occassional puppy growling

jlecrone018 · 11-01-2012, 02:14 PM

My puppy, Rico is the sweetest, he is loving and friendly and just a really good dog. i train him often, and work with him. the problem i have been having though is that when he is outside and i tell him here, he sits there and looks at me, then when i attempt to bring him to me to show him what i wanted, he will run away and start to growl at me and bark. Just wondering if he is trying to play, or be mean? Also, am i doing the right thing by going to get him and bring him to me, to teach him what he needs to do. it does not seem to be working..

BowWowMeow · 11-01-2012, 02:20 PM

The most effective way to train a recall is to make you the most fun thing in the world. Make it a game, use treats, toys, a very positive voice and always set him up for success. Start in the house with no distractions and a really good reward that he can see or smell. I usually start with the game of coming to me to get a great reward and then put the command on it.

Right now he does not understand what it is you want from him and the growl is no doubt fear of you!

Meeka · 11-01-2012, 02:26 PM

My pup growls at me when I call her to come so I can get her out the car! I think it's out of fear because when I actually do get her she's fine. Either that or she doesn't want to leave? As for training to "come" do you have a leash on? I don't think your pup is growling to be mean, I think it's just playing. When mines doesn't come n I try to chase her, it's failure for me lol. She's just getting to fast and goes on running forever! So I just use her favorite treat to lure her in

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pancake · 11-02-2012, 01:08 AM

my puppy growls and bark when she doesn't get what she wants haha. what a brat. but cute.
yesterday and today i taught her "leave it" and she really wanted the food so she would claw at it (her nails are long, started cutting me up) and then would bark at me, bark at the food, growl and then just look at it. but now she knows the meaning!

Linda1270 · 11-03-2012, 03:06 PM

I have a very similar issue with the growling when it's time for Tess to go in the house, she can be so stubborn at times and I too wonder if I should go and get her to bring her in or if there is another way to go about getting her into the house. Right now, I have been trying to lure her in with treats, it works some of the time but other times she would prefer to make a game out of it and wants me to chase her. Hopefully some of professionals will chime in and give us some guidance.

lennoxbradley88 · 11-15-2012, 01:38 PM

Schatzi barks in a low tone and growls at me when I get mad at her. That's her saying F you dude, I do what I want lol.

Candace · 11-16-2012, 01:59 AM

My white GSD does this. It can be them trying to put it over you like a kid stomping their foot saying no! Just be careful it doesn't turn to a dominance thing.

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Lucy Dog · 11-16-2012, 02:19 AM

Growling is a warning and probably should be a little more seriously than some are suggesting. It's not cute and it's not funny when the puppy becomes an adult growling shepherd.

Find what's triggering the growling and STOP DOING IT. Don't correct a growl unless you want to eliminate the warning and it to possibly go straight to a bite... work with it and around it. If the dog is growling when you pick him up to bring him inside... STOP DOING THAT. Train the dog to come to you. Bring treats, a ball, a toy... whatever it takes to accomplish what you're trying to do without having your puppy growl. You need to build the foundation now at this age before it becomes permanent.

Jag · 11-16-2012, 02:19 AM

If you call your pup or dog to you, you have to be able to enforce it. Every time you call your pup to you and it doesn't come, you're reinforcing that the pup has a choice. Now if the pup sees not coming to you (especially to come in) as higher value than the treat or toy that you have you're in trouble. Use a long line so that when you give the command and the pup doesn't follow it, you can reel in the pup then praise the pup for coming to you! Don't just do this when it's time to go in... or some other stop to the 'fun'. You have to do it randomly so the pup doesn't view coming to you as the end of 'good things'! Also, repeating yourself over and over is blowing it as well. You only say it once. When training it in the beginning you want to give a gentle tug on the line when you say it. Always use BIG rewards in the beginning (including lots of verbal praise) and then when the pup knows for sure what you want you can decrease the reward but keep the praise high. Only when the pup is rock solid on this should you try it without the line. If off line the pup ignores you after the first call, then go back to training again with the long line. This will save you headaches and frustration down the line. Chasing your pup around is going to set you back. Hide the line in your pants if you have to so the pup can't see it. Have a HIGH value treat and be very positive, upbeat, and energetic to get the pup to come to YOU. Even running away after showing the treat to get the pup to chase you is a good idea. When you have it right, the pup will want to run to you when called because the reward is so good that he/she can't resist it!
Giving 'high value' treats a name doesn't hurt, either. So when your first command is ignored and you have to lure the dog to you.. you can tell the dog what you have for a treat. "Cheese" gets a response from all of our dogs. Grim is an absolute cheese maniac!

I haven't had too much trouble with him coming even though he's not on lead in our large back yard because he's never been scolded for not coming. If after the first call he blows me off, I shake his training treat bag (which usually gets him) or just say "Cheese!"

Jag · 11-16-2012, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy Dog

Growling is a warning and probably should be a little more seriously than some are suggesting. It's not cute and it's not funny when the puppy becomes an adult growling shepherd.

Find what's triggering the growling and STOP DOING IT. Don't correct a growl unless you want to eliminate the warning and it to possibly go straight to a bite... work with it and around it. If the dog is growling when you pick him up to bring him inside... STOP DOING THAT. Train the dog to come to you. Bring treats, a ball, a toy... whatever it takes to accomplish what you're trying to do without having your puppy growl. You need to build the foundation now at this age before it becomes permanent.

I agree 100% with this! Unless you know FOR SURE that your pup is trying to engage you in play, this is a breakdown in your relationship that needs to be addressed. Either the bond isn't complete yet.. so there's trust lacking, or something has happened where the dog is fearful of you, OR the dog doesn't have respect/trust in you as the pack leader. There's one other option, which is a poor temperament rearing its head early on. Either way, it's going to develop into a serious problem in short order. Grim growled at me (seriously, not in play) over my correction for biting. He wanted to see where the line was, I guess. He crossed it. It was corrected. Now if he feels something is unfair he will whine or grumble at me, but NO growling.

11-01-2012, 02:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
jlecrone018 New Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: North Carolina! Posts: 5	occassional puppy growling My puppy, Rico is the sweetest, he is loving and friendly and just a really good dog. i train him often, and work with him. the problem i have been having though is that when he is outside and i tell him here, he sits there and looks at me, then when i attempt to bring him to me to show him what i wanted, he will run away and start to growl at me and bark. Just wondering if he is trying to play, or be mean? Also, am i doing the right thing by going to get him and bring him to me, to teach him what he needs to do. it does not seem to be working..

11-01-2012, 02:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
BowWowMeow Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 15,506	The most effective way to train a recall is to make you the most fun thing in the world. Make it a game, use treats, toys, a very positive voice and always set him up for success. Start in the house with no distractions and a really good reward that he can see or smell. I usually start with the game of coming to me to get a great reward and then put the command on it. Right now he does not understand what it is you want from him and the growl is no doubt fear of you! __________________ Ruth & the 4 Legged Rescue Gang Rafi the malaroo http://www.dogster.com/dogs/693238 Gio & Varda, the krazy kittens ....In my heart: Cleo Kitty Chama Kai Basu Massie

11-15-2012, 01:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
lennoxbradley88 Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 149	Schatzi barks in a low tone and growls at me when I get mad at her. That's her saying F you dude, I do what I want lol. __________________ Mark Schatzi - German Shepherd 3/5/12 Cudi - Alaskan Malamute 8/17/12

11-16-2012, 02:19 AM	#9 (permalink)
Jag Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,683	If you call your pup or dog to you, you have to be able to enforce it. Every time you call your pup to you and it doesn't come, you're reinforcing that the pup has a choice. Now if the pup sees not coming to you (especially to come in) as higher value than the treat or toy that you have you're in trouble. Use a long line so that when you give the command and the pup doesn't follow it, you can reel in the pup then praise the pup for coming to you! Don't just do this when it's time to go in... or some other stop to the 'fun'. You have to do it randomly so the pup doesn't view coming to you as the end of 'good things'! Also, repeating yourself over and over is blowing it as well. You only say it once. When training it in the beginning you want to give a gentle tug on the line when you say it. Always use BIG rewards in the beginning (including lots of verbal praise) and then when the pup knows for sure what you want you can decrease the reward but keep the praise high. Only when the pup is rock solid on this should you try it without the line. If off line the pup ignores you after the first call, then go back to training again with the long line. This will save you headaches and frustration down the line. Chasing your pup around is going to set you back. Hide the line in your pants if you have to so the pup can't see it. Have a HIGH value treat and be very positive, upbeat, and energetic to get the pup to come to YOU. Even running away after showing the treat to get the pup to chase you is a good idea. When you have it right, the pup will want to run to you when called because the reward is so good that he/she can't resist it! Giving 'high value' treats a name doesn't hurt, either. So when your first command is ignored and you have to lure the dog to you.. you can tell the dog what you have for a treat. "Cheese" gets a response from all of our dogs. Grim is an absolute cheese maniac! I haven't had too much trouble with him coming even though he's not on lead in our large back yard because he's never been scolded for not coming. If after the first call he blows me off, I shake his training treat bag (which usually gets him) or just say "Cheese!" __________________ Wrath of Grim z Dragon "Mr. Grim"- Threaten my handler. I dare you.

11-01-2012, 02:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
Meeka Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 97	My pup growls at me when I call her to come so I can get her out the car! I think it's out of fear because when I actually do get her she's fine. Either that or she doesn't want to leave? As for training to "come" do you have a leash on? I don't think your pup is growling to be mean, I think it's just playing. When mines doesn't come n I try to chase her, it's failure for me lol. She's just getting to fast and goes on running forever! So I just use her favorite treat to lure her in Sent from my iPhone using PG Free

11-02-2012, 01:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
pancake Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 175	my puppy growls and bark when she doesn't get what she wants haha. what a brat. but cute. yesterday and today i taught her "leave it" and she really wanted the food so she would claw at it (her nails are long, started cutting me up) and then would bark at me, bark at the food, growl and then just look at it. but now she knows the meaning!

11-03-2012, 03:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
Linda1270 Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 143	I have a very similar issue with the growling when it's time for Tess to go in the house, she can be so stubborn at times and I too wonder if I should go and get her to bring her in or if there is another way to go about getting her into the house. Right now, I have been trying to lure her in with treats, it works some of the time but other times she would prefer to make a game out of it and wants me to chase her. Hopefully some of professionals will chime in and give us some guidance.

11-16-2012, 01:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
Candace Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Sydney NSW Autralia Posts: 66	My white GSD does this. It can be them trying to put it over you like a kid stomping their foot saying no! Just be careful it doesn't turn to a dominance thing. Sent from my iPhone using PG Free

11-16-2012, 02:19 AM	#8 (permalink)
Lucy Dog Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,944	Growling is a warning and probably should be a little more seriously than some are suggesting. It's not cute and it's not funny when the puppy becomes an adult growling shepherd. Find what's triggering the growling and STOP DOING IT. Don't correct a growl unless you want to eliminate the warning and it to possibly go straight to a bite... work with it and around it. If the dog is growling when you pick him up to bring him inside... STOP DOING THAT. Train the dog to come to you. Bring treats, a ball, a toy... whatever it takes to accomplish what you're trying to do without having your puppy growl. You need to build the foundation now at this age before it becomes permanent.

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