This type of defensiveness is ideal for some situations, but most of the time, dogs are a little bit mistaken when it comes to territory guarding. Your dog’s territory may include your home and yard, but it might also extend to your car, your regular dog park, and even you yourself! If your dog feels as though some part of his territory is being threatened, he may start growling as a warning to his perceived threat. And of course, if your dog seems to be trying to bite or chase after another dog or animal, aggression may be the cause here as well. If your dog has wide eyes, is showing his teeth, and is standing very still while growling, aggression may be the cause. You can usually tell if your dog is growling out of aggression, because his body language will let you know. This is not always the case, but aggression can certainly be a potential cause of growling as well.
Most of the time, when a dog growls, humans automatically believe the cause is aggression. You’ll find information that may help you narrow down the potential cause of your own dog’s growling, too. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common causes of growling behavior in dogs. Many dog owners have trouble reading their dogs’ body language and social cues when it comes to growling. Give your dog their own spaces, time, and plenty of breed-appropriate mental and physical stimulation, and you're on your way to a healthy relationship between your dog and child.Does your dog growl a lot? Is it hard for you to figure out why? Would you like to be able to recognize when your dog’s growling may be something to worry about? If any of this sounds like you, then you’re not alone. Your baby and dog can have positive interactions, but it may not necessarily be how you envisioned. We cover these techniques in the Dogs to Diapers course and will help you devise a game plan to give your dog the jobs and roles they need to succeed at home.ĭogs to Diapers will help you learn to recognize your dog's stressors and triggers and work to maintain the boundaries they need. Your dog needs help understanding new coping behaviors and household management. Separating your child and dog until a training plan is implemented is the first step toward success. Make no mistake this is a serious situation that requires immediate intervention. It is a dog who genuinely wishes to control the child within the environment and is confident in its ability to win an ensuing battle if necessary. This is not a dog that feels defensive or helpless or has had thresholds pushed. The issue arises when we have a dog growling in a controlling manner. We don't want our dogs to feel they can correct our children however, this means we have to step up and take that responsibility ourselves. Like people, dogs have thresholds, and an accumulation of stressors can cause them to resort to defensive behavior to enforce their boundaries. Don't let your child harass or annoy your dog, even if it seems tolerant at first. Personal space and resources are common boundaries that dogs can feel threatened over. Importantly, a warning growl when a dog feels threatened can easily escalate into a nip if ignored, which is why we don't want to correct it and eliminate our warning sign. Generally, the two states of mind associated with threatening growls are defensiveness and aggression. This is where we get into more serious growls.
Keep interactions calm and positive, and choose interactive activities such as playing fetch instead of physical play. If your dog is play-growling while playing with your child, the best course of action is to monitor and rein in the play before it gets too rowdy. The type of play dogs engage in with each other can contain behaviors such as nipping, mouthing, and physical contact that isn't safe or appropriate for human play, particularly children. However, even though this means your dog is not being aggressive toward your baby, we still don't want your dog to see them as a littermate or playmate. This type of growl takes place in a playful state of mind, usually during the roughhousing and mock-fighting that makes up dogs' typical play behavior. If you've ever watched your dog play with other dogs, you've probably already heard a play growl.
Dog growling how to#
Let's talk about a few different types of growls and how to differentiate them. The fact that your dog is trying to communicate its needs before taking action should be reassuring.
Different types can tell you what your dog is feeling and how to help. Growling is a form of communication for dogs. You may already be having these thoughts and feel guilty about it.įirst thing's first, your dog needs your help. It can trigger feelings of anxiety, stress, and thoughts of having to rehome the dog. One of the scariest moments a new parent can experience is their beloved family dog growling at their baby.
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