a day? If you feed in the morning as well, does he have any interaction with y'all after his meal?

Saying his ears are 'down' makes me think of pain. If his behavior seems to be after a meal, I think this would be a very important detail to tell the vet.


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## mrez (Feb 17, 2011)

*As far as eating, he is fed around 630am and around 530pm. But he doesn't always eat his food, sometimes it site there and I'll hear him eating at midnight. 
*as far as incidents, most have been on his bed with the exception of this am, he was on our bed (I called him up) he made a quick growl to my wife ( no teeth, no snap, closed mouth) 5 or 10 minutes later he was fine.
It almost seems as if he's really tired when he does it, before bed upon waking but still sleepy. Hard to pinpoint any reason.


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## mrez (Feb 17, 2011)

Just came back from the vet...
As I expected...I love my vet, but he is a firm believer in neutering dogs. He gave a eval of the dog and I had them take blood work to see if they could find anything. I prob won't find out til tomorrow I'm guessing. Advised of situation and couldn't find any physical pain, his stool has been normal (I did bring a sample also)
Of course he suggested the neuter as I stated earlier. I'm not for or against it, it's just to me it's not a testosterone, testing, I'm alpha issue. He's not doing this while being commanded, it's while he is just laying Down. Even while he does this, he still listens perfect and completed his commands. He is not by any means trying to rebel or overpower us. And he is perfect with our pup, no aggression or dominance shown. He just seems off, like a quick episode of some sort...
I guess i just gotta wait and see how the bloodwork comes back, and if that normal I guess I'll try the neuter?!? Confused... He such and amazing obedient dog and has never ever been aggressive or anything to strangers, dogs, kids or anybody.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

That's pretty good news about overall health, if the bloodwork doesn't show anything abnormal then it's probably behavioural. I would impliment heavy Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) to remind the dog that it earns priviledges like lying on the bed. The dog is only allowed on the bed when invited and any misbehavior like growling is immediately corrected and the dog is removed from the bed. To earn the priviledge of lying on the bed the dog must behave accordingly which means sharing

Good behaviours get rewarded while bad get either ignored or corrected. When it's black and white like that then dogs will naturally learn which behaviours get them to good rewards and will default to them.


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## mrez (Feb 17, 2011)

Shade said:


> That's pretty good news about overall health, if the bloodwork doesn't show anything abnormal then it's probably behavioural. I would impliment heavy Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) to remind the dog that it earns priviledges like lying on the bed. The dog is only allowed on the bed when invited and any misbehavior like growling is immediately corrected and the dog is removed from the bed. To earn the priviledge of lying on the bed the dog must behave accordingly which means sharing
> 
> Good behaviours get rewarded while bad get either ignored or corrected. When it's black and white like that then dogs will naturally learn which behaviours get them to good rewards and will default to them.


I agree to this treatment and I've always have done this when younger if he wasn't listening or whatever. 
And my vet mentioned a behavioral specialist. The thing is since he was 1 year old he never ever steps out of line or even remotely changed behavior. Even at the vet and as I speak right now he is the perfect well behaved dog he always is. Until this little incident the past 2 days. And 99% of those days there was zero issues. It's interesting.


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## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

I'm wondering if there wasn't a change in your routine lately. Did you wife used to take him out or play with him and recently changed that routine? My dog will growl at me if I don't take him to work with me which is our normal routine. As soon as I get home he shows his attitude. It's not aggressive, just growling and avoiding me. After a number of tests, he did have some other issues which have since been taken care of but the fact I left him home and he didn't have a job to do seems to be the crux of the problem.

FWIW, mine is intact to and, in my limited experience, I sincerely doubt neutering would have any impact on this issue.


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## mrez (Feb 17, 2011)

Alright, so vet called back and everything is normal with blood work and stool samples. 
So he is either in pain that we are not seeing which is affecting his mood or he is just decided he's done sitting back and gonna try to flex his muscles?!

I was only noticing his attitude when he was really tired (morning,night) and he reiterated my theory last night. Left the house around 630 he was perfectly fine. Came home around 10pm. He seemed tired and started to give his attitude, not us but to my 7 month old pup. Basically gave him the warning to get away. He was fine with me, but had the almost scared look...head down, ears back but was Fine.
So I'm just gonna go back to the strict training mode again and re-evaluate from there.
Also have an appointment to neuter both dogs on Monday...just still up in the air on it. We'll see.
Thanks for the input everyone.


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm not the most experienced person around, but I'd dig a little deeper into medical if this were my dog. What all did the vet check for with the bloodwork? The next thing I would think about is a behaviourist rather than jumping straight into a neuter. While I think that spaying and neutering is generally a good thing which can occasionally help with some minor aggression, this doesn't sound like it from your description, and I also think that waiting until the dog is fully mature is best. Or, if you know you can be responsible enough to prevent any oops breedings, then consider not neutering at all. Again, I am not an expert at all, just well read, but I think you hit the nail on the head with "in pain that we are not seeing which is affecting his mood" and I'd probably push that angle the hardest.


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