Dog Community

Growling Question

Posted : 5/19/2008 11:08:48 AM

Rory has started growling if she is asleep and we need to move her for some reason. If we try to pick her up, she growls at us. I get it, I don't like to be woken up either. =) Should I just ignore it? Is there something I should say to her when she does it? Not sure if it's a problem or not. I just wouldnt want it to escalate. Doesn't happen very often, but if she's asleep in the bed before we get there and we need to move her so I can actually have a place to sleep. Or she wakes up to go potty in the night, she sometimes tries to sleep on the couch instead of coming back to bed, but we don't feel comfortable having her out there alone, so we'll try to get her to come back in the bedroom with us. It's always the same, I go in to pick her up, she growls, I tell her to be nice, we pick her up anyway and she's fine. A couple times she's been snappy, but never bites. She's fine once she wakes up fully, it's just that initial reach in to move her. Asking her to move doesn't work, if she's sleeping somewhere comfy, she won't budge. How much of an issue is the growling? If so, whats the best way to handle it?

Liesje

Posted : 5/19/2008 11:35:21 AM

I'm not really sure....but I guess if she were mine, I would not allow her to sleep wherever she pleases if you have to physically remove/lift her anytime you need to move her or adjust her. Kenya is allowed on the couch, but she earned that privilege because if I say "off please" or just wave my hand, she gets up and moves. Coke on the other hand is a combination of more stubborn and not really understanding what "off" means, so he has not fully earned couch/bed privilege. I'm not one of those people that thinks dogs should only be on the floor, I like mine on the couch and on the bed with me, but I would NOT take kindly to being ignored or even growled at. She is not snappy now but I'd be concerned it might escalate...

GoldenAC

Posted : 5/19/2008 4:30:46 PM

How old is Rory?

I agree if she is growling about being moved from a location, she loses rights to that location.

FourIsCompany

Posted : 5/19/2008 4:33:57 PM

GoldenAC
if she is growling about being moved from a location, she loses rights to that location.

I totally agree. And I would also let her sleep in the other room if that's what she wants to do. Have some respect for the choices she makes, as long as they're not dangerous.

sl2crmeg

Posted : 5/19/2008 4:40:55 PM

Pirate was the same way. He lost bed privileges for a loooong time, until he understood 'excuse me' (our command for 'off';)

He also drug a line, attached to his harness, so that I didn't have to grab him to move him and I could encourage from a safe distance.

Chuffy

Posted : 5/19/2008 5:47:54 PM

Teach "up" and "off" using treats or toys and disallow her access to the furniture until she has got this down pat and is reliable.

I think the fact that she isn't fully awake when she does it is pretty telling, I don't think she's being off with you I think you are aking her feel uncomfy by physically moving her at that point. As well as teaching, can you get her vet checked? Might she be in pain?

jenn52

Posted : 5/19/2008 6:12:36 PM

GoldenAC
How old is Rory?

She's 11 months.

FourIsCompany
And I would also let her sleep in the other room if that's what she wants to do.

I've let her sleep out there a couple times, but I don't completely trust her not to chew stuff. Giving her freedom to be alone anywhere in the house without supervision is something I would love, I just don't feel like she's there yet, but it is my goal.

Chuffy
As well as teaching, can you get her vet checked? Might she be in pain?

I doubt she's in paid because we pick her up, hug her, play with her, touch her all the time, so I would assume if she hurt, it would occur other times, right?

She does know off (to a point) and she will move other times without being snippy. But I will try taking her off the bed if she does it. Keeping her down will be another fun effort. =)

luvmyswissy

Posted : 5/19/2008 6:22:33 PM

My Catahoula is the same way and we taught her "get down" and "off". When we first got her if she were sleeping or just really comfy if we tried to pull at her or push her or lift her she would growl. We just stopped touching her and began luring her off with cookies and a command. Sometimes I would tug at the blanket she was laying on while saying off and she would jump down. She always go to bed with my DH early and sleeps until I go to bed, I don't like her on the bed at night becasue she takes up to much room so I always insist she gets down every night. Now when I come in and she knows I am going to bed she usually jumps down without me asking. if not a snap of the finger, giggle of the blanket or just get down or off and she is gone.

I would stop picking her up and begin teaching her down. IMO it will escalate unless you start teaching her now.

janetmichel3009

Posted : 5/19/2008 10:04:42 PM

jason can be similar, i think. he will growl and even snap, both very rarely if i touch him or push him, when he's in deep sleep. in him, i just see it as a person going: "wth?" he is an extremely nervous dog (which is another thing i'm working on) and it's just his reaction to stuff, when he doesnt know what's going on. once he realizes it's just me, he's totally ok again... just that first second...

could it be that? that she is just startled?

mudpuppy

Posted : 5/20/2008 7:18:45 AM

I would stop picking the dog up, or even touching the dog, and teach the dog to get off on command. Much safer for all concerned.

tiffy

Posted : 5/20/2008 9:22:27 AM

Sleeping or not, if I tell Tootsie move, she goes. No touching, no treats.