Why Has My Dog Started Growling at Me?
Dogs do not growl for no reason. A growl is a warning. If the warning is ignored, it may escalate to a bite. This is why we should never punish the growl. We need to listen to what the dog is saying instead, and correct OUR behaviour that has made the dog feel he needs to protect himself.
Reasons your dog could be growling
In play. Its perfectly normal for a dog to growl while its playing, especially if you are playing tug or rough housing. What I will say though is that if the play gets too stimulating, it may escalate too much and that growling could turn nasty. Calm the play right down in this case and teach your dog a ‘drop’ command if the tugging gets out of control.
Pain or illness. If your dog has recently started to growl at you when you touch him, he may be in pain. The growling is just telling you to keep away as you are causing him discomfort.The reason could be a pulled muscle, a stomach upset, a wound. Has he started licking an area a lot, refusing walks or food? Get the dog to a vet to be checked over.
Fear. A dog who feels threatened or afraid will growl to keep the threat away. It may be accompanied by a tucked tail, ears back and backwards movement (maybe after a few steps forward.) Have you started doing something new that has caused him to act this way? Telling him off or punishing him, nail clipping, hosing down, grooming? Introduce some positive reinforcement to change his thinking. For example, if he fears the nail clippers (because when you used them on him he got a shock or you drew blood), alter his perception of them. Put the clippers on the floor. If he sniffs them, say ‘Yes’ and reward with a treat. Pick up the clippers and make the cutting noise mid air. Say ‘Yes’ and reward. Stroke him with the clippers. Say ‘Yes’ and reward. Touch his nails with the clippers (no cutting yet). Say ‘Yes’ and reward. And only when he is comfortable with the above do you attempt to actually cut a nail. It may take a few days or weeks to get this far. But by now he’ll be thinking clippers= treats, instead of clippers= pain.
Possessiveness (resource guarding). Dogs will growl if they think you are going to take away something that they think belongs to them. Body language will be stiff. They may freeze or hover over their prize as they give you direct eye contact. A dog who has never been set any rules or boundaries may guard their possessions or their territory. It could be food, a toy, a water bowl, a sleeping area, the sofa, the garden, another dog or person. If you never take anything away from a dog, he’ll never feel the need to guard. So make a trade instead or teach a ‘drop’ command, then reward.
How to deal with resource guarding
Whatever your dog is guarding, the initial action to take is to not let him have access to that item. If he’s guarding your bed, shut the door to your bedroom. If he’s guarding his food bowl, start hand feeding instead. If he’s guarding his toys, don’t leave them lying around. You choose which one to give him. If he growls at you when you aproach him on the sofa, the sofa must become out of bounds. He must no longer think of it as his. Here’s what to do: remain calm and assertive - the energy with which you do this is key- and say ‘Off’, as you toss a treat or toy onto the floor. Make sure he has got a waft of the treat , or seen the toy you are holding beforehand. You want him to think ‘Off’ = good things. Don’t approach a growling dog in a confrontational way or you will most likey get bitten, and will make the dog more distrustful of you. Never punish a growling dog or use force to remove him.
If your dog is guarding another person, ask that person to create some space- ie put the dog on the floor. The same person should work on their leadership skills. Why does the dog feel the need to protect them? It should be their job to make the dog feel protected. No growling dog should ever be stroked to ‘reassure’ them everything is ok. What the dog is actually learning is that you approve of the growl, as you are rewarding him with affection as he is growling.
How to prevent resource guarding developing in the first place
Introduce some house rules and boundaries from the moment you bring your new dog home. It could include, no going upstairs; no jumping up on you; no jumping on the sofa (except by invitation); wait before dashing for the food bowl; give eye contact before any treat; stop barking when told to etc etc. If the dog does not view the whole house as his, (because you have charge of where he goes in it) then he will not feel the need to guard it. You don’t guard something that doesn’t belong to you.
Be the GIVER of things, not the TAKER away. Never wrestle something away from your dog. You’ll just teach him to hold on to it more firmly next time; or to growl, to keep you away. If your dog grabs your favourite shoe, do not chase him (this will be perceived as a game) , and do not suddenly pounce on him and prise his jaws apart. Instead walk past him with a higher value toy or something that smells delicious. Start playing with the toy/ treat. He will most likely drop what he is holding in favour of the more desireable item you are animating. As he is eating from his food bowl, walk past and drop a tastier treat in, like a piece of cheese or chicken. I want your dog to associate you approaching his bowl as a good thing. NEVER take away your dog’s food bowl when he is eating. Ignore what some trainers say about this being a healthy training exercise. It will only mkae you rdog annoyed with time, and it may even CREATE guarding behaviour.
Teach a ‘Drop’ command. Animate a toy and encourage your dog to take hold of it. Put a treat under his nose and AS he opens his mouth to take the treat , say ‘drop’. He will soon associate opening his mouth with the word ‘drop’. Pick up the toy- do not snatch as this will encourage him to snatch it back. Once you are in possession of the toy, give the treat . Then give him back the toy. This is key. He has learnt that he does not have to guard his things as you will always give them back.
Teach an ‘Off’ command. You can practise this when your dog is calm and on his bed. Put a tasty treat under his nose and lure him off the bed. AS he gets up and moves off, say the world ‘Off’, and then reward. Repeat several times in a row.
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