Hi Everyone!
Wanted to see what you think of this behavior in Meenah...
Meenah is my submissive, 6 month old female Cavalier. I've noticed in the last month that she growls at people - usually adults that she does not know. If we're out for a walk and she sees someone, she sometimes does a growl that is fairly quiet and never seems to alarm anyone. It is short so other than saying "uh-uh", I don't do anything about it.
The growling that disturbs me more is when she does it to my father. In the past, when he has bent down to pet her, she has piddled. So I have instructed him that when he first comes over he needs to ignore her for a while and then sit down (he can't squat down at his age) and pet her on the chest. So now when he comes over, Meenah will sit in front of him and growl a little bit. Even though she is little and unintimidating, this puts off my father who has never liked dogs in the first place. When she growls at him, I say "uh-uh" and try to distract her. She settles down and is then fine around him.
I'm trying to interpret the growls and figure out if they mean the same thing or not. In the first example, is she feeling a little defensive at the sight of someone new, and perceiving their approach as aggression? I don't know why she should because I've been taking her out and about for walks and meeting people since I got her 2 months ago.
In the second example where she growls at my father, is she trying to get his attention so that he'll pet her? Maybe that means that she will no longer piddle if he greets her right away?
Is she feeling defensive in both cases? Or is she trying to get attention in both?
What do you think growling in an otherwise submissive, timid dog could be?
Thanks!
Wanted to see what you think of this behavior in Meenah...
Meenah is my submissive, 6 month old female Cavalier. I've noticed in the last month that she growls at people - usually adults that she does not know. If we're out for a walk and she sees someone, she sometimes does a growl that is fairly quiet and never seems to alarm anyone. It is short so other than saying "uh-uh", I don't do anything about it.
The growling that disturbs me more is when she does it to my father. In the past, when he has bent down to pet her, she has piddled. So I have instructed him that when he first comes over he needs to ignore her for a while and then sit down (he can't squat down at his age) and pet her on the chest. So now when he comes over, Meenah will sit in front of him and growl a little bit. Even though she is little and unintimidating, this puts off my father who has never liked dogs in the first place. When she growls at him, I say "uh-uh" and try to distract her. She settles down and is then fine around him.
I'm trying to interpret the growls and figure out if they mean the same thing or not. In the first example, is she feeling a little defensive at the sight of someone new, and perceiving their approach as aggression? I don't know why she should because I've been taking her out and about for walks and meeting people since I got her 2 months ago.
In the second example where she growls at my father, is she trying to get his attention so that he'll pet her? Maybe that means that she will no longer piddle if he greets her right away?
Is she feeling defensive in both cases? Or is she trying to get attention in both?
What do you think growling in an otherwise submissive, timid dog could be?
Thanks!