Don't Punish Growling
Hopefully, you now recognize that you should never correct growling. It's either benign or a symptom of stress in your dog. If you punish your dog for growling, you will only inhibit growling. You won't have done anything to address the underlying issue.
You should never punish your dog for growling.
Growling is an essential part of a dog's language. When dogs growl, they are trying to communicate their stress about something happening in their environment. That could be them guarding a toy, seeing a stranger, or even just excited to see someone they know.
Though dogs speak in many ways through body language and other vocalizations, a growl is one way dogs communicate the loudest about their discomfort. We should listen, not punish! If a growl occurs during punishment or correction it's a sign that you are being too heavy-handed.
Stop whatever it is you're doing or the person/animal eliciting the growl is doing. If you know that your dog growls right before a bite, then move away and get safe. If you know the growl doesn't mean a bite is imminent, stop what you are doing.
Why Do Dogs Growl? Growling is one way your dog communicates with you. It growls to let you know that it's afraid, in pain, or needs for you to back away from its possessions or territory. Often your first instinct is to run from a growling dog or to punish it for growling.
Straight off the bat you should be correcting your dog's growling and/or snapping with a firm “no” at the onset of the behavior. When he stops growling, reward him with a “good boy”, or in the beginning, a treat if it's handy at the exact moment of training so that he knows what he is being rewarded for.
Growling – Sometimes dogs will growl during play, but these growls are accompanied with loose, relaxed body language. When growling is followed by any of the above behaviors, or is a deep and low, it may be a sign of aggressive behavior that needs to be addressed.
Punishing a growl can be dangerous.
You teach your dog not to tell you when they are uncomfortable. They are still uncomfortable, or scared, or mad, but now they just don't say anything. They don't let you know. When people say, “The dog bit without warning,” it is often because the dog was punished for growling.
Most dogs assume a neutral or submissive role toward people, but some dogs will challenge their owners for dominance. A dominant dog may stare, bark, growl, snap, or even bite when you give him a command or ask him to give up a toy, treat, or resting place.
Act like the alpha of the back and show him who is boss. Look him/her in the eye: When you give a command, look straight at your pet. Make sure he can see that you mean business and that it is not a command to be disobeyed. Always hold eye contact with your pet, no matter how big or small he or she is.
The act of holding a dog down forcibly as a correction is generally called the "dominance down." It is inappropriate, ethologically absurd, and completely counterproductive when interacting with dogs.
Growling is part of normal canine communication. People usually think of a dog's growl as a warning or as a sign of defense. Often, growling means that the dog needs space or is uncomfortable. However, growling is a complex vocalization that also occurs in other situations.
The most common reasons dogs growl are fear, possession aggression, territoriality, and pain. Some dogs also growl when playing. Play growling is often seen when two dogs are having a safe, healthy play session. In this case, the growling does not necessarily indicate aggression.
For a dog who is acting out of fear or frustration (for example, a dog who is barking and lunging on leash), using the word 'no' to stop the behavior without helping to alleviate their fear or frustration will often lead to an escalation in behavior, such as growling, air snapping, or biting.
The Growl: Dogs do growl while playing, but there are two ways to tell different growls apart. An aggressive growl will be accompanied by snarling and snapping, while a playful growl is just a sound, accompanied by relaxed body movements (no tension).
“If your dog whines, barks, paws at you, or nudges you to get affection, this means that they don't respect your personal space and they won't listen to you in other areas of training and leadership.” This one may be tricky for dog owners.
Is training an aggressive dog possible? Yes. Aggression in dogs, whether it be toward a dog's owner or other dogs, is a serious behavior that should be adjusted with the help of a professional dog trainer.