Growling

Yep, perfectly normal.  What he's telling you is this...."hey buddy, you have NO idea what my intentions are but even if you did, keep on smacking me and the NEXT time, I might just bite you to teach you some manners."  I'd believe him if I were you.

Therefore, are you saying I shouldn't smack him, for running at other dogs with the intension of biting them. If so, what's the alternative?
 
Chris
 
 

Yeah. Agree. How old is the dog? And why is smacking still such a good thing to do--either to dogs or children? I don't get it. I prefer the No Hands approach--better chance he'll listen to me when he's out of hands' reach. Sooner or later, kids and dogs figure out that if you can't catch them, they can do what they want.
 
Besides that--nothing's worse than chasing a dog down, only to get near her, and have her keep running, essentially playing tag with you. I watched this out my window the other day. A little dog was running from hisowner, having a swell time, and then he stopped to sniff something. The owner walked up to it (had already been doing it and the dog "tagged" away and kept going), and this time he caught him. He smacked that dog with his hand while his wife watched, then he carried the dog home. (I had company and couldn't get outside fast enough.)
 
Way to leave a "Hey, glad you caught up to me and grabbed" impression. It takes self-discipline to figure out what the desired behavior is you want from your dog and focus on that, rather than relieving your own frustrations by being physical. The only one who was served from the incident I mentioned above was the owner--he got out his frustrations but the dog didn't learn a thing.
 
Dog is out of control--either running free or chasing something--that's what needs to be addressed. You need to figure out how to get control (back) over the dog in order to manage/change his behavior.
 
 

He's two! He is a great dog, considering I got him as a untrained homeless dog. He dosn't beg for food, nor does he try to attacked other animals, WHEN WALKING THE STREETS. He also dosn't have a problem sleepijng, in a new house, during the night and he has never fowled in the house, so I guess I am lucky. The only thing he does is go for other dogs near my house. I don't want to smack him, and would be glad for good alternative advice. This is my first PET, let alone dog, so all the constructive help I can get will be very much appreciated.
 
Chris
 

Are you SURE he wants to bite them?  Or maybe wants to play?  Or run them off so that they don't get too close to you?  The quick and easy answer is to not put him in a position where he CAN run after the other dogs, most easily accomplished by keeping him on a leash.

Good point! Where I live he likes the freedom of my garden and surrending area. I guess I will have to restrict this.
 
Many Thanks
 

and when I smack it, for running at other dogs with intension to bite them, he growls at me. Is this normal ?

 
Duh???[8|]

Not, "Doh", just new to this game, like everyone has been at some point.

Excuse me!  He's running around loose chasing after others dogs, you obviously are hitting him for doing it and want to know if it's NORMAL for him to be mad!  If someone smacked you, would you be mad?? 
 
I really don't care if your new, this is ridiculous.  You couldn't figure out to be a leash on him without coming to a forum???
 
You've got to be an internet troll.

To the OP:
 
Just in case he's not a troll . . .
 
1.  Never hit your dog.  It won't help you train him. It will only make him fear you, which will interfere with a positive training relationship.  And it will teach him that aggression is OK.  I think you already are seeing that.  He views you as a scary threat and he feels like the only way to deal with you is to growl, hoping you'll back off and leave him alone.  If you don't, he may escalate to snapping and biting.  This is the opposite of what you want.  You need to re-think your whole approach.  Do some reading on this site about positive training methods, clicker training, etc.  Your first challenge is going to be rehabilitating your relationship with the dog and teaching him he can trust you.  Take it slow and don't push him.  Don't be aggressive, don't be violent.  Be a calm, gentle leader. 
 
2.  In the meantime, you need to find ways to control your dog.  If he is running away toward other dogs, confine him in your yard or keep him on leash.  If you don't have him under your voice control (and you clearly don't) then he should never be in a position to run away or attack another dog.  You must keep him (and others) safe while you teach him what you want him to do.  If you can't control him on a regular leash, use a anti-pull harness or a head halter to help you.   
 
3.  If your dog does run off, and you yell at him or hit him when he returns, what is he learning?  Stay away from Mom, she is dangerous and scary.  This will only encourage him to run away, and make him scared to come back.  It is 100% the wrong approach.  Start teaching him in a positive way -- praise him and give him treats when he comes to you.  Make him happy and excited to return to you, so he'll be eager to do it next time.  Dogs will do what gets them the best outcome. Find what your dog loves (meat, toys, fetching, whatever) and reward him with it when he does what you want him to do. 
 
4.  I think you need some basic education about dogs.  I would recommend reaading The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson.  Also, How To Be the Leader of Your Pack and Have Your Dog Love You For It by Patricia McConnell. 

Firstly, i don't know what an Internet Troll is and I personally don't care. My attempt to get good help is all I'm here for.
 
Thank you very much Acesmom, I appreciate all your help! You seem to have sound knowledge, Thank you!
 
WillowChow. It dosn't matter whether I sound think, stupid or ignarant to you, your comments are neither useful of of any help to anyone.
 
Thanks everyone else, I have learnt a lot and I will try that book.
 

I posted this article the other day to a different post but it seems appropriate once again.  Please read it, it will help you understand the difference in being a benevlolant leader and a ruler and why being benevalant is what you need to be for real changes.  NILIF protocol (google for info) will help mold your dogs behavior.  Try not hitting and punishing bad behavior, instead.. ask for good behavior like "come" and then praise with petting and a treat.  Do that a couple of times and you will have a dog who is willing to respond becasue he knows he won't be in trouble, but he will get a treat.  Rather a dog who is going to growl or run from you in "fear" of the reprecusions of what your mad at.  Heres the article, I think it will help you understand why your behavior is the root to his confusion.

The original alpha/dominance model was born out of short-term studies of wolf packs done in the 1940s. These were the first studies of their kind. These studies were a good start, but later research has essentially disproved most of the findings. There were three major flaws in these studies:

1. These were short-term studies, so the researchers concentrated on the most obvious, overt parts of wolf life, such as hunting. The studies are therefore unrepresentative -- drawing conclusions about "wolf behavior" based on about 1% of wolf life.
   
2. The studies observed what are now known to be ritualistic displays and misinterpreted them. Unfortunately, this is where the bulk of the "dominance model" comes from, and though the information has been soundly disproved, it still thrives in the dog training mythos.
   
   For example, alpha rolls. The early researchers saw this behavior and concluded that the higher-ranking wolf was forcibly rolling the subordinate to exert his dominance. Well, not exactly. This is actually an "appeasement ritual" instigated by the SUBORDINATE wolf. The subordinate offers his muzzle, and when the higher-ranking wolf "pins" it, the lower-ranking wolf voluntarily rolls and presents his belly. There is NO force. It is all entirely voluntary.
   
   A wolf would flip another wolf against his will ONLY if he were planning to kill it. Can you imagine what a forced alpha roll does to the psyche of our dogs?
   .
   
3. Finally, after the studies, the researchers made cavalier extrapolations from wolf-dog, dog-dog, and dog-human based on their "findings." Unfortunately, this nonsense still abounds.

So what's the truth? The truth is dogs aren't wolves. Honestly, when you take into account the number of generations past, saying "I want to learn how to interact with my dog so I'll learn from the wolves" makes about as much sense as saying, "I want to improve my parenting -- let's see how the chimps do it!"
Dr. Frank Beach performed a 30-year study on dogs at Yale and UC Berkeley. Nineteen years of the study was devoted to social behavior of a dog pack. (Not a wolf pack. A DOG pack.) Some of his findings:

• Male dogs have a rigid hierarchy.
  
• Female dogs have a hierarchy, but it's more variable.
  
• When you mix the sexes, the rules get mixed up. Males try to follow their constitution, but the females have "amendments."
  
• Young puppies have what's called "puppy license." Basically, that license to do most anything. Bitches are more tolerant of puppy license than males are.
  
• The puppy license is revoked at approximately four months of age. At that time, the older middle-ranked dogs literally give the puppy hell -- psychologically torturing it until it offers all of the appropriate appeasement behaviors and takes its place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. The top-ranked dogs ignore the whole thing.
  
• There is NO physical domination. Everything is accomplished through psychological harassment. It's all ritualistic.
  
• A small minority of "alpha" dogs assumed their position by bullying and force. Those that did were quickly deposed. No one likes a dictator.
  
• The vast majority of alpha dogs rule benevolently. They are confident in their position. They do not stoop to squabbling to prove their point. To do so would lower their status because...
  
• Middle-ranked animals squabble. They are insecure in their positions and want to advance over other middle-ranked animals.
  
• Low-ranked animals do not squabble. They know they would lose. They know their position, and they accept it.
  
• "Alpha" does not mean physically dominant. It means "in control of resources." Many, many alpha dogs are too small or too physically frail to physically dominate. But they have earned the right to control the valued resources. An individual dog determines which resources he considers important. Thus an alpha dog may give up a prime sleeping place because he simply couldn't care less.

So what does this mean for the dog-human relationship?

• Using physical force of any kind reduces your "rank." Only middle-ranked animals insecure in their place squabble.
  
• To be "alpha," control the resources. I don't mean hokey stuff like not allowing dogs on beds or preceding them through doorways. I mean making resources contingent on behavior. Does the dog want to be fed. Great -- ask him to sit first. Does the dog want to go outside? Sit first. Dog want to greet people? Sit first. Want to play a game? Sit first. Or whatever. If you are proactive enough to control the things your dogs want, *you* are alpha by definition.
  
• Train your dog. This is the dog-human equivalent of the "revoking of puppy license" phase in dog development. Children, women, elderly people, handicapped people -- all are capable of training a dog. Very few people are capable of physical domination.
  
• Reward deferential behavior, rather than pushy behavior. I have two dogs. If one pushes in front of the other, the other gets the attention, the food, whatever the first dog wanted. The first dog to sit gets treated. Pulling on lead goes nowhere. Doors don't open until dogs are seated and I say they may go out. Reward pushy, and you get pushy.

Your job is to be a leader, not a boss, not a dictator. Leadership is a huge responsibility. Your job is to provide for all of your dog's needs... food, water, vet care, social needs, security, etc. If you fail to provide what your dog needs, your dog will try to satisfy those needs on his own.
In a recent article in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) newsletter, Dr. Ray Coppinger -- a biology professor at Hampshire College, co-founder of the Livestock Guarding Dog Project, author of several books including Dogs : A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution; and an extremely well-respected member of the dog training community -- says in regards to the dominance model (and alpha rolling)...
"I cannot think of many learning situations where I want my learning dogs responding with fear and lack of motion. I never want my animals to be thinking social hierarchy. Once they do, they will be spending their time trying to figure out how to move up in the hierarchy."
That pretty much sums it up, don't you think?

Thanks. another good read.

Since you don't have any dog experience, and even if you did, with a new dog I always suggest basic obedience classes with a positive reinforcement trainer.  If you don't have a fence, and can't easily install one, try putting your dog on a cable run....one end attaches to each of two trees way up, or one end to the house, the other to a tree, or whatever, then a runner is attached to THAT and the dog to the runner.  That way, he's got some freedom without being able to get into mischief.
 
If you do a search of this forum you'll find TONS of threads on NILF..nothing in life is free......and I'd put this little bully on a strict regimin ASAP.  If you have other questions, feel free to send me an email.