GRRRRRRR… Dealing with a Growly Dog

 Growling is a natural dog behavior that helps dogs protect themselves and their belongings. The growling dog is being defensive. He is saying, “Get out of my space!” When the dog growls and his human companions move away, the growling behavior has “worked” for him and has been reinforced. It will increase and may lead to snapping and even biting over time. When the human reacts to his growling by grabbing, scolding, and punishing the dog, the already uncomfortable dog is MORE apt to be defensive in the future. Human aggression toward the dog will only lead to more aggression from the dog. The growling may be suppressed but the dog will not be learning better ways to interact with people.

Changing the dog’s defensive behavior is going to take lots of careful positive training. You can help your dog become more comfortable with humans so he doesn’t feel the need to growl them away.

Steps along the way…

• Have your pup checked by a vet to make sure there’s no medical reason for his defensive behavior.
• Check your dog’s diet. Feed your dog a high quality food. Check the ingredients before you buy. If corn is listed as a major ingredient, don’t feed this to your dog. Corn can raise aggression levels in dogs. Also skip food advertised as “high protein.” They may also increase aggression in some dogs.
• Prevent your dog from practicing aggression. Every time your dog growls, the behavior is becoming more habitual. Identify the “triggers” that cause your dog to growl and keep from repeating them.
• Work to “desensitize” your dog to humans. His growling means he’s uncomfortable with your presence. You want him to feel “safe” when you approach, not to associate you with being “dangerous.” He should be happy to see you approach, not defensive.
• Rather than trying to “stop” your dog from doing things, proactively train him to do acceptable behaviors. Use positive training methods that will not scare him and make him more defensive. Stay away from any training that involves force, jerking, shocking or corrections. A scared dog is a defensive dog. Consider hiring a good qualified positive trainer to help you bring out the best in your dog and guide you through protocols that will help you change your dog’s defensive behavior and help him learn to trust you.
• Watch what games you play with the dog and how you play them. “Rough housing” can increase defensiveness in your pup. Avoid games that involve grabbing, pushing, stalking, teasing and pouncing. Have your dog practice calming himself during play by interspersing “sits” and “downs” into the games. For example, if you’re playing tug, have him sit before offering him the tug toy. Interrupt the game with a “sit,” reward him by resuming play. Gradually require longer sits or downs before the game re-starts.
• Teach the dog impulse control and compliance. Train him to sit and wait for reinforcement. For example, have him sit before rewarding him by opening the door to let him go outside with you. Have him practice moving out of your way when you ask him to move. Reinforce his compliance. Read through the “Indirect Access” article.
• Avoid confrontations with your dog. If you see tension building, change the subject, ask the dog for a different behavior or otherwise keep situations from escalating. If you feel yourself becoming angry, take a deep breath, relax, and do something different. Don’t push the dog into needing to be defensive with you. It won’t make things better, only worse.
• Enrich your dog’s life with fun activities so he will enjoy being with humans and have outlets for his energy. Consider dog sports such as agility and flyball. Play hide-and-go-seek with toys and family members. Turn your dog into a Frisbee maniac or a hunting companion. The more positive experiences he has with his human companions, the less defensive he will need to be.

Good books to read…

Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson

Click to Calm by Emma Parsons

Control Unleashed, creating a focused and confident dog by Leslie McDevitt

The Canine Aggression Handbook by James O’Heare, (2001 Gentle Solutions, Ottawa, Canada) – This is a great clearly written handbook on the causes of aggression in dogs and ways to deal with them.

Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs! By Jean Donaldson (2002 Kinship Communications, San Francisco, California) – This book will help you change your dog’s behavior if he guards his food bowl, bed, or you!

Aggression in Dogs – Practical Management, Prevention, and Behavior Modification by Brenda Aloff (2001 Fundcraft, Inc., Collierville, Tennessee) – Brenda’s book is BIG and extensive but wonderful and worth it for anyone dealing with an aggressive dog.

All of these books are available from Dogwise (800) 776-2665, dogwise.com and some of them are available through the DSA store.