# correct response to growling



## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

I'd be interested in hearing about appropriate solutions. We don't have this issue but I would like to know what to do in such a case. I personally think making sure your dog sees that you are ok with a situation is important. If your dog feels threatened you may need to take the lead with calmness


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

I see she used to live with other dogs-- did this start when they passed?

As for growling-- I think I would contact a behaviorist. It's not so much about what to do when they growl, but learning the triggers that make them growl and then working on those.

Any chance she has some sort of undiagnosed issue, like low thyroid?

Sounds like she is anxious girl.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

If this were happening at my house with a 5 year old dog, I would absolutely invest in a very experienced trainer or certified veterinary behaviorist. You need someone to work with you in person and figure out why the dog has started doing this so you know the best way to address it. Don't just pick any trainer off the internet. I think you really want someone who is educated and experienced. (I don't know what you have available in Germany, but here is a link to someone in the UK who might be able to help you find a referral close to you.) 
Alexandra Moesta
WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition
WALTHAM Science Research Pet Dog Cat Health Nutrition Well Being
Freeby Lane
Waltham-on-the-Wolds, LE14 4RT
United Kingdom


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## Martin (Feb 21, 2011)

Dolce never met Lupita, but she did live with Drifter from when I got her until his death three years later. Now that I think of it, I can't remember her ever growling when he was there. I think he was still alive when the incident with the other dog occurred, but he wasn't on the walk with her. 

By the way, we met that same dog last week, and he was barking and lunging while Dolce was walking calmly by my side. Considering that and considering that that incident was the only time she showed any aggression toward another dog, even when another dog provoked her, I think it's likely that he started it last time. I don't know for sure, though. I was very preoccupied that day and didn't even realize there was any tension until she vocalized (growled? barked?) and he snapped the air in her direction.

Anyway, I'm fairly sure the other incidents all happened since Drifter died. Her fear of loud noises has also increased drastically since then. She used to be fine with gunshots at a distance, thunder, and firework. She was very afraid of a coin stamping machine when she was next to it during a market (which then translated to a fear of markets), but no other loud noises. Now she trembles when she hears any of the above noises and shows many other signs of distress. I should add that she did have some other fears when I got her, but that she overcame them with relative ease. (Except for the vet... she's still afraid of going there, but I don't blame her. Every time she's gotten a vaccine, she's gotten a huge bump at the injection site; we're still exploring our options to try to prevent this.)

She has not been tested for a medical cause for this. Can low thyroid cause these issues? Are there any other diseases she should be tested for?

Seeing a behaviorist sounds like it would be really helpful, but it's not possible. There's no way I could get the money for even a single session, much less enough sessions to work through these issues.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

Definitely get her thyroid tested. She's the right age, female, and a Golden...

Hypothyroidism can have all kinds of behavioral effects. I know when my thyroid meds need to adjusted I'm exhausted, jumpy, and anxious, and at least as a human I know what the cause is.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Remember, growling is communication. It says, I'm not comfortable with what's happening. You have heard correctly, you do not want to discipline growling. Identify what is causing the dog to growl and redirect her or remove the thing she is uncomfortable about. 

Honestly, the incidents you describe I would not consider serious problems. Growling when someone is in a tree, that's a weird thing and she was just expressing her discomfort with an oddity. That would not concern me. You have already determined the other dog was the problem, and in dog communication she was completely appropriate to respond by growling.

New people coming into your house, that you can work on. Make visitors arriving a positive thing for her. You give her treats and act calmly, greet your guests pleasantly. So she sees they are welcomed by you. Once she is more comfortable with people coming in, have them give her treats when they arrive.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

I agree with MyLissyK, these really are not situations where I would be concerned about her growling. They sound like a startle response to something unusual.

When she growled at your relatives how far away from her were they?


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## Martin (Feb 21, 2011)

Selli-Belle, I think she started growling when they entered the room, so they were ~5-10 feet away.

This morning she growled and barked an alarm bark when she saw a neighbor through the window. I think it might have been because the neighbor was wearing a neon green jacket. One of my brothers also has a jacket of a similar shade, and she was afraid of him the first time she saw him wearing it. As soon as she realized he really was my brother, she calmed down again.


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

Getting in touch with a good behaviorist is a great start. You wont know how to give a good response to her growl until you know WHY she is growling. Dogs will growl because they are afraid, anxious, possessive, in pain, protective, aggressive, and some even growl during playtimes. It can be a proactive or reactive response to a situation. The growl in and of itself does not tell you anything other than that your dog made a noise.

Once you know what it is that is the issue you can work on prevention first and the best response second.


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## Apesan (Aug 23, 2013)

Having her thryroid testing is a good idea, and while they are doing that, have them run a test for Lymes. From your description, I'd be surprised if the behavior was Lymes related, but it never hurts to get it tested.

I can't second enough getting in touch with a behaviorist (different than a trainer) to find out why your pup has started doing this, now, and s/he will help you deal with it in a way that is positive for you and your dog.

Good luck!


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## karthik (Mar 15, 2009)

Hi, Never ever correct a dog who is growling. She is trying to communicate. If you stop this she may not warn you in future. She seems uncomfortable with something . Have you ruled out health issues? .


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## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

What about the "play" growling when larking around with other dogs. Buddy has a BF that we walk or swim with most days. They really adore each other and have known each other since he was 4 months. Sometimes their play gets really boisterous and then the growling starts. Until now we have kept a close eye on them but never intervened and they always calm down on their own and get back to "I chase you then you chase me". I should add this is the only time Buddy growls. Is it OK?


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I agree with the posters who said they wouldn't worry about her growling in the situations you described. I see nothing wrong with her growling at those times.


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

I'd probably try to figure out why she growled at the guests. Was she guarding her spot on the couch? Sleeping and surprised?

The rest of the situations don't seem like problems. Casper growled at a flower pot yesterday. For whatever reason, he couldn't figure out what the weird think in the middle of the neighbor's lawn was. It wasn't a regular flower pot, it was one of those big urn things with side openings. Not something you usually see and certainly not in the middle of the lawn. He just couldn't figure out what it was. I offered to take him closer, but he wasn't interested in that! He walked the other way.

Casper also barked at the neighborhood Cujo last week. The dog is usually tied to the garage and barks and snarls at Casper. Or he's in his backyard and can see us at our house and barks at Casper then. The two times we've run into Cujo not at his house, he's been unleashed or out-of-control and attacked Casper. So when we ran across Cujo being out on a walk, Casper barked at him. Seems perfectly reasonable to me. And Cujo was way at the end of his flexilead staring at Casper.

It sounds like it's fairly recent that your dog is an only dog. Maybe she's finally coming into her own. I had a collie and a golden, and the golden was the alpha. The golden never barked and neither did the collie. Then the golden died and the collie took up barking like crazy. The collie had let the golden decide all those years when it was the right time to bark. I had two cats and almost the exact thing happened with them. It could be the older dogs were taking the lead and showing your dog not to be afraid. Now on her own, she makes her own decisions about the scary stuff.


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