My Dog Just Growled, What Should I Do?
A growl is a warning that a dog is so uncomfortable they are going to bite.
A growl is typically not the first warning a dog gives, but unfortunately the first one that most people notice.
Supporting your dog when they growl or even earlier in the sequence shows them that you understand them and can help them regulate themselves. Punishing them for growling shows them that you will escalate conflict instead of deescalate conflict when they are uncomfortable. This increases the likelihood that they will skip growling in the future and go right to biting.
Dogs typically growl because they are…
-In pain or anticipating pain.
-Fearful and do not feel like they can escape the situation.
-Frustrated and do not know how to address their feelings in a pro social way.
-Anxious about their access to a space, object, or other resource.
If your dog growls because they are in pain or anticipating pain you could…
Connect with your vet for a more robust treatment plan.
Teach your dog cooperative care skills and/or handling skills so they can have more control and predictability when being touched.
Make lifestyle adjustments to reduce situations where your dog is in pain like changing how they exercise, what they eat, or making note not to touch them at times they may be sore.
If your dog growls because they are fearful and do not feel like they can escape the situations you could…
Teach your dog a cue word that means you are going to move away from a trigger.
Work on loose leash walking so your dog understands leash pressure is a cue to engage with you, not a means of restraint. Walking on a longer leash can be helpful to reduce restraint as well.
Advocate for your dog and remove triggers from their personal space before it escalates to growling.
Work on games that build your dog's confidence around triggers so they are in a different state of mind and less likely to escalate to growing.
If your dog growls because they are frustrated and do not know how to address their feelings in a pro social way you could…
Assess the social situations they are currently in and reduce or modify them so your dog is set up for success.
Give your dog opportunities to end social interactions before they get to the point of growling.
Pair social interactions with other activities that help your dog decompress and access a healthy state of mind.
If your dog growls because they are anxious about access to a space, object or other resource you could
Remove access to that resource so the anxiety is not an issue anymore at all.
Change how and when they have access to the resource so there is less pressure on them when they are with the resource.
Work on competing motivator games that help your dog disengage from a resource in order to get the same resource or something else rewarding in order to shift their emotional state around the resource.
A dog that growls is a dog that is trying their best to communicate with you and avoid conflict. It does not mean that your dog is aggressive or is trying to be disrespectful. They are doing their best in the situation they are in, with the communication skills they have. It is up to you as the human to learn how to support them so they feel understood and can continue to avoid conflict.
Side note: Many dogs also growl during play. This is not the same as the growling mentioned above. Growling during play is a part of your dog’s play style and can at times be an initiation to play. You can tell if a growl is a playful one or a signal that the dog needs space based on the rest of the dog’s body language. A playful dog will play bow, slap the ground with their front paws, be loose/bouncy in their body language, try to get you to engage with a toy, etc.