You are also working on counter-conditioning to change your dog’s negative emotional response to strangers. By doing this, you are teaching them to focus on you when they feel worried or uncomfortable. When your dog performs the behavior, offer a treat and praise. Next, as the stranger walks by, have your dog focus their attention on you by asking them to perform a command (like “look” or “touch”). You do not want to use a loud, startling noise, just one loud enough to get your dog’s attention. For example, if you are on a walk and your dog growls at someone heading in their direction, interrupt the behavior using a neutral noise, such as a quick whistle, finger snap, or light clap. When your dog growls, acknowledge the growl and redirect your dog to perform more desirable behaviors. It reinforces their feeling that the presence of strangers is a negative experience. The punishment may reinforce your dog’s underlying fear or anxiety, and you are contributing to the formation of negative associations.īy punishing, you also may be confirming to your dog that they should be worried or fearful when strangers approach, because you, the person they trust the most, become unpredictable and mean when strangers are present. When you physically punish your dog for growling at another dog or stranger, it may lead to further aggression with your dog baring their teeth, lunging, snapping, or even biting the other party. When you tell your growling dog to be quiet, you are only correcting what you perceive to be a problem in that moment and not understanding why your dog is growling. Remember that a growl, just like a bark, is your dog’s vocal communication. What Not To Do When Dog Is Growlingĭo not yell at or hit your dog when they growl. This means that the dog is uncomfortable with the proximity of the other party to them, and they are worried that the other person or dog may take the item away. Growling when another dog or person approaches while they have a preferred toy, or high-value food item: When approached, the dog growls and makes direct eye contact, bares their teeth, and has the front half of their body hunched over the preferred object. This is a clear indication to the other party that the dog does not want to interact or is worried that they may be displaced from their comfortable location. Growling when another dog or person approaches while they are lying down in a preferred location: When approached while lying down, the dog growls, lowers their head, avoids direct eye contact, such as looking out of the side of their eyes, and pulls their ears back. They can also increase the dog’s aggression toward those administering the punishment. Punishment techniques increase a dog’s fear and anxiety. They also damage the human–animal bond and teach a dog not to trust people since they are unpredictable. Verbal and physical corrections may temporarily stop the bad behavior, but they do not teach the dog not to repeat it. Growling when verbally reprimanded or physically corrected: Dogs growl when they are yelled at, hit, choked, sprayed at, or shocked. This means that the growling dog is uncomfortable and wants the other dog to move back. Other times, growling may occur after the face-to-face greeting ritual, especially if one dog is taking a long time sniffing the other dog’s face. This is a clear message that the growling dog does not want the second dog to come any closer. This may be accompanied by stiff body language, a hard stare, and ears pointed forward or held to the side. The growl may happen before the other dog comes closer. Growling during greeting: Sometimes, growling occurs during greeting other dogs face-to-face. Both puppies and adult dogs may growl during play. The dog usually has loose body language and soft facial expression, such as a tail held in neutral position and soft ears moved slightly to the side. It’s just a part of normal play behavior. The growling in this case does not indicate that the other dog or person should go away. Play growling: Growling may occur during playful interactions among dogs or between a dog and the pet parent. How To Tell the Difference Between Growls Interacting with another dog or person while they are lying down in a preferred locationĪpproached by another dog or person while they have a preferred toy or high-value food item Verbally reprimanded or physically corrected Potential Causes of Dog Growlsĭepending on the situation and who is involved, dogs may growl when they are: It is important to understand why your dog is growling, how you can prevent them from escalating their behavior, and when to intervene. However, growling is a complex vocalization that also occurs in other situations. Often, growling means that the dog needs space or is uncomfortable. People usually think of a dog’s growl as a warning or as a sign of defense. Growling is part of normal canine communication.
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