Growling/barking for no apparrent reason
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Hi welcome back..is he sleeping when he starts this or laying down? Like maybe he's having a dream? My oes mix does this but it's usually when he's dreaming and he starts with growling then when he starts barking he wakes up. I'm sure someone could tell you better what is going on  |
| No, he's awake, just laying there growling. Doesn't really seem to be upset or anything. And he does it both inside and outside |
| It could just be that he hears something that you don't and is reacting to it. He might have a hint of that natural guarding instinct that Rotts have so when he hears a noise close to his territory, he responds to it. My Komondor, also a born guard dog, does pretty much the same thing that you're describing. It'll be silent, but, somewhere, he hears something and has to let us know. Sometimes he gets up and gets really agitated and I see or hear no sign of what he's reacting to.
Either that or both of our dogs are just plain crazy. |
Conductor wrote: . He's not the least bit aggressive, rather he's quite scared of most things.
Could that also be part of the problem? |
| You know, I'm almost inclined to lean towards he's just plain nuts. It is possible he's just afraid of everything, but then I don't know why he would do it in the house when he's almost asleep. Also, why wouldn't he growl at obvious things? About 4 this morning I let him out before work and he was laying on the deck. Somebody stopped by our neighbors house to pick him up for work, and they were standing outside talking quite loudly, and he just laid there, didn't even lift his head up. About half hour later though, I heard him growling and went out to see what it was, and there wasn't anything - no movement, sounds, or otherwise, and he wouldn't stop. I guess it's not the end of the world, I just would like to know why, and if I can't know that, at least what to do when he does it. If it is some sort of behavioral thing, and I let him in or something, doesn't that reinforce his growling? |
Is it possible, since you mention that he doesn't seem upset....that he's just "talking"? Some dogs are just very verbal, and this could be the equivalent of muttering to himself! I know a little Jack Russel who does that...he'll even give kisses while "growling"  . |
Conductor wrote: You know, I'm almost inclined to lean towards he's just plain nuts. It is possible he's just afraid of everything, but then I don't know why he would do it in the house when he's almost asleep. Also, why wouldn't he growl at obvious things? If it is some sort of behavioral thing, and I let him in or something, doesn't that reinforce his growling?
Yes to the last part, it does reinforce it to keep happening It's a real quirky thing he has got going on at the moment, I am still leaning towards timid. Maybe when he is just about asleep he is putting up a noise as a guard thing there for himself. Even though no agression in his body language just the noise & his way of relaxing I am just wondering If maybe you work on the scared side of things in his normal everyday routine, making things that spook him a postivie experience and turn that around, maybe the other will disappear and he can then relax without the noise factor. Just a thought there 
It is an unsual thing happening there with him as no agression with the growls and barks, maybe his way of attention too do you react to him when he does this? If so then just say one word to him a firm "NO", turn your back on him and walk away, no eye contact, no attention from you at all, when he is quiet then treat & praise him. He will click then hopefully that you are not interested in him and he gets no attention at all till he is quiet, something to have a go at and see how that works.. Best wishes to you and Kirby, I am sure you will get this sorted and have a quiet snoring dog instead of one that grumbles while relaxing. |
| Thanks for all the help. I do tell him "No" when he's doing it, and he looks up at me like he can't figure out what in the world I'm telling him to stop doing. I don't know. The only other thing I can figure out is that maybe it is just his own type of nervous behavior and that somehow it soothes him. In the past I had an Aussie that would make a licking/smacking noise with her mouth about the same way he does with growling. I guess all I can really say is "Oh well." |
| I just adopted a little rescue Rat Terrier and she does the same thing. Most times she is the sweetest dog you ever saw. But then all of a sudden, for no reason she will snarl and bark. She sleeps in a crate at night and does it sometimes in there. When she is lying next to me, she can't be still. Either jerks or moves. She doesn't just growl, she bares her teeth and snarls. Does anyone understand this behavior? Could it be a neurological problem? |
| My dog does this when he is sleeping. I just think he's dreaming. But also, if it just recently started to happen, maybe he is having a medical issue? Ear infection? Tummy ache? |
| Any chance he is picking up on something that you are oblivious to? And he is warning you. |
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