Growling??????
Ever since Heart came at 8 weeks old she has never growled....EVER!!! I have only heard her yelp a couple of times when Pearl "scolded" her for being too intrusive. I think the yelp was more out of respect than fear...you know...Pearl got real mad cuz Heart kept trying to play..Pearl growled and "smacked" her down, Heart yelped as if to say..."ok...OK!...I'm sorry...I'll leave you alone!" Now this growling ...Is it normal for a puppy/teenage dog...(she will be 8 months old tomorrow.) not to growl???? Just want to know what others opinions are on this.... (She grunts alot...when I try to pick her up or when I scratch her on her sides....) This is definately not a growl but a piggygrunt!!!  |
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Daisy is 10 months old and she has never growled either. I think it's because she is the baby here, Frank and Daphne are older and were here when she arrived. She knows she is not the BOSS, Dapne is!!!!  |
| Pita doesn't growl... well we corrected some.
She makes that piggy grunt sound too when I scratch her side.... LOL She also makes this gargling growling sound when she plays tug with Royce. Not with us, but only with Royce. We don't correct her for it because it's more like a "putting-all-my-energy-into-it" sound.. You know like the sound you make when you are pushing for that last bit of strength when lifting weights.... Sometimes I think growling isn't a bad sign because it's a warning. I'd rather hear a dog growl than to attack without any warning. However, there are instances where I think the growling happens too often and as a result of a certain mindset. THen there is a need to focus on the dog's mind and fix the behavior rather than the actual growling itself. Our Pita is very possesive and growling accompanied such behaviors with food and toys. So we worked on teaching her that not all food and toys are hers and the growling went away... When PIta was a puppy, we stood by while she was eating and quickly said, "no!" and took her food away when she growled at Royce for coming near her food. Also when we gave treats we would put two pieces on a paper plate and held it out so each dog will take one from the plate. Pita would guard and not let Royce take his.. then we corrected her and gave Royce the treat but not her... Only would she get the treat when she sits patiently and lets Royce take the treat. She took it on very quickly, and now they can eat off the same bowl. Pita steals toys out of Royce's mouth and runs away to her "den" When Royce follows her to retrieve the toy she'd growl and nip him. We were very suprised but glad we were present to correct her at the instant. She looked at us, tilted her head.... then let Royce take the toy. It happened 2-3 times afterward but now she lets Royce come and grab the toy in her mouth, but just doesn't let go.... LOL This leads to the fun game of Tug-of-war. |
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Neither one of my dogs has ever had the need to growl at me, as I can usually catch tem being concerned or unhappy about things, so they don't have to "warn" me. And if they growl at other dogs, I let them. That is the way they talk...Growling is talking...that is it....They are simply expressing how they feel at that time. If a dog is corrected for growling, then you will nto be able to know when they are unhappy or stressed...and thenthey might just go to the next level. Growling is good. Just liek I would rather my teen son tell me when he is upset, then NOT tell me and just do something about it, when maybe I could have helped. http://www.dogicuts.com/index_files/growling.htm This article does an excellant job of describing what growling is all about...to the dog.... |
Are they supposed to growl?  Dutch is about 15 months and I have never heard her growl other than once or twice when playing tug, she just seems to be so darn happy all the time . Me thinks I'm owned by one sweet mischevious little lady  |
sheepieshake wrote: Ever since Heart came at 8 weeks old she has never growled....EVER!!!
Just want to know what others opinions are on this.... (She grunts alot...when I try to pick her up or when I scratch her on her sides....) This is definately not a growl but a piggygrunt!!!
Oh, lord, you just made my day!!!!!!!!! You're concerned because she's never growled?????????? I love it! More concerns like this and I'll know the breed is on the right track. Mad's mom/the kids' grandmother is ten years old. She's never growled and has the loveliest temperament you can imagine. Wouldn't be caught dead getting into a scuffle with someone. Absolutely below her. I feel no need to rush her to a doggie psychiatrist for her unwillingness to growl. I can live with this deficiency.
She, too, makes little oinking noises, though I suspect that is sheer coincidence and has nothing to do with the lack of growls. Too funny!!!! Kristine |
| Chewie growled once.
We were out walking (back when the exercise plan was going better  ) late last summer, after dark. I had Chewie, LeAnne had Clay and my SIL was with her 3 girls and Breanna.
Chewie and I were in front. A man was coming towards us, in the shadows of the street light. Chewie was staring at him, then this low growl came out - not loud, but I actually felt it through the lead. I told him it was OK, but let him stay on alert. Chewie had seen him and growled before I even noticed him - we were too busy talking. I was happy to know he would protect us.
He was 16 months old at the time. |
| GREAT!!! I can always count on this group to throw out my (sometimes dumb) questions and get expert advice on sheepie behaviour...
It seemed odd to me but not a concern. After all what does she have to growl about???? She has had a life, so far, like a canine Suri Cruz---pampered, protected by her other "body guards", Pearl and Cosmo--given everything she desires and the only thing expected of her is to be polite, kind, silly and happy!!!!
Thanks you guys...... |
got sheep wrote: Chewie growled once. <snip> Chewie had seen him and growled before I even noticed him - we were too busy talking. I was happy to know he would protect us.
He was 16 months old at the time. That, to me at least, is different. An OES should be alert to changes in their environment and able to detect and assess (!) threats. Flock management. Hopefully it came from a position of confidence ("pay attention, boss") as opposed to insecurity. <snip, snip, buddy -  - no, not in his case, I think >I think you'll see it more in a young dog than a more seasoned one.
Belle will bark alerts as people approach "her" property. When I first moved, none of them were used to having visible neighbors and they had to tell me when my poor neighbor was out doing suspicious things, like mowing his lawn... Once it became "normal" activity to them, that was fine.
Except Sybil. Sybil must alert me to anything new in her enviroment. After a storm, a big branch came down. <bark, bark> Dig a new flower bed and plant some clematis <bark, bark> Things like that. Frankly, it doesn't thrill me, and I question her ability to distinguish a genuine threat as opposed to just being...weird. Though I do suspect it goes back to their herding heritage. An awareness of their surroundings. Probably not a detrimental thing in and of itself, but...in modern day life....weird hardwiring. And it is hardwired in her case.
Kristine |
sheepieshake wrote: After all what does she have to growl about????
She has had a life, so far, like a canine Suri Cruz---pampered, protected by her other "body guards", Pearl and Cosmo--given everything she desires and the only thing expected of her is to be polite, kind, silly and happy!!!! Thanks you guys...... BINGO! Life of Reilly. Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: got sheep wrote: Chewie growled once. <snip> Chewie had seen him and growled before I even noticed him - we were too busy talking. I was happy to know he would protect us. He was 16 months old at the time. That, to me at least, is different. An OES should be alert to changes in their environment and able to detect and assess (!) threats. Flock management. Hopefully it came from a position of confidence ("pay attention, boss") as opposed to insecurity. <snip, snip, buddy - - no, not in his case, I think >I think you'll see it more in a young dog than a more seasoned one.Kristine Yes, he seemed very confident. I really think he was just giving us a "heads up, strange man approaching" type warning. He just watched the man as he approached, and walk past us as we met (he gave a wide berth around us too!). LeAnne was impressed, and I think there was some comment about Chewie vs Clay protecting us. |
got sheep wrote: LeAnne was impressed, and I think there was some comment about Chewie vs Clay protecting us.
Oh, Clay...Well, what can I say? Thank God he never reproduced.
I'm watching your boy very carefully. I like what I see. Keep up the great work. Kristine |
| Hmmm, Jake would growl before barking when he detected "an intruder" but not Mulligan; he just barks. Jake did not growl before biting, he would stiffen or guard but not growl.
Mulligan never growls except during tug, and then he growls happily the whole time. |
| Nigel growls every time we move something in the house. Bella growls every time she wants you to play (toy in mouth). He is a big chicken, and she is loud and bossy. |
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