Don’t Punish the Growl!
The sound of a dog growling can be scary!
And it seems intuitive to yell “Hey, knock it off!” (or worse) to stop the growl.
And it seems intuitive to yell “Hey, knock it off!” (or worse) to stop the growl.
Why wouldn’t we punish a growl?
Growling leads to biting, and dogs who bite people are “bad” dogs. And since your dog is a “good” dog, they should not growl.
It is important to never correct or punish a dog for growling.
Growling is a form of communication. Instead, determine the cause of the dog’s anxiety or stress. Know your dog’s use of growling and whining. Sometimes they use them differently than the norm (i.e. some Rottweilers growl with pleasure when petted, and some dogs whine with arousal before lunging).
Growling is a form of communication. Instead, determine the cause of the dog’s anxiety or stress. Know your dog’s use of growling and whining. Sometimes they use them differently than the norm (i.e. some Rottweilers growl with pleasure when petted, and some dogs whine with arousal before lunging).
But let’s look at the situation from your dog’s perspective. Growling and other vocalizations are communication and proper and useful canine social signals. Growls can happen in a variety of circumstances from discomfort to guarding a resource. They communicate to another animal or a human that your dog is uncomfortable.A growl is not only a way that your dog communicates that they are uncomfortable or stressed, but the growl can be your dog’s only precursor to an escalation in behavior. By verbally or physically punishing a growl, your dog’s ability to communicate is suppressed without addressing the underlying reasons for the growl. Dogs that are punished for growling become quiet dogs that revert to more serious behaviors to cope with discomfort or fear.
What should you do when your dog growls?
The way you handle growling sets up future interactions and has an impact on your relationship with your dog.
- Don’t scold your dog for vocalizing and don’t use physical force, such as rolling your dog over on its back. This is inappropriate, potentially dangerous, and will only serve to confuse your dog and destroy their trust in you.
- Create some distance. Get your dog out of the situation that is making them uncomfortable. Move away, leave the room, get to place where your dog can calm down and feel safe.
- Assess what it was that caused the problem. Typical instances of growling include someone getting too close to a prized possession (toy, bone, food bowl, bed, etc.), a human who is scary in some way (children, men, people with hats, people carrying large objects, a veterinarian or vet technician attempting to do a procedure, etc.), or during dog-dog interactions (a dog wants another dog to back off and give space).
- When your dog growls say, “thank you.” Your dog just granted you a wonderful gift!! They told you how they were feeling and warned you of their discomfort. Use that information to help them
A growl is a warning system.
Like a smoke detector, it tells us something is wrong. Punishing the growl is like taking the batteries out of that smoke alarm. It doesn’t stop the fire, it just stops the warning. Yikes!
If you are concerned about your dog’s growling don’t hesitate to get assistance from a reward based dog training professional, especially if you have children. Dogs growling around children should not be ignored and professional help is recommended.