Sweet dog growling

[kabel24]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Hello looking for some advice as I’m really worried. We adopted an 11 year old springer collie cross in sept last year. I’d been walking him for some time (he lived in a kennel next door.) he is the sweetest dog really obedient, affectionate, eager to play and calm in the house but active on walks. I have two children 10&12 who he is brilliant with and is amazing with our cats and rabbits too. He randomly growls when he is being petted and rolls onto his back to have his tummy rubbed. I got the vet to check him they can’t find any sore bits. It’s really weird as he rolls over to get his tummy rubbed then growls. He actually snapped at a visitor once in this situation, in our house now we know to stop petting when he rolls over. But I worry about visitors doing it. We have people staying soon and I will brief them but people automatically do it as he is so friendly and seems submissive in this pose! Is this a common behaviour in older dogs does anyone know? I asked the previous owner and they were a bit vague about whether it happened before. Any advice appreciated.
Thank you

 

[kabel24]

Hello looking for some advice as I’m really worried. We adopted an 11 year old springer collie cross in sept last year. I’d been walking him for some time (he lived in a kennel next door.) he is the sweetest dog really obedient, affectionate, eager to play and calm in the house but active on walks. I have two children 10&12 who he is brilliant with and is amazing with our cats and rabbits too. He randomly growls when he is being petted and rolls onto his back to have his tummy rubbed. I got the vet to check him they can’t find any sore bits. It’s really weird as he rolls over to get his tummy rubbed then growls. He actually snapped at a visitor once in this situation, in our house now we know to stop petting when he rolls over. But I worry about visitors doing it. We have people staying soon and I will brief them but people automatically do it as he is so friendly and seems submissive in this pose! Is this a common behaviour in older dogs does anyone know? I asked the previous owner and they were a bit vague about whether it happened before. Any advice appreciated.
Thank you View attachment 111981752

I should add that the growling is happening when he approached someone for petting, and lay at the feet to have belly rubbed. It’s not been when he is in his bed or been approached

 

[JoanneF]

Rolling on to their back isn't always an invitation to give a belly rub. Some dogs do it as a sign of submissive behaviour (look how unthreatening I am).

There is another possibility - my dog does a sort of groan of pleasure when he is getting petted, it sounds like a growl. But the snap your dog gave suggests otherwise.

A growl is a communication that he isn't comfortable and a request to back off. The reason he had to ”shout louder” by snapping was because his growl wasn't heeded.

So, two suggestions.

First, learn to spot his more subtle body language signals so he doesn't need to growl or snap. Dogs give a series of signals that they are unhappy, but unfortunately most people don't recognise them because they can be quite subtle. To begin with there is often wide eyes, lip licking and yawning. There is also muscular tension in the body. Then the ones we sometimes do see - growl, snarl, nip then bite. If the early signals are not seen (or, in the dog's view, ignored) he won't bother with them because us stupid humans pay no attention anyway; so he may go straight to the bite. So it's important never to ignore the early signals or reprimand the dog for giving them; stopping the dog from giving them would be like taking the battery out of a smoke alarm.

But the good thing is that a dog will look for ways to de-escalate where possible. If you want to read more, the writer Turid Rugaas is a good source.

Second, be clear and firm with your guests - no petting him. He can get his pets from you; he knows you - but be very aware of his body language. I like the five second rule for petting dogs. Pet him for five seconds, then stop. Only continue if he asks for more by nudging you or similar, if he does that continue for another five seconds and stop again. Continue only for as long as he keeps asking. This will make him feel more comfortable because he knows he can make it stop if he wants to.

 

[Hemlock]

I would have written the same advice - please do heed it.

 

[Tinytom]

I cant add anymore as Joanne F has explained so well ....
Great that your boy growls and doesn't just snap ....
Good on you for taking him on

 

[kabel24]

This is all incredibly useful and feels right to me as to why it happens. I just need to think through the logistics as when people come in he runs to them seeking attention so I’ll need to think how I get in there first and ask them not to pet. It’s very good to understand this. I think the times he snapped it was likely a person who wasn’t heeding the signals. Thank you so glad I posted here!

 

[Tinytom]

Could you either put a stair gate up so he can see visitors but no interact ..or put a lead on him when visitors come ...

 

[JudyN]

We always put our dog behind a stairgate when people came round, and only let him come to greet them when everyone was seated and settled down, and warned about his 'delicate disposition'. Sometimes they had to be told again, because 'he looks so gentle'.

 

[kabel24]

Good ideas thank you x

 

[kabel24]

I cant add anymore as Joanne F has explained so well ....
Great that your boy growls and doesn't just snap ....
Good on you for taking him on

Thank you. He was going to be heading back to the pound they got him from. I just couldn’t let it happen. Apart from this wee issue he is doing so well with us x