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.
Dogs will give a warning growl in situations involving things like resource guarding, stranger danger, feeling cornered, or feeling stressed. Dogs use these warning growls to communicate to you or another animal to “back off” because they are uncomfortable.
There are multiple reasons that a dog may exhibit aggression toward family members. The most common causes include conflict aggression, fear-based, defensive aggression, status related aggression, possessive aggression, food guarding aggression and redirected aggression.
If you catch your dog in a bad mood, and they growl at you, it may be a low rumbling growl, which can mean “leave me alone.” It is best to listen to your pup when they express their desire to be left alone. You may be able to tell more from their stiff body posture.
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.
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.
It simply means they're having a great time. Your dog might even growl during a particularly pleasing cuddle or patting session. Many dogs growl talk to communicate contentment or as a greeting. These types of growls simply indicate happiness.
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).
It is usually quite clear when a dog is growling out of aggression as opposed to when they're having fun. This type of dog growling is distinguished by being quite loud, with long, low, rumbles. Your pet's posture might also change, with raised hackles and lunging movements.
Some dogs will lash out when they are in pain because they fear that they will be hurt more by those trying to help them. Neurological conditions such as seizures, viruses (such as Distemper) can cause your dog to act scared and shake.
Sudden behavior changes in your dog can be concerning, whether it's an aversion or fear of something they used to enjoy — think rough-housing with other dogs or daily trips to the local dog park — or a new habit that's appeared out of the blue, like barking out the window or guarding their toys.
Anxiety. In addition to vocalizing pain, dogs also growl as their means to scare away people or animals when they feel anxious or fearful. Your dog's tense demeanor every time you pick him up might stem from a traumatic event. For example, you or other members of the family might have lost grip while holding the dog.
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.
Pleasure and Affection
It means that dog growling when petted is nothing to be concerned about and is often a tender expression of your dog's love towards you. When your dog exhibits an affectionate growl, you'll most likely realize that what they're feeling is far from aggression.
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.
Dogs may growl during playtime to show their enthusiasm or excitement. If you observe that your dog is wagging its tail while growling, it's a good indication that they are enjoying themselves.
Dogs will also growl when they are feeling frightened or stressed out. Most of the time this is a warning before the dog reacts aggressively. Although a dog may not always snap or bite after growling from fear or stress, it is still always best to be cautious.
Your dog may be showing possessive behavior if they do the following: Growling. Snapping. Whining.
When dogs growl at people approaching, while sitting in their pet owner's lap, this is called resource guarding. Yes, your growling dog is protecting his resource, which is you, but protective dog behavior is dangerous that will get worse, if not addressed quickly.
A dog's aggression can lead to a bad outcome if your dog bites someone. The good news is that a growl or snap is your dog's way of communicating a waning—and your dog is choosing to warn you instead of biting.
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.
Resist the urge to yell at or otherwise punish your dog for growling as that damages trust, doesn't teach your dog appropriate behavior, and can often worsen aggressive behavior, she says.