“Why does my dog growl at me for no reason?”, this is a question I’ve been getting asked more and more. And if there’s one thing that certain, you need to tread very carefully when dealing with this potentially dangerous behavior.
But let’s just quickly clear something up.
Dog’s can growl for multiple reasons. After all it’s ultimately how they express themselves. And while it can be a little unnerving at first (especially if you don’t know what your dog’s intentions are). It’s still important to understand why they’re growling before coming to any drastic conclusions.
They’ll often be times when your dog is expressing a playful growl out of pure enjoyment. Other times, it’ll be a subtle warning to back off and leave them alone.
However, in worst-case scenarios, it’ll be because they’re demonstrating clear signals that they’re about to attack.
Now, the good news is that it’s fairly easy to distinguish between each particular type of growl.
However, it’s also important to stress that unless you know what specific signs to look out for. You’ll be spending the rest of your days in constant worry that your dog is about to unleash the fury within.
So what can you do?
Again, the first step to dealing with the issue is understanding why your dog growls. As well as some of the tell-tale signs of what to look out for whenever they display it.
And second, you need to learn how to quickly calm your dog should they ever display any ‘obvious signs of aggression.’
We’ll get to the former shortly. But for now, I think you’d benefit a lot more from learning a few simple techniques you can quickly implement to calm the emotions of an aggressive dog.
Which is why before you do anything else, I’d highly recommend taking a few minutes to check out the 5 step-by-step calming exercises from Dan Abdelnoor over at The Online Dog Trainer. (see video below)
In the short video below, Dan demonstrates not only why dogs become aggressive. But also reveals a PROVEN, bulletproof plan of action you can start using immediately to quickly dial the emotions of your dog to make them highly responsive to calm.
Now I won’t lie; although these exercises work like a charm, the real benefits start to emerge when you use the exercises on a day-to-day basis.
Because not only will your dog the power of calm, when used consistently, your dog will eventually learn how to control their aggressive behavior in any type of situation that triggers it.
Anyway, here’s the link to take a look and see for yourself: 5 Step-By-Step Calming Exercises To Quickly Stop Your Dogs Dangerous, Scary Growling Habit…
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Why Does My Dog Growl At Me For No Reason?
This is the million-dollar question that demands an answer. But unfortunately, it’s often not a straight forward as we’d like it to be.
Again, dogs can demonstrate one or two distinctive types of growl, and they can be displayed in countless situations.
But for the sake of simplicity, some of the more common reasons include…
Playful Growling
In most cases, playful growling is nothing to be concerned about. In fact, it’s a clear indication that your dog is enjoying themself.
However, despite this, it’s still something that should be monitored carefully as there’s always the chance that your dog’s overexcitement can get out of hand and take a turn for the worst.
You can usually spot playful growling a mile away as it’s often more high-pitched and shorter in duration. And it can appear in situations like a playful game of tug of war or refusing to let go of a toy like a tennis ball or frisbee.
Territorial Growling
Territorial aggression can come in many forms, growling being one of them.
Generally, this type of growl is more of a warning that you’re dog is unhappy. Basically, it’s a warning signal that simply tells you it’s time to back off.
Dogs will usually display territorial growling in situations like interrupting them when they’re napping or to ward off someone they see as a potential threat like the mailman.
As with any type of territorial aggression, you need to tread carefully and assess the likelihood your dog will take it to the next level.
Although if common sense has taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t tempt fate by pushing the boundaries. So do yourself a favor and give your dog a little space until the situation has calmed.
Resource Guarding
Resource guarding is fairly similar to territorial growling. Only now, the behavior is directed at protecting a specific person or object.
For instance, if your dog happens to have a strong bond with your significant other (i.e. your partner). They may unnecessarily see it as their duty to be their sworn protector.
It’s also a particularly common behavior around mealtimes (particularly around the food bowl).
Resource guarding isn’t something you should take lightly, as it can quickly escalate into something more sinister if you don’t respect your dog’s wishes.
Again, give your dog 5-10 minutes and keep a close eye on them until the behavior has passed before attempting to approach.
Medical Issues
If your dog’s growling has come on suddenly (and without good cause), it’s always wise to book a trip to the vet and rule out any potential medical issues.
Things like dementia and cognitive dysfunction can be more common than you think (especially in older dogs). And it can cause severe distress if left unchecked, which can often kick your dog’s aggression levels up higher than normal.
Again this won’t be the case for every dog, but it’s better safe than sorry.
Related Post: How To Calm An Aggressive Dog – Simple Tips For Aggressive Behavior
Warning Signs To Look Out For
Since growling is a potentially threatening behavior, learning to spot the signs between playful and aggressive growling is an absolute must in order to establish what to do in each and every situation.
The good news is that it’s very rare for dogs to instantly go from zero to ten on the aggression scale. Which means you’ll often get a fair few warnings before your dog feels the need to do the unthinkable and react violently.
However, just because it’s rare doesn’t mean it can’t happen. And since you know your dog better than anyone, you should take this information with a pinch of salt and make your own assessment based on what you know about your dog.
Again, playful aggression that is non-threatening generally isn’t a cause for concern.
So if you notice the short high-pitched growl (usually accompanied by a wagging tail and loose posture), you can be fairly certain the growling is that of a playful nature.
An aggressive growl, on the other hand, takes on a whole new form of its own.
This type of growl can be easily identified by the following…
- A low, deep growl that is longer in duration.
- Their heckles will be raised.
- Your dog will usually display a slight lip curl or even bare their teeth in a threatening way.
- A stiff/rigid posture and a fixed stare directly on the target. In this instance… You!
If you spot any of the above signs, do yourself a favor… Back away and give your dog a little breathing room until they’ve completely calmed down.
Now would also be a great time to take a look at the 5 step-by-step calming exercises I mentioned earlier.
Use them often, and you’ll start to notice a marked improvement in your dog’s ability to remain calm and in control.
How To Stop Your Dog Growling For No Reason
While we’d all like to think that behavioral issues go away on their own. The truth is that this isn’t always the case, and steps often need to be taken to change your dog’s behavior for the better.
The idea, however, isn’t to eliminate the growling completely. After all, an aggressive growl is a warning. And by attempting to remove this, your dog may begin to attack unpredictably and with no prior indication.
In addition to this, aggressive types of growling can prove useful should an intruder ever attempt to break into your house. As your dog’s natural instinct would naturally kick and give the intruder clear signals to back off.
But in any case, the goal is to eliminate aggressive types of growls in certain situations that don’t call for it.
You can start by doing the following…
Root Cause Analysis
The first step to stopping your dog’s unwanted growling? …figure out why it’s happening in the first place.
A lot of times, people get so involved in the training process that they forget to ask this one simple question. And by avoiding this critical first step, they’re ultimately setting themselves up for a lot of hassle and frustration.
So take a step back for a moment and consider the following…
- Does your dog growl at you around specific people?
- Do they do it at specific times like mealtimes or before bedtime?
- Has something changed in your dog’s daily routine?
- Has the growling come on suddenly with no prior warning?
These are just a few of the many questions you should be asking yourself before making a final judgment call on why your dog is growling.
And once you’ve zoned in on this, you’ll be better equipped to…
- Know when it’s going to happen
- Put measures in place to stop it from happening
For instance, if you know your dog growls specifically at mealtime. You’ll be better prepared to do something about it, like preparing their meals ahead of time and then leaving them in peace while they eat.
In this particular scenario, you’d also benefit from implementing the 5 step-by-step calming exercises shortly before mealtimes. And then assessing the situation to see if there are any improvements in your dog’s behavior.
Assess The Threat
In addition to figuring out the root cause, you also need to assess the threat level your dog is demonstrating towards you.
For instance…
…Is it predictable, or does your dog give off any warning signs before growling? …For instance, a stern look or gentle paw in the face to tell you to back off.
…Has it ever gone beyond growling into an attempted bite or attack?
…How big is your dog? …It might sound breedest, but a 70-pound Pitbull has the potential to cause a lot more damage than a 5-pound Chihuahua.
…Are there any small children in the home? …Take extra precautions and limit interactions or stop them completely until the situation improves.
If you’re worried about any of the above, consult a behavioral specialist and get them to make a detailed assessment of your dog before taking matters into your own hands.
Related Post: Why Is My Dog Being Aggressive All Of A Sudden?
Wrapping Things Up
At the end of the day, growling can be problematic, especially if you’re unsure what’s causing the behavior in the first place.
I think the most important thing to remember to pay attention to the signals that your dog gives whenever they growl and then act accordingly by taking the above advice into account.
Again, the 5 step-by-step calming exercises are a great tool to have at your disposal to quickly calm any situation if needed.
But with a little bit of patience and consistency, you can learn to manage it over time.
