Help! My dog growled at another dog
I see many owners who are surprised when their otherwise friendly dog growls at another dog. A dog can growl for many reasons, and the reason is key to resolving (or, in many cases, managing) the behaviour.
In this article, we will explore the settings in which a dog can growl, how to spot the warning signs, what to do when your dog growls, and how to react in the moment.
When can one dog growl at another?
There are endless situations in which a dog can choose to growl but the key places are when they are protecting, fearful, or excited. For example; when playing roughly at a dog park or when food is involved.
Another common example is
When another dog walks past
Your local suburb is likely home to a range of dogs of all sizes and temperaments, and the truth is, your dog will feel differently about each one. For any one dog yours walks past without reaction, there may be another around the corner it reacts to. It could be your dog feels threatened and is attempting to protect you, its owner. Or, on the flip side, your dog could be so excited by this friend they have not yet met that they growl out of excitement in the hope they will get to it.
Teaching the basics of loose lead walking can be helpful.
Regardless of the reason your dog has growled, the warning signs it is about to happen are the same.
What to look for before your dog growls
Before the growl, your dog can show one or many of the following physical signs.
- Closed mouth,
- stiff body and tail
- Abruptly stopping
If you can spot these, remove your dog from the situation by crossing the road, putting the dog back on its lead, or if you cannot get to your dog quickly and safely, try letting the other owner know not to approach.
To recap, a dog that growls at another can do so for various reasons. Once you identify why it is happening, you can often resolve the behaviour.
If you cannot get your dog to stop or are worried about aggression, please book a custom, private training session with our qualified trainers.
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