Growling

[bill1971]

Lately, every once in a while she will make a little growl. Once it was because she was biting on my shirt and I pulled it away, I usually replace it with something else she can chew on but this time she growled. Is this anything to be concerned about?

[ashleighelizabeth]

I'm definitely not an expert, but it sounds like normal puppy behavior to me. Sonny growls a lot when he is playing. He also started resource guarding which we tried to stop right away. He would growl when someone would try to move him on the couch. We bought the book Mine! by Jean Donaldson and found it VERY helpful!

[Karlin]

No. In this context, puppies growl because it is one of the many ways they will 'talk' as they get older, and they often will growl in play! Two of mine are still play-growlers and Lily's is so funny (she growls as she attacks a toy or chew and throws it into the air to attack again ) it always makes me smile.

One reason to never discourage growling per se, is that dogs use a growl as their *polite* was of saying 'I am really unhappy with the situation right now' -- as a warning. If they are punished for growling, they sadly can go straight to biting.

However your goal is to have a dog that -- separate from play growling -- does not growl in inappropriate situations -- eg a well socialised dog used to handling, strangers, children etc (but of course always watched around children mostly as kids themselves can torment dogs!). You definitely want to watch for growling as part of resource guarding -- as noted above and explained more fully here:

http://dogtime.com/puppy-training-pr...ng-dunbar.html

[bill1971]

Thank you. I appreciate the response.