Why Do Dogs Growl?

Dog growling.  Is it just normal behavior, or is it a problem?  Growling is one of the ways dogs communicate, but if it’s problematic or aggressive, it needs to be dealt with.

In this post, we’ll cover:

• • Why Do Dogs Growl?
  • What Do Dogs Growl at People?
  • Why Do Dogs Growl at Other Dogs?
  • Why Do Dogs Growl at Their Owner?
  • How to Stop Dogs from Growling
  • What to Do If It’s Serious

Why Do Dogs Growl?

According to the American Kennel Club’s article called, Why Dogs Growl and How to Handle It, there are three types of dog growling:

1.  Play Growling.  Many dogs will growl while they’re engaged in play, especially games like tug-of-war. This type of growling is actually positive.  It may seem like the playing might be moving toward fighting, but oftentimes not.  Dogs will growl even more when playing with other dogs.

2.  Warning Growls:  This type of growling can become serious if it’s not dealt with.  A dog will growl as a warning if they feel cornered, if they think they have to protect their stuff (or you), or if they think someone is trying to take their food, as a few examples.

It’s important to pay attention and see what is triggering the dog to give a warning growl, and try to either eliminate that situation from happening again, or remove your dog from the situation.

You have to take warning growls seriously to prevent them moving toward aggressive behaviors such as biting.

3.  Stress Growling:  Some dogs will bite or attack without warning. These dogs are extremely dangerous.  So be thankful that most dogs will growl if they’re experiencing stress of some sort.  Dogs generally don’t want to bite.  They’ll growl as a warning, trying to prevent the situation from escalating.

The AKC explains how to determine which type of growling your dog is doing in this article about dog growling.

If you feel your dog is fearful, stressed out or anxious, read my post, How to Calm a Fearful Dog.  That post talks about dog training for fearful dogs and includes a free tutorial about dog anxiety.

What Does It Mean When a Dog Growls?

According to Canine Journal’s post called, What Does Dog Growling Mean and When is It a Problem? dogs use growling as a verbal communication.  If you pay attention to how your dog is directing their growling, and in which situations, you will get good at figuring out what they’re trying to communicate, especially if you also notice their body language.

You can learn about understanding dog body language in my post, Reading Dog Body Language (includes video).

Why Do Dogs Growl at People?

Dogs sometimes growl at people because of fear.  Perhaps they’re afraid of the person or situation.    They’ll also growl to protect their territory, like if someone is approaching the house or yard.

Sometimes it’s resource guarding, where the dog is trying to protect their food or toys, for example.  Think of this as a child shouting, “Mine!”

A dog will growl at people if the dog is in pain.  You should always check for the possibility of this if your dog starts growling, especially if they’re growling suddenly.

Many dogs will growl during play.  A personal note on this one!

Several years ago, I had a neighbor who adopted a dog-wolf hybrid.  The dog’s mother was a German Shepherd, and it’s father a wolf.  The dog’s name was Hoss and I loved him profoundly.

You’ll know why if you read my essay about Hoss here.  That’s Hoss in the picture with his bone.  Beautiful boy!

Anyway, the dog’s owner had a friend with a Golden Labrador Retriever and when the friend would visit, she’d play with Hoss in the back yard.

I’ve heard dogs growling while playing many times in my life.  But I’m telling you, when I first heard Hoss growl, I got chills!  His wolf-like growl was way lower, more gutteral, than a regular dog’s growl.

He was only playing, but it was quite a scary sound!  Listen to what a wolf’s growl sounds like here.

For specific training for dog aggression toward people, read this post.

Why Do Dogs Growl at Other Dogs?

The causes for dogs growling at other dogs are generally the same as why dogs growl at people.  They’ll growl at another dog to protect their territory, because they’re fearful or anxious or they’re trying to assert dominance over the other dog.

Some will growl at another dog as a way of resource guarding, or if they’re in pain.  They’ll often growl during play, like Hoss and his friend.

Dogs will also growl at other dogs because they’re not sure how to behave around other dogs, or they’ve never or rarely been exposed to other dogs.  It’s important to socialize your dog so they have confidence and aren’t nervous around people or other dogs.

For help on dog socialization, read my post, Socializing a New Puppy (includes video). The steps in that post apply to dogs of all ages.

If you feel like your dog growling at other dogs is more than just communication and more like aggression, read my post, Ways to Stop Dogs Fighting, or watch my video about dog-on-dog aggression here.

Why Do Dogs Growl at Their Owner?

It can be quite unsettling if your dog growls at you.  If you’re like me, it doesn’t just scare you, but possibly even hurts your feelings!  But try not to take it personally and remember that dogs use growling as a way to communicate.

Review the growling triggers we’ve covered so far in this post.  It’s likely your dog is growling at you for one of those reasons.  Other reasons may be fear, anxiety, frustration of overstimulation, fear of punishment, asserting boundaries, or possessiveness.

If you’d like more help specifically in this area, read my post, Dog Aggressioin Towards Owner.

How to Stop Your Dog from Growling

In order to stop your dog from growling, it’s important to learn what common growling triggers are, as we’ve discussed.  Figuring out why your dog is growling is the first step toward stopping your dog from growling.

Initially, you should remove the dog from the situation to avoid trouble.  Keep the dog out of similar situations until you can get a handle on the dog’s reasons for growling.

If your dog growls in certain situations repeatedly, perhaps at the dog park, for example, it’s possible your dog just isn’t comfortable at the dog park.  Don’t force your dog into situations they’re clearly not enjoying.

Training to Stop Dog Growling

My recommendation for training specifically to stop dog growling is The Dog Calming Code.  It’s a two-hour video training that provides effective and easy-to-follow steps for calming dog aggression of any kind.

It was created by Professional Dog Trainer and Behavioral Specialist, Doggy Dan.

The training teaches you how to make your dog see you as the pack leader.  This can be life changing for your dog.  If your dog sees you as the pack leader, they know they can turn to you for direction in any situation.

They’ll no longer feel they have to protect themselves, you, the kids, the house, the yard, etc.  It will build your dog’s confidence while creating a trusting, loving relationship with your dog.

Never Punish Your Dog for Growling

Punishing your dog for growling may be temporarily effective.  But it really does no good if you haven’t taken the time to understand why they’re growling to begin with.  Your dog may growl at someone or something, you punish the dog and they stop, but whatever triggered the growling hasn’t been solved.

Is Your Dog’s Growling Aggressive?

If you feel like your dog’s growling is beyond normal and is bordering on aggressive, I encourage you to read my post, Help With Dog Aggression.  In that post, we go over 10 dog aggression safety tips and what to do to get the aggression solved.

I Donate to Animal Charities

Thank you for visiting my website.  I hope the information I’ve given you has helped you discover why your dog is growling and what you can do to stop it.

I donate 10% of my earnings to animal charities.  You can see a list of the charities I donate to here.

If you found my site to be helpful, please share it with your friends and family who have pets. Also, please consider making a donation to support the website. Thank you!  Debra

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