Growling - Leave Her Alone?

[JJNg]

she is usually very cautious when we take her to a new place (first time at daycare, first training class). But since we've only had her for less than a month, it could be because she's still adjusting.

 

Except these recent two growlings, she has no problem with me doing all those things you mentioned. I didn't use a lot of treats, though. She's trained by professional before I got her at 5 month old, and is not afraid of loud noise or sudden movements. I take her to places, dog park, obedience classes, doggie daycare, Petco, friends' places, nursing home, play dates...

 

Given that you've only had her 3 weeks, it sounds like you've been doing a whole lot with her. While it's important to socialize puppies, it's also possible to overdo it. Socialization should always be fun and pleasant, and how much a puppy can tolerate depends on their personality. Being able to recognize calming signals will also help you determine if and when she's being exposed to more than she can tolerate. You may need to slow down a little with a less confident puppy so that you don't accidentally overwhelm her.

 

Overall stress could be contributing to the recent growly behavior. Especially since you mentioned that both incidents happened after her morning exercise, maybe she was just tired and wanted to be left alone to rest. Just like adult dogs, puppies also need time to just adjust to their new home and learn to trust and bond with their family. Trying to do too much, too soon, with lots of socialization outside of the home can actually interfere with this process.

 

I'm also curious, what kind of professional training did she have before you got her? What kinds of things what she taught?

[a_daerr]

I may be in the minority here but I am a believer in correcting this type of behavior especially with a puppy who is just learning.

 

Nope, I completely agree with this. Puppies especially will try to test you. It's important that you correct her early on to avoid having an adult who has worse problems (space aggression, resource guarding, etc.) My dogs understand that it is NEVER acceptable to growl at me. They know that whatever mom wants to do, she is allowed, even if it means sharing space, taking a toy or treat away, manipulating legs, checking ears/teeth, or a myriad of other things that may make them uncomfortable. Truman tried to growl a few times on my bed. I calmly grabbed his collar, gave him a firm "NO!" and moved him off the bed. All of my other training methods are based on positive reinforcement, but there are times when you need to remind them of who is the leader.

 

While I agree that "don't touch the dog when she's on her bed" is a good general rule, especially for children or unfamiliar people, it's not a substitute for training.

 

ETA: I don't think it's possible to over-socialize a puppy. Our trainer suggests doing 100 new things in the first 100 days of ownership.

Edited November 26, 2012 by a_daerr

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

I am in the "don't yell at a growl" camp. Personally, I don't see a growl as being bad. It's one of their only means of communication. If they could talk, I am sure they would. It's like with babies before they can talk. Would you yell "no" at your crying baby? They are trying to tell you something.

[Guest HoundWorks]

I relate it more to I would tell my children that it is inappropriate to yell and scream at me because there are better ways to communicate. I think of it the same way when working with a dog. I love the idea of teaching a dog touch that was mentioned earlier which is giving the dog a new way to say hey I'm uncomfortable. We give our dogs boundaries tell them what is appropriate and what is not and just for me growling is in the inappropriate category when directed at a human. I don't disuade my dogs from growling at one another to communicate between themselves, but I will tell them when it's too much.

 

I am in the "don't yell at a growl" camp. Personally, I don't see a growl as being bad. It's one of their only means of communication. If they could talk, I am sure they would. It's like with babies before they can talk. Would you yell "no" at your crying baby? They are trying to tell you something.

[GeorgeofNE]

The typical greyhound space aggression has to do with the way their raised and kenneled while working. Your puppy has never experienced that.

 

My guess is your pup was playing and you misunderstood his "tone."

 

Many puppies are extremely vocal when the play. My Greyhound sounds like he's going to kill someone when he gets going with his Greyhound buddy!

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

The typical greyhound space aggression has to do with the way their raised and kenneled while working. Your puppy has never experienced that.

 

My guess is your pup was playing and you misunderstood his "tone."

 

Many puppies are extremely vocal when the play. My Greyhound sounds like he's going to kill someone when he gets going with his Greyhound buddy!

 

I think this is a good point too. Daisy has a couple of different growly sounds. When I am making her dinner, she sometimes will give me her impatient throaty growl which means "hurry, I'm hungry" or a yip/growl when I give her a shot which means "ouch". I don't take any of these sounds as aggression or dominance, just communication. Lots of dogs play growl too.

[a_daerr]

I relate it more to I would tell my children that it is inappropriate to yell and scream at me because there are better ways to communicate... We give our dogs boundaries tell them what is appropriate and what is not and just for me growling is in the inappropriate category when directed at a human.

 

Agree. What the OP described sounds typical of a puppy who is trying to push the boundaries. This is a different situation than a retired racer or shelter dog that may have past fear issues for one reason or another. Either way, I really don't feel like it's ever appropriate for a dog to growl, especially at its owner. If the behavior is rooted in fear, it's important to first establish a trusting relationship and provide opportunities for socialization- then you can work on correction. I have trained both types, an AKC greyhound puppy who came home at 14 weeks old, and a retired racer who was afraid of his own shadow. Neither of them growl. At some point, the OP's dog will be forced to share space with a human (getting nails clipped by a groomer, examination at a vet's office). There are a million things that can make your dog nervous or uncomfortable, but they should not be excuses for allowing aggressive behavior. Dogs are capable of communicating feelings of anxiety in other ways.

 

ETA: Truman started his growly phase around 6 months old. It's definitely possible that the OP's dog is growling (or trying to).

Edited November 26, 2012 by a_daerr

[KickReturn]

My approach has always been to allow my boy to express himself. If he growls I will move away. I like knowing how he is feeling. I don't want to inhibit his communication with me in any way. He has generally magnificent behaviour and is cooperative at all other times. So if he is down and wants some peace why should I mess with him? Works for us. Maybe it's different with a puppy or a dog with other issues.

[JohnF]

>>Is it possible that she is coming out of that submissive puppy stage?>>

 

Absolutely. Momma dog in the pack would tell him is place and get on with something else as if it never happened. Growling is conversation, snapping is impolite conversation.

 

See this Q & A from Turid Rugass's web site:

http://www.canis.no/rugaas/oneqanda.php?id=583

[RedHead]

If your pup is around 6 months behaviours could start to escalate. It is the transition from puppy to adolescence, so if you are going to notice future behaviours happening, they will likely start between the ages of 6 months-2 years depending on the dog.

 

I really think you need to use whatever training method you feel comfortable with that suits your personality...whatever comes the most natural to you will probably come across naturally to the dog. I personally don't think a calm verbal correction (like an "Uh-uh!")is a big deal...my dogs respond well to it, and I don't think it is the same at all as screaming and yelling. I think as puppies mature they like to "explore the waters" it is part of our job to let them know what growls are acceptable and what are not. I have to agree with John's post above, unfortunately mother dogs are much quicker at teaching manners than us humans!! I think we overthink things sometimes lol

[Guest memadeit]

If your pup is around 6 months behaviours could start to escalate. It is the transition from puppy to adolescence, so if you are going to notice future behaviours happening, they will likely start between the ages of 6 months-2 years depending on the dog.

 

I really think you need to use whatever training method you feel comfortable with that suits your personality...whatever comes the most natural to you will probably come across naturally to the dog. I personally don't think a calm verbal correction (like an "Uh-uh!")is a big deal...my dogs respond well to it, and I don't think it is the same at all as screaming and yelling. I think as puppies mature they like to "explore the waters" it is part of our job to let them know what growls are acceptable and what are not. I have to agree with John's post above, unfortunately mother dogs are much quicker at teaching manners than us humans!! I think we overthink things sometimes lol

 

My thought exactly, remember, you are to be the alfa dog, not the puppy. If the puppy doesn't like you being there at his bed, then it needs to learn that you are top dog and you "allow" him to be there. Not the other way around. If you don't like the behavor, teach it not to act like that. Might just be a puppy, but just like a human child, it will learn and will further go on that incorrect behaviour. Learning their vocal sounds is important, but they can learn that "that" type of growl is not allowed and certainly at you!!!! Next time, that growl, just might be dirrected tward a young child.

[JJNg]

I relate it more to I would tell my children that it is inappropriate to yell and scream at me because there are better ways to communicate.

 

Why is a growl seen as such a bad thing? A growl isn't the equivalent of a child yelling and screaming. I'd equate a growl more to a child saying "stop, I don't like that" or "no, I'm scared". A dog snarling and snapping would be more equivalent to a child yelling and screaming, and most dogs don't progress to that stage unless their earlier signals are missed or ignored.

 

Are dogs not allowed to express their fears and discomfort with us? Should all dogs be expected to put up with whatever humans decide to do to them, even if it scares and confuses them? Dogs have different personalities and thresholds of tolerance, and while some dogs may live up to these expectations, others can't.

 

From the dog's point of view, growling is a normal and natural way to communicate. The perception that growling is bad, and that there are "better ways to communicate" are completely human concepts.

 

What the OP described sounds typical of a puppy who is trying to push the boundaries. This is a different situation than a retired racer or shelter dog that may have past fear issues for one reason or another.

 

Without seeing the behavior, and without knowing the dog's full history, I don't think any of us can determine the cause of the OP's puppy growling. I don't believe that it is ever necessary to correct (ie. punish) growling. The Turid Rugaas article that JohnF shared addresses this and provides an alternative to responding to even a testing puppy without using corrections by simply ignoring it. Punishing a dog for growling (even a verbal reprimand is punishment) could potentially create a negative association and make a behavior based in fear or anxiety worse.

 

At some point, the OP's dog will be forced to share space with a human (getting nails clipped by a groomer, examination at a vet's office). There are a million things that can make your dog nervous or uncomfortable, but they should not be excuses for allowing aggressive behavior.

 

Not correcting a dog for growling doesn't mean 'allowing aggressive behavior.' When a dog has been pushed to growl, I believe that it is often best to back off and regroup for the moment. But that doesn't mean avoiding the trigger and not working on the issue. A dog who growls for nail trims can be desensitized and taught to enjoy nail trims through positive reinforcement without ever punishing the dog for growling.

 

Here's a good article by Ian Dunbar that addresses growling. Although it is geared more toward growling at strangers, the same concepts apply to anxiety or stress-induced growling in any situation.

 

Dogs are capable of communicating feelings of anxiety in other ways.

 

Of course - they're called calming signals. And most dogs naturally use calming signals before resorting to growling or other more overt signals like snapping. The problem is that many people don't recognize these more subtle signs for what they are.

 

ETA: I don't think it's possible to over-socialize a puppy. Our trainer suggests doing 100 new things in the first 100 days of ownership.

 

I suppose it depends on how you define over-socialize. If the puppy is confident and receptive, you probably can't expose them to too much. And even with less confident puppies, if you go slow and allow the pup to set the pace, you can't really over-do it. However, putting fearful puppies into situations they find stressful and expecting them to get used to it with time can sometimes cause more harm than good. A puppy who is scared and stressed is not learning, or at least not learning what you want him to.

 

This issue of socializing puppies is addressed in this interesting article, also by Ian Dunbar (who is the trainer who initially introduced the concept of having a puppy meet 100 new people in the first 3 months). While this article was written as a rebuttal to a comment made by Turid Rugaas, I believe that Rugaas and Dunbar are really in agreement on this issue. I don't agree with all the details in the Dunbar article, but the important point is that puppies need to be allowed to socialize at their own pace. This pace may be limitless for a confident puppies, but needs to be much slower for a fearful puppy. But puppies don't just fall into 2 distinct categories of either confident or fearful. There's a whole range in between, and I believe that socialization experiences need to be tailored for the individual puppy.

[Ragsysmum]

She is growing up. Greyhounds normally like lots and lots of rest and sleep. If she is comfy on her bed and dozing she probably doesn't want to be fussed and stroked and tickled (would you). I'd let her rest on her bed in peace and leave all the fussing till she is on her feet and comes to you or call her to you for a stroke so she can come if she feels like it. You don't need to dominate at all, just be kind and gentle till you have had longer with her to build up a real bond.

[Guest rennina]

Thanks for all the above suggestions :-)

 

Well I guess she IS growing up. I did notice some new behaviors recently. She learns boundaries, becomes more trustable in the house, won't steal my stuff when I'm not watching, also learns if I'm busy and don't have time to play with her, she will go and play her toys, without the protest of whining. I've been paying attention to her calming signs, so no growling these two days.

 

One new behavior: yesterday when she was grooming herself (on the carpet of our family room, not on her bed), I passed by, and she air-snapped at me, rolled over on her back (looking cute). I was confused and looked at her. She rolled back, air-snapped, and rolled over again. I wasn't sure what it meant so I ignored her. She did it the third time. Was that the play snapping? Trying to invite me to play? Or telling me to get away? Geez I need to learn dog language...

 

 

 

I relate it more to I would tell my children that it is inappropriate to yell and scream at me because there are better ways to communicate.

 

Why is a growl seen as such a bad thing? A growl isn't the equivalent of a child yelling and screaming. I'd equate a growl more to a child saying "stop, I don't like that" or "no, I'm scared". A dog snarling and snapping would be more equivalent to a child yelling and screaming, and most dogs don't progress to that stage unless their earlier signals are missed or ignored.

 

Are dogs not allowed to express their fears and discomfort with us? Should all dogs be expected to put up with whatever humans decide to do to them, even if it scares and confuses them? Dogs have different personalities and thresholds of tolerance, and while some dogs may live up to these expectations, others can't.

 

From the dog's point of view, growling is a normal and natural way to communicate. The perception that growling is bad, and that there are "better ways to communicate" are completely human concepts.

 

What the OP described sounds typical of a puppy who is trying to push the boundaries. This is a different situation than a retired racer or shelter dog that may have past fear issues for one reason or another.

 

Without seeing the behavior, and without knowing the dog's full history, I don't think any of us can determine the cause of the OP's puppy growling. I don't believe that it is ever necessary to correct (ie. punish) growling. The Turid Rugaas article that JohnF shared addresses this and provides an alternative to responding to even a testing puppy without using corrections by simply ignoring it. Punishing a dog for growling (even a verbal reprimand is punishment) could potentially create a negative association and make a behavior based in fear or anxiety worse.

 

At some point, the OP's dog will be forced to share space with a human (getting nails clipped by a groomer, examination at a vet's office). There are a million things that can make your dog nervous or uncomfortable, but they should not be excuses for allowing aggressive behavior.

 

Not correcting a dog for growling doesn't mean 'allowing aggressive behavior.' When a dog has been pushed to growl, I believe that it is often best to back off and regroup for the moment. But that doesn't mean avoiding the trigger and not working on the issue. A dog who growls for nail trims can be desensitized and taught to enjoy nail trims through positive reinforcement without ever punishing the dog for growling.

 

Here's a good article by Ian Dunbar that addresses growling. Although it is geared more toward growling at strangers, the same concepts apply to anxiety or stress-induced growling in any situation.

 

Dogs are capable of communicating feelings of anxiety in other ways.

 

Of course - they're called calming signals. And most dogs naturally use calming signals before resorting to growling or other more overt signals like snapping. The problem is that many people don't recognize these more subtle signs for what they are.

 

ETA: I don't think it's possible to over-socialize a puppy. Our trainer suggests doing 100 new things in the first 100 days of ownership.

 

I suppose it depends on how you define over-socialize. If the puppy is confident and receptive, you probably can't expose them to too much. And even with less confident puppies, if you go slow and allow the pup to set the pace, you can't really over-do it. However, putting fearful puppies into situations they find stressful and expecting them to get used to it with time can sometimes cause more harm than good. A puppy who is scared and stressed is not learning, or at least not learning what you want him to.

 

This issue of socializing puppies is addressed in this interesting article, also by Ian Dunbar (who is the trainer who initially introduced the concept of having a puppy meet 100 new people in the first 3 months). While this article was written as a rebuttal to a comment made by Turid Rugaas, I believe that Rugaas and Dunbar are really in agreement on this issue. I don't agree with all the details in the Dunbar article, but the important point is that puppies need to be allowed to socialize at their own pace. This pace may be limitless for a confident puppies, but needs to be much slower for a fearful puppy. But puppies don't just fall into 2 distinct categories of either confident or fearful. There's a whole range in between, and I believe that socialization experiences need to be tailored for the individual puppy.

[JJNg]

One new behavior: yesterday when she was grooming herself (on the carpet of our family room, not on her bed), I passed by, and she air-snapped at me, rolled over on her back (looking cute). I was confused and looked at her. She rolled back, air-snapped, and rolled over again. I wasn't sure what it meant so I ignored her. She did it the third time. Was that the play snapping? Trying to invite me to play? Or telling me to get away? Geez I need to learn dog language...

 

Combined with the context and other body language you describe, it sounds like she was inviting you to play. Willow does this occasionally, although mostly with my other dogs, and the first time she did it toward me, it certainly startled me! However, I don't encourage mouthy play or roughhousing with people, so I ignore it or redirect to toys when she does this.

[Guest rennina]

Some thoughts after reading all the suggestions. It looks like most of you agree that snarl/snap/bite should not be allowed towards people. So these behaviors should be corrected. And we should never push a dog to that point.

 

About growling, I understand it is normal to dogs. But to me it is a little intimidating. Especially my pup just started this new behavior. So if there's a good way to correct it, I would really hope I can correct it. A calm "no" or "uh-uh" to distract her, or just ignoring her without backing off makes me feel comfortable.

 

Well I guess it also depends on the way how you see your dogs. Some people think dogs work for us. Some think dogs are family members. I remember when I was a kid, grandma had several big watch dogs. They were huge and would bite thefts. None of them ever growled at us. Grandpa could dragged a dog out of his dog house, put me on its back, and let me ride on that poor dog. Most of the "trainings" were negative and corrections. Those dogs were never part of the family, but they behaved just the way the family wanted. I don't like negative trainings (because I learned that they are not as effective, but most of all, they make me uncomfortable). I treat my baby girl like my little sister, so I prefer a positive way.

[Guest rennina]

 

Combined with the context and other body language you describe, it sounds like she was inviting you to play. Willow does this occasionally, although mostly with my other dogs, and the first time she did it toward me, it certainly startled me! However, I don't encourage mouthy play or roughhousing with people, so I ignore it or redirect to toys when she does this.

 

Good to know that she was trying to play. Thanks a lot

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

I don't correct for growling, or snapping for that matter. I change the situation to prevent it in the future.

 

My grey can sometimes be intimidated by faces near hers, and has growled and snapped in the past at myself and my husband because of it. Like in the video of Katie above, I used training to encourage behavior and make what once was scary/unpleasant into something positive. In Jayne's case I taught her, using food rewards, to touch her nose to our faces in a "kiss". Now instead of responding with a growl and/or snap for putting our faces too near, she usually meets us half way and rams her nose into our faces then expects a treat. (This is often accompanied by bared teeth and a snarl like sound in her throat, but these are meant to be friendly)

 

I did the same when it comes to being hugged. Jayne is a dog that isn't fond of being hugged, but it's sometimes hard to be vigilant enough to prevent people from hugging her (Heck, I can't keep them from hugging ME sometimes, and I don't like being hugged by people I don't know well). I turned hugging into a game. Now I hug her and she growls viciously at me, but it's a playful growl, and I reward and encourage it. I figure it's better to have her playfully growl and get someone to back off if they hug her than to have her feel threatened enough to snap or actually bite. Plus, it's kinda fun to have a dog that growls on command.

 

Accept your dog's growling as communication. As you build trust in your relationship there should be little to no reason for your dog to growl at you, but it's a good communication tool for the dog to have in cases where it's needed.

 

 

ETA: the rolling and air snapping totally sound like invitations to play. Mine is very mouthy when she plays, both verbally and physically! Air snapping, kicking her legs, growling and barking are her usual signals that I need to join her on the bed and wrestle.

Edited November 27, 2012 by Jayne

[JJNg]

Some thoughts after reading all the suggestions. It looks like most of you agree that snarl/snap/bite should not be allowed towards people. So these behaviors should be corrected. And we should never push a dog to that point.

 

I think it's important to clarify what "correcting" means. When used in the context of dog training, many people essentially mean 'punish' when they say 'correct'. Used more loosely, 'correct' can also just mean to teach a dog that they shouldn't do a certain behavior and to do something else instead.

 

An essential part of the question raised by the OP is how should we respond in the immediate situation when a dog is growling at us. In this immediate context, I don't believe that dogs should ever be punished (ie. 'corrected') for growling. If the growl is based in fear or anxiety, the best thing to do is often to step back and reduce the dog's stress, as any other response could risk inducing a bite. If it really is a confident puppy just testing new behaviors, ignoring without backing off is enough and won't risk negative effects.

 

Looking at the bigger picture and the broader definition of 'correcting' behavior, I do believe that dogs should be taught that they don't need to growl at people. But this should be done without any need for punishment. IMO, it's shouldn't be about whether or not dogs are "allowed" to growl at people. Dogs who trust people and have a good relationship with you have no need to growl (or snarl/snap/bite). If a growl happens, we need to figure out why - not just view it as something the dog isn't allowed to do.

 

Well I guess it also depends on the way how you see your dogs. Some people think dogs work for us. Some think dogs are family members.

 

I think this is an important point, and I understand that different people view their relationship with their dogs differently. I'm one who believes that dogs are sentient creatures with emotions and desires, and that our relationship with them should be one of mutual cooperation and respect. We are the ones who choose to bring a different species into our homes and lives, and I believe that we should make an effort to understand them as dogs, in addition to teaching them the rules of human society.

 

I remember when I was a kid, grandma had several big watch dogs. They were huge and would bite thefts. None of them ever growled at us. Grandpa could dragged a dog out of his dog house, put me on its back, and let me ride on that poor dog. Most of the "trainings" were negative and corrections. Those dogs were never part of the family, but they behaved just the way the family wanted.

 

Dogs are amazing animals. Many have very stable, tolerant temperaments that allow them to put up with what is essentially abuse, and some even continue to maintain a happy, friendly attitude through it all. But IMO, I don't believe that it is fair or realistic to expect all dogs to be like this. Dogs who don't have such an exceptional temperament and are more easily pushed to become defensive and aggressive are not 'bad dogs' - they are just more sensitive and require more careful handling.

[Guest rennina]

Yes by "correcting" I mean "not simply backing off and approving her growl because it's a normal way for her to communicate with us and better than a bite without warning". It doesn't have to be a "punishment". I love the idea of teaching her a touch or a kiss. Although I still can't predict in what situation she will growl at me. I definitely missed the calming signals in the last two incidences. I'm paying more attention to her ears, shoulder position, etc now. Very fun to watch

 

 

[Guest memadeit]

Yes by "correcting" I mean "not simply backing off and approving her growl because it's a normal way for her to communicate with us and better than a bite without warning". It doesn't have to be a "punishment". I love the idea of teaching her a touch or a kiss. Although I still can't predict in what situation she will growl at me. I definitely missed the calming signals in the last two incidences. I'm paying more attention to her ears, shoulder position, etc now. Very fun to watch

 

Amen, think of all those brats you see in the store that were not taught to behave properly around other people. Well, this puppy is growing up, and if not taught properly, it will act out to the wrong person at some time, and you just might end up in court.

I don't take growling from my dogs just because, and wouldn't expect some else to take it either. I certainly would not take that off of someone elses little precious puppy dog since its not my precious puppy dog.

[a_daerr]

Yes by "correcting" I mean "not simply backing off and approving her growl because it's a normal way for her to communicate with us and better than a bite without warning". It doesn't have to be a "punishment". I love the idea of teaching her a touch or a kiss. Although I still can't predict in what situation she will growl at me. I definitely missed the calming signals in the last two incidences. I'm paying more attention to her ears, shoulder position, etc now. Very fun to watch

 

Amen, think of all those brats you see in the store that were not taught to behave properly around other people. Well, this puppy is growing up, and if not taught properly, it will act out to the wrong person at some time, and you just might end up in court.

I don't take growling from my dogs just because, and wouldn't expect some else to take it either. I certainly would not take that off of someone elses little precious puppy dog since its not my precious puppy dog.

 

Nothing to do with this topic, but hello from a fellow SWPA person! My sister lives in Johnstown.

[Guest jmurph58]

Fyi anyone in the johnstown pa area seeking a greyhound sitter can contact me. I have two greyhounds and will pet sit for you in my greyhound safe home. Pass this along to your greyhound friends in my area. If you need someone in an emergency or for a vacation getaway without your pups give me a call. I can give references from my local adoption groups, vet, etc. thanks! Janel

Jmurph58@msn.com.

[scullysmum]

Just throwing this out there to see what others think. Kevin does a growl when he is happy- it's different than his aggressive growl but it's a growl nonetheless. And he will often air snap afterwards. I thought he was a mental defective when we first got him. But he does it all the time and it means he is happy. Without knowing your dog and seeing the body language I cannot say whether this was a possible explanation. So it's safer to assume she's warning you. And it's good she snapped and didn't just bite.

I SO wish I had got round to videoing my angel Sadi doing her bedtime routine with DH.....anyone who didn't know her would have thought that she was threatening to rip his face off but she was just playing, and never bit him. SoI do know what you mean, I also used to know a Sprollie called Sam who would do the fiercest growl of contentment when you rubbed his tum

 

I think you do have to be aware of the body language that accompanies a growl, after all many dogs I know growl when they are playing quite happily. I think people make a mistake when they think a growl always signifies aggression....it is probably fairer to say that it signifies heightened emotion just as a bark can have many different meanings, they are just vocalisations.

[a_daerr]

Fyi anyone in the johnstown pa area seeking a greyhound sitter can contact me. I have two greyhounds and will pet sit for you in my greyhound safe home. Pass this along to your greyhound friends in my area. If you need someone in an emergency or for a vacation getaway without your pups give me a call. I can give references from my local adoption groups, vet, etc. thanks! Janel

Jmurph58@msn.com.

Good to know! I live in Greensburg, but my sister lives in Johnstown. Not too far!