# puppy snarled a few times, he made me nervous



## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

A vet check might be in order. He might be in pain


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Did the pup just have shots? It can very well be that he is sore from the shots and picking him up or petting him over the area that the shot was applied to hurts him. Before assuming/addressing behavioral problems eliminate heath problems.


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## capegoldenbaxter (Apr 16, 2015)

He goes to the vet on the 20th. He did not just get shots. He has been very healthy. I will just have to ask vet. Thank you.


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## DJdogman (Apr 23, 2013)

Was he chewing or playing with anything at the time? This would just be resource guarding which can be worked on.
If not, it does sound like he might have a sore spot, they usually would not growl unless something is wrong. :-/


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Get him in for the vet check, don't wait for the 20th. Make sure he's not injured. Even if he is in pain, your whole family needs to be aware that he reacts like this when something is wrong. Unfortunately I agree with you that strangers should no longer be allowed to pick him up regardless of what's going on here. 

If the vet can't find anything physically wrong, I would be keeping close notes on his behavior and ask around (are you in a training class?) for a referral to a very experienced trainer to come to your home for a couple private lessons and to observe his behavior in your house. It is always helpful to have someone in person give their suggestions. 

If this were my puppy and I continued to have red flags with behavior I would take him to a certified Veterinary behaviorist. There aren't a lot of these specialists but they have a lot more knowledge than the average trainer or vet and can really help if you see more issues going forward. Member Directory Map « ACVB Totally worth the drive and the cost if you realize it's an issue. After you have taken the puppy to the vet and ruled out any physical issues, you will want to reach out to the breeder and just let her know what is going on and what steps you are taking to keep it from getting out of hand. She should be a source of support and needs to know if anything out of the ordinary is going on. Fingers crossed for you....


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

This isn't normal; a pup shouldn't be doing things that make you feel nervous. As others have said, he may be in pain. Check his ears for infection, and have a look in his mouth to see if he has problems with his teeth. Check out the rest of him: feel his back, his legs, his belly, etc., gently, and see if he reacts as though in pain.

If not, I'd suggest consulting a behaviourist fairly quickly. In the meantime, if he snarls at someone else, pick him up quietly and put him straight in his crate for a time-out. Right now, he's snarling and he's getting what he wants as a result: people are stepping back and leaving him alone. You shouldn't let this type of behaviour become entrenched, regardless of the reason for it.

If you can bring your vet appointment forward, that might help too.

Good luck! He's a puppy, so this type of thing is fairly easy to deal with, but it's important to address it quickly.


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

Nolefan's advice is excellent. If your puppy is making you nervous, you need someone to help assess the situation. If it is behavioral and not a pain issue, early intervention is important.


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

Here are two articles on growling. Snarling is another form of communication from your pup that they are uncomfortable, fearful or over stimulated. Just because a pup was okay with something in the past doesn't mean that they are okay now. At one point the dog could have had a bad experience that you didn't even see that has changed the dogs view on the behavior that is causing the dog to be uncomfortable. The pup could be starting to go through a fear period which could also set this off. It really is important to have a professional evaluate the situation and until you do don't put the pup dog into that same situation.

Reading dogs 12: Will he bite? - Woof Work Blog



Other signs that a dog is uncomfortable include:

getting up and moving away or leaving the room; 
turning his head away; 
lifting one front paw; 
hiding behind a person or thing; 
suddenly scratching, biting or licking himself; 
licking his lips and/or nose; 
yawning when not sleepy; 
tail tucked between his legs; 
tail low, only wagging the end, or raised and wagging stiffly; 
turning ears sideways (for a prick-eared dog); 
pulling ears back and panting rapidly; 
opening eyes wide (whale eye); 
“shake off” when not wet; 
raised hackles; 
direct eye contact and hard staring; 
rigid body posture, may include leaning forward on front legs; 
closed mouth; 
growling;

SNARLING: 

showing teeth, C-shaped mouth/air snapping;
mouth closed tight, body stiff and motionless signal that the dog is ready to spring and bite; and 
lunging or charging forward.

2nd article

How to handle a growling dog | NJ.com


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

Thank you Solinvictus for the links to the Woof Work Blogs. There is a ton of information there and pictures and videos etc. Very good for inexperienced people (like myself). Really enjoying them.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Were you able to get in with the vet sooner? I hope you will update us on how things are going.


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