Why the dog growls at “their” and what to do about it

In the article we will understand why the dog growls at the owner and his relatives. For each reason, you will find tips on how to respond to atypical behavior. And in the end – the mistakes of beginners: do not do this, please. This is not only painful for your pet’s psyche, but also dangerous for your health.

To begin with, a short test, how exactly do you understand the reactions of pets. Let’s imagine four situations. What do you think, in which of them is it normal if the dog growls?

• You tried to pet the dog

• You approached the dog while she was eating

• You were trying to examine the dog when it hurt its paw.

• The dog growls not at you, but at other family members

The correct answer is that healthy and well-mannered dogs do not growl in any of these situations. They perceive their owner as the leader, and other family members as members of the pack, who are higher in rank.

The dog does not growl at those who are higher in status. And this is not about fear, but about trust. She understands that people care about her comfort and safety. In order for everything to remain good, they must be obeyed.

Let’s go back to our examples. With the right hierarchy, a pet has no reason to growl at the owner or family members. Here is how a trained dog reacts to situations in the test:

• rejoices when the owner strokes her;

• calm if the owner approached her feed – suddenly brought supplements;

• allows the owner to inspect the wound, because he will help;

• respects and does not growl at other family members.

Let’s summarize. If the dog growls at the owner and his relatives, this is not normal. And there is always a reason for such behavior.

The reason may be age. Often – in problems with raising a pet. And sometimes such behavior is a reason to urgently contact a veterinarian. Let’s analyze the most popular cases.

• The puppy is probing the boundaries

Growling is a form of communication for a dog. This is how she expresses her dissatisfaction, evaluates the reaction of the leader, checks her place in the pack. In the family, the leader for the dog is the owner, and throughout her life she periodically tests him for strength. But not in order to harm, but to make sure: he is still in control of the situation, he is strong, I am safe with him.

The stronger leadership qualities are expressed in a dog, the more persistently and more often it will do it.

The first test of the owner for strength begins at the age of 2-3 months. The puppy unconsciously probes the boundaries of what is permitted and evaluates the strength of the leader. Often the owners make mistakes already at this stage, because it is very difficult to be strict with a cute little ball!

The next stage comes at 5-6 months – this is the “teenage rebellion”. A maturing puppy is actively exploring the world. It seems to him that he already knows everything and can claim the title of leader. The next “big test” comes at one year of age. The dog is already mature and experienced enough to appreciate the leadership qualities of the leader. If the owner has not shown himself to be a reliable leader by this point, the dog can assign this title to himself – and then numerous behavioral problems begin. For example, growling at others.

How to re-educate. Regardless of the puppy’s age, be consistent, strict (not to be confused with cruel!), Follow the rules of the house. Do not give your dog “indulgence” even on holidays. If it is forbidden for a pet to beg for food from you, then on New Year’s Eve you should not treat him to a steak from your plate.

• Dog is stressed

The dog may roar when frightened. For example, you dropped a heavy frying pan or dumbbells on the floor with a crash. If in such a situation the dog jumps up and growls, this is normal. When she realizes that there is no danger, she will most likely come to beg for forgiveness: she will press her ears, wag her tail and look ingratiatingly at you.

How to re-educate. It makes no sense to correct this behavior – the dog growls at the irritant, and not at you or your loved ones. Do not react to the roar in any way, broadcast calmness and continue to do your own thing.

• The pet considers himself higher in status

Usually dogs growl when mistakes in education have already been made and the dog competes with a person for the title of leader. Often this is due to the inconsistency of the owner’s actions and numerous indulgences. Conventionally, yesterday you allowed your pet to sleep on your pillow, and today you shouted for it. The dog doubts the adequacy of such a leader and tries to take his place.

Similar results give uncontrolled feeding and constant indulgence to the dog. Have you seen how demanding growling at the owners of Chihuahuas, Bichons, Toy Terriers and other miniature decorative dogs? The very ones that family members wear on a velvet pillow and kiss on the nose.

From excessive attention, the dog ceases to understand who is in charge in the house. And she tries to be the leader herself.

How to re-educate. In the moment. The main thing – do not make concessions when the dog growls at you. Do it systematically. For example, a dog sits on your chair and does not jump off it, although it sees that it bothers you. Don’t let it stay there – otherwise the task will stretch. Strictly command “to the place” or throw the toy so that the dog runs after it. Happened? Then praise your pet. This is how positive reinforcement works: if you follow the person’s command, you get praise.

If the dog’s growling has already become a habit, it is safer not to waste time, but immediately turn to the cynologist.

• The pet is hurt

The dog may growl if the owner touches the sore spot. But growling in this case is also a violation of boundaries, a signal that the dog does not trust the person. With the correct hierarchy, the pet, rather, will not growl, but will whine, squeal – or otherwise show the owner so that they do not touch it.

How to react. Contact your veterinarian. If your dog is growling in pain, chances are the problem is already obvious to you.

• Other reasons

Sometimes the dog growls because it is tired, and the children demand to play with them again and again, pulling by the ears or by the tail. In such a situation, the main thing is to explain to children how to behave with a dog. The most dangerous thing is if the dog growls and behaves atypically, and none of the above reasons are about it. Filmmakers deal with this.

The most disastrous idea is to punish the dog and yell at him to demonstrate his “leadership”. The dog will decide that you are behaving inappropriately and the leader will definitely not come out of you. In addition, physical force can break the dog’s psyche and provoke further aggression: attacks and bites. This is dangerous. By their nature, dogs and wolves respect the leader not for physical strength, but for strength of mind, for maintaining order and justice.

Ignoring and negative reinforcement work as a punishment for growling: “Growling means you don’t get what you like.”

Coping with dog aggression means working out not only the dog’s reactions, but also the gaps in the pet’s upbringing. It just reads unbearably. In fact, the timing and complexity depend on who you go along this path with. Together with a friendly dog ​​handler, you will be surprised how easy it is to solve such serious problems.