Perceived threat is perhaps the only reason, other than health factors, which makes a dog growl. Unfamiliarity with any event, person or even another animal could trigger certain assertive and aggressive behavioral traits in a dog, which can make him or her growl, bark and whine.
By growling, the dog communicates to all those who would care to listen that he would like to be left alone and not disturbed. To fix growling, you have to know the reasons for such aggressive behavior. Incidentally wild dogs are aggressive by nature as they have to constantly hunt for food for survival. Even catching the attention of a mate triggers aggressive behavior in these wild creatures. However, when the situation turns domestic, aggressive behaviors in a pet dog can prove to be dangerous, unless harnessed at the right time.
There are two different types of aggression which are evident in pet dogs: one shown towards strangers and the other towards its owner or family members. When a dog growls, barks or whines at the sight of a stranger, it shows that he is nervous and apprehensive. He treats the entry of the stranger as a threat to his physical safety. One of the reasons for this type of aggressive behavior is improper or inadequate socialization.
To fix this type of aggression, and stop the dog from growling at strangers, you need to expose the dog to various types of environments where he can encounter several people, several smells and even get to see other animals. Walking in the park, car rides are good examples which should be tried out. Of course the dog needs to be muzzled to prevent yourself and strangers from getting bitten on snapped at.
There are two common instances when a dog can growl at familiar people. He is either showing his possessiveness for food or his toys or, he is feeling threatened that someone is going to snatch away both his favorite things. When the dog shows this behavior he is actually to claim and re-establish his ‘leader of the pack’ status. In short, he wants the entire family to fall in line with his own thinking as he is the self-styled leader of the household and all others must follow rules laid by him!
To control this type of aggressive behavior as well as put an end to his growling, your endeavor should be to continuously make him believe that he is really not the leader of the family. Teach him to be obedient and listen to one master, which could be you. Remember, every dog believes in one master, and there should not be too many people in the family who expects the dog to obey their commands. ‘Sit’ and ‘Stay’ are the two basic commands which he needs to obey before he is given food or even rewarded. Simple disciplining activities like you eating before him, never allowing him to lead when you take him for a walk are enough to tell a dog that he has a master in the house and his word is really not the final say in any matter.
The fundamental thing to understand about dog growling is that there ought to be a reason for such behavior, unless the dog is unwell physically. The most common reasons are threat, insecurity and possessiveness. If you get to the root of the problem, then squashing aggressive behavior or even fixing the growling habit once and for all is really not that difficult.
Sometimes even ignoring such behavior would be recommended especially where there are children involved. You could correct dog aggression if remain patient and loving while being firm and decisive. Punishment and reward have always worked with dogs, but growling dogs should never be punished. You could achieve temporary success but the resentment lies deep within, and the dog may bite or snap later, without any prior warning.
By: Kristiana Jones About the Author:
Do you want to cure your dog’s growling or other behavior problems? Visit
http://www.sitstayhelpdog.info - the number one resource for dog owners who want to help improve their dog’s behavior without inhumane treatments or punishments. Visit
http://www.sitstayhelpdog.info today and help your canine companion!
Restore My Credit
