Have your dogs ever growled at you? How did you handle it?

[chelle]

My oldest two have growled at me years ago. I don't remember the specifics, though no doubt it was over some high value item. I do remember my oldest getting into the garbage once and she got a chicken bone and growled at me when I went to take it away. My Shiba has tested me more and about once a year, she challenges me over something high value. These incidents receive about the harshest correction I'm apt to ever give. I don't know if these infrequent events (I could likely count them all on one hand, maybe with a finger left over) are normal over the course of a dog's life. ? (Dogs I'm talking about are 8 1/2 and 4 years old, non GSD.)

My youngest has yet to growl at me, but I'm wondering if it is just a matter of time? He's not a small dog, like my others, who are easily controlled and corrected. I wonder if I will feel intimidated if it is Bailey instead? I don't think I will, but I also am wondering what the best thing to do will be, if it happens. With the others when they growled, I would grab them by the scruff, pull them away from the object, take the object, hold them for 30? seconds with the object in my other hand while giving them a pretty deep verbal correction, "No, that is NOT YOURS, it is MINE and you will NOT do that," and releasing them.

Good chance that wasn't the way to do it... but I have and did.

Feedback on my handling is fine, though that really isn't what I'm trying to figure out -- I'm more interested in what YOU have done in a similar situation (your dog challenging you in a similar manner) considering the majority of you here own a larger, powerful dog.

Thanks!

[Liesje]

I voted "no", though Nikon is *very* vocal and sometimes we tease him by slapping his paws and he does these vocalizations but I've never had him give me a warning growl or snarl.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

I put this out a few times. Daisy at 6to 7 months when I had to take a bone from her lifted her lip and did a growl.She was on our new at the time couch. I put her on her back and held her and then took the bone. Adolecent dog i think,never hapened again. she instead swallows or gets undervery small places.Lucky 4 or 5 times . First time was he had been w/ us about 4 months . I put him outsideon the deck for 110 to 15 min and them brought him in and put him in a down.one time I smelled something and thought he might have rolled in somethingand I sniffed him as he sat next to me on thecouch,he growled. Made him get off the couch and put him in a down .Lucky has much more fearbased issues then daisy. One episode i realized something was wrong and he had strained his neck and back in a fall. It hasnt happened in a two maybe three year period.

[Bismarck]

my foster dog growls at me when he's upset.
i have to stop myself from laughing at him, as that ticks him off even more.

he's a VERY submissive dog, he knows who's in charge, but he's still willing to tell me his thoughts on things.

[sit,stay]

No. When Tanner bit me (redirected aggression) it was so quick, there wasn't time for a growl or a snap. He is very vocal, though, and will rumble when we ask him a question. For instance, if he is whining to go out and we ask him if he needs to go out, he'll start to dance around at the door and will whine, squeal and rumble as he does it.

Our other dogs don't even do that.
Sheilah

[Kittilicious]

I don't remember ever having any dog growl at me, my own or someone elses. Sorry, I wouldn't know what to do in that situation. Mine talk back to me all the time, but never growl.

[Lilie]

I voted no, as I am considering your question to mean growling as an aggressive warning.

I had a JTR who complained about everything. He was a rescue and in the beginning I thought we were going to have major problems with him. But it turned out he was just a complainer. He never snapped or bit or even pointed his nose in our direction as he grumbled.

[shaner]

No, but if my dogs did growl at me aggressively, I would do what you did. Grab them by the scruff of the neck, hold them in a down while giving a very, very strong verbal correction. I would not let go unless they were being submissive. If they resisted, I would hold until they stopped. I would make sure they understood that I am the leader, not just mentally but physically as well.

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

I put no, but she has growled at me out of excitement. It wasn't aggressive, and it didn't sound like a normal growl, it was more of whine and growl combined. It was hilarious. I'm not sure what I would do if she growled at me for real. I suppose give a verbal correction. I've never had one of my own dogs growl at me in seriousness before, so I've never had to really think about it.

[juliejujubean]

Only play growls and barks. Especially if we are playing tug!