Dog Community

Defensive growling = trouble indicator?

Cita

Posted : 1/4/2007 1:43:28 AM

My 2-year-old papillon has recently started growling in what seems to me to be a protective manner. He mostly does this when I or someone close to me is lying down, particularly in bed. If someone approaches, he fairly frequently gets upset and growls. He's never lunged or tried to bite anyone, or even moved towards them, but I'm concerned - should I try to curb this behavior before it grows into something bigger, or let it peter out on its own? He also occasionally growls when he feels threatened, such as if a stranger approaches him very loudly when he is in his carrier. I'm less concerned about this second behavior, especially as it's quite rare.

I think the "bed growling" stems from his losing his previous owner - before she passed away, she slipped into a coma while in bed and the paramedics had to come and take her away. He was there the whole time, and started growling like mad when the EMTs came in, and poor little fella, that's the last time he saw her.

With that in mind I think his behavior is understandable, but again, I'm concerned that a growl might turn into a nip or something worse and I don't want to encourage him.

So far I've touched his back and said, "Shh, it's okay" and then an emphatic "No!" if he did it again, and then tried to demonstrate that the person approaching was a friend. He calms down quickly, but still... Any advice would be much appreciated!

Liz

Posted : 1/4/2007 2:05:54 AM

I didn't read your entire post, but I did catch the part where you baby him when he growls at other people.

The last thing you want to do is coddle him, and reward him for this behavior.

Say "NO!" and take him off your lap, or out of your arms or whatever.

mrv

Posted : 1/4/2007 6:51:45 AM

This is about being the boss. I believe the only appropriate response is to communicate clearly this is unacceptable. So, if he growls, you get up, pick him up, walk out of the room and put him down. Close the door on him and leave him in the hallway. After 30 seconds or so, open the door. Allow access. You do not have to say anything.

Doing this silently makes a big impact because the message is clear and uncluttered.

When you pick him up, hold him out away from your body so it is very different from being picked up for pets or attention.

I have a dog who growls at one of my other dogs. He has been sent from the room when it happens, guess what, behavior is disappearing rapidly. Thanks of course to a different point of view on the behavior that I read in Susan Clothiers If Bones Would Rain from the Sky.

Based on your post the behavior is already increasing in frequency, there for he is being positively reinforced for the growling behavior at this time. It appears he gets considerable attention from you when he growls. That is likely what is maintaining the behavior.

spiritdogs

Posted : 1/4/2007 8:12:37 AM

This could be related to his age - a time when dogs begin to establish their position in a pack hierarchy. Since it is a sudden behavior, it probably isn't linked to his former circumstance as much as you think, unless his former owner encouraged (even accidentally) this type of behavior, and he is just now feeling comfy enough in his new environment to display it. I would limit his bed privileges altogether and have him sleep in a bed, or in a crate. But, to take a growling dog physically off your bed by picking him up could get you bitten, even if he is little. Instead, if you have him drag a leash around, you can use it to encourage him off the bed and reward him for being on the floor. Keeps your hands out of the line of fire. [

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snownose

Posted : 1/4/2007 9:17:02 AM

You should never allow this type of behavior.
It's about time you put your behind in the driver's seat, so far the dog has been driving.[

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Do not allow the dog on the bed, or any furniture for that matter.

Cita

Posted : 1/4/2007 10:41:46 AM

Sorry, I should have been more clear - it's a recent behavior because I just recently got him. His owner passed away at the end of November, and he's been growling at "strangers" approaching me in bed since then. By all accounts, he never did that before with his previous owner.

(By "strangers" I mean people he doesn't know very well - I swear I'm not sleeping in the middle of the street or something [

])

I'll try booting him off the bed and putting him in "time out" when he does it. I was hoping the behavior would lessen once he got used to his new environments and realized I wasn't going to abandon him, and although he's gotten better he still does it.

espencer

Posted : 1/4/2007 11:13:09 AM

Here is a clip about a person that had exactly the same problem and how the professional dealed with it

[linkhttp://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/dogwhisperer/showclips.php]http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/dogwhisperer/showclips.php[/link]

Click where it says "Cinnamon"

jones

Posted : 1/4/2007 11:28:44 AM

I don't think he necessarily has to be in a time out for any length of time, but losing bed priveleges should get the point across. If possible I think it's better to train an "off" command than to pick up the dog and move him... it's less confrontational but also, IMO, it's more clear-cut, conveys more leadership status, and is safer as well. Just be sure to start training in sessions just with him and add "strangers" once he already understands the command. You could keep him off the bed entirely until he knows what "off" means.

Cita

Posted : 1/4/2007 11:52:26 AM

It doesn't matter where he is, as long as someone he cares about is in bed. But he's very good with "down" to get off furntiture, so I'll try that with a sit/stay and/or a time-out outside of the room and see if that helps. Thanks for all the tips!

Xerxes

Posted : 1/4/2007 12:18:46 PM

You've gotten some good advice. The best thing is to remove bed priviledges for a while. This dog is clearly resource guarding, whether the bed or the human he's with. This needs to end NOW or the behavior will probably escalate and you'll have a real problem on your hands.

mudpuppy

Posted : 1/4/2007 1:46:16 PM

In general growling is acceptable-- the dog is telling you he is uncomfortable. So you don't do anything about the growling per se, since it's good the dog is telling you he is uncomfortable instead of just biting you; but you need to address why the dog is uncomfortable. So your dog growls when strangers approach the bed. So perhaps get strangers to approach, stop BEFORE he growls (important), and toss a treat over. And gradually close up the distance.

nfowler

Posted : 1/4/2007 10:04:57 PM

Nicely put, Mudpuppy. If you say NO to growling, then you teach the dog to just go for it (with her teeth) next time.

Read up on growling on Pat Miller's website ([linkhttp://www.peaceablepaws.com]www.peaceablepaws.com[/link])

willowchow

Posted : 1/5/2007 11:22:47 AM

I'm with Ed, the dog needs to be off the bed. And, the dog needs to be worked with as far as it's place in the household.

Cita

Posted : 1/5/2007 11:30:13 AM

So growling is okay, because he's just telling me he's a little freaked out, so I should work with him until he feels more comfortable so he won't feel a need to growl anymore.

Or growling means he's spoiled and he needs to "learn his place," including not being allowed on the furniture.

Variety being the spice of life and all, I'll try several different approaches to see what works. Thanks again for the ideas.

willowchow

Posted : 1/5/2007 11:34:22 AM

It's wondeful that he's warning you. . .but he shouldn't be thinking it's OK to growl when he's on the bed or with a bone or anything like that. If Willow growled while on the bed she wouldn't be on the bed or any furniture for a long while. And, she'd be strictly working for everything she wanted. . .the NILIF program.

There's a difference in what he's communicating. . .growl while on bed. . .hey, my bed. . .you go away I'm comfie

Growl after a kid pushes him. . .hey, knock that off or I might bite you next.

So, you can see, it's good in both situations that he's growling and not biting. But, appropriate in one case and not the other.