Distract them from their bad behavior. Yelp or call out if they're growling at you and step away from the situation. Remove them from the situation if they show signs of aggression. Let your puppy calm down in another room or their crate when they're overexcited.
Bottom Line: When your dog growls at you I recommend that you listen to what your dog is saying. Immediately stop doing whatever it is that you're doing and move away.
Dog growling as a warning
This type of growl isn't intended to be aggressive – it's a polite warning to show that a dog is feeling uncomfortable. Don't ignore warning growls: pay attention to whatever it is that is causing your dog to feel threatened or afraid, and try to remove the cause of the issue.
Whatever you're doing, just stop. If your dog's growl threshold is near his bite threshold – that is, if there's not much time between his growl and his bite, get safe. If his growl doesn't mean a bite is imminent, stop what you're doing but stay where you are.
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.
That means don't look, touch or talk to the dog and be calm. Instead of approaching the dog, allow the dog to approach you. By doing this, you are giving the dog an opportunity to learn your scent, show them that you understand how to be respectful and that you are not a threat.
Dogs emit two primary growls: one for play and one for all other times when dogs are angry, a study confirms.
While it may sound obvious, growling at your dog is not likely to improve its aggressive behavioral problems, a new study suggests. Hitting it is probably worse. Researchers say dog owners who kick, hit or otherwise confront aggressive dogs with punitive training methods are doomed to have, well, aggressive pets.
Yelling at your dog does not work because it will just get him more stressed or it will only increase his energy level and how excited he is about the situation. Instead, your Bark Busters dog trainer can teach you how to use a calm yet firm voice to refocus your dog and to teach the desired behavior.
Many trainers suggest that all growling is fear based, and for that reason, these dogs should not be corrected for growling because it's valuable communication. Not all dogs growl out of fear, but the majority do.
For this reason, I advise all my clients and students that it is NEVER wise to punish a dog for growling, even by saying “No.” Dogs that are repeatedly punished for growling eventually may not give a warning and immediately escalate to biting. A dog that does not growl before biting is a dangerous dog.
Threat or Fear
This type of growl with a low volume and a deep, rumbling sound usually happens when a dog feels scared, possessive, or threatened. It is a warning growl that indicates their discomfort in a particular situation.
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.
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.
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.
1) First get the "OK" from the owner! 2) Hold out your hand, fingers closed, palm down, slowly toward the dog. Allow the dog to approach your hand and sniff it. 3) Wait for the dog's "OK." If he wants your affection, he will lower his head, perk ears, or even come closer to you.
Allow the dog to approach and sniff your hand without reaching your hand out to them. If the dog is comfortable being in your space and showing relaxed body language, you can try to stroke them. Gently reach out with the back of your hand and stroke the dog's shoulders, chest or under their chin, which most dogs enjoy.
Reed says, “When a dog respects you, they will respect your space, listen and respond when you ask them to do something.” This also means they aren't constantly pestering you for attention. Respectful behaviors include: Coming when called (and not jumping up on you) Relaxing when you are otherwise occupied.
Dogs don't shake hands like people do, they use their nose to say hello. So, hold your hand in a fist so they can approach and sniff if they choose. Don't thrust your hand at the dog. They can smell you just fine from a distance, and the sudden movement could startle them.
A confident dog wanting you to move away will often deliver a low-pitched warning growl. His body will stiffen and the loose circular wag may become a stiff side-to-side motion. 2. A scared dog who really doesn't want to defend himself may make a high-pitched growl-bark to get you to move away from him.
Sure, they don't like that we're yelling, but do they actually know that we're upset? Well, according to science, the answer is actually yes! Depending on the behaviors we exhibit when we're mad, dogs will recognize them and react differently.