# One year-old growling more frequently....



## suki'smom (Jul 3, 2010)

Hi! I am not sure if my one year old guy is still a puppy (at what age aren't they) or not but I am not sure where else to post this question. We've noticed over the last couple of months that Suki has been growling more frequently, mostly at my daughters (I have two 8 year old girls) but occasionally at my hubbie and I if we disturb him while he is lying down or chewing his bully stick. A couple of times, he has lashed out at my daughter and has nipped at them in a scary way. He has never bitten and he has not growled a lot in the past. I am not sure why he is doing this. The only thing I can think of is that it could be he is getting a bit spoiled (held a lot and petted and we've been telling the girls to be careful with him, etc.) and maybe he thinks that he is more dominant in the family or is he just getting older and crankier.... I welcome any of your ideas and thanks in advance!


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

It sounds like Suki is getting a little too big for his boots.Sometimes because these dog are so cute and cuddly, we spoil them.Maybe he needs to be reminded that he is a little dog and must mind his manners!So make him work for attention,and try to do some fun training with him,just to remind him who is boss.Ignore him totally and immediately if he growls again.Don't give him bully sticks, or special treats at the moment so that the situation doesn't arise.He needs to earn your love,that way he will respect you and look to you and your family as his leaders,at the moment he is trying to run the show!He is also behaving like a teenager and pushing his luck,but if you stand your ground and are firm and kind,things will improve,though it will take a little time,but it will be worth the effort as hopefully we have these babies for a long time.Good luck.


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## moonglo (Dec 16, 2010)

I think clare is right and you need to have him understand his place in the family.

I read this really good article that explains the Alpha principle really well and what to do 
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/topdogrules.htm

"If you think your dog is alpha in your household, he probably is. If your dog respects only one or two members of the family but dominates the others, you still have a problem. The dog's place should be at the -bottom- of your human family's pack order, not at the top or somewhere in between.

In order to reclaim your family's rightful place as leaders of the pack, your dog needs some lessons in how to be a subordinate, not an equal. You're going to show him what it means to be a dog again."

If anyone else disagrees or agrees with this info at this site please let us know. It makes sense to me. The difficulty I find is playing the two roles. I love him so I want to spoil him a bit but then he needs to be clear you are the pack leader. Its a delicate balance. I'm still trying to figure it out too.


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## morridon (Oct 2, 2009)

I just had a trainer come in because my 3 year old havanese started "guarding" her bones. The Trainer explained that it may cause growling when someone goes near it and her. Not sure if that is part of your hav's problem but she showed me how to get her away from the bone by throwing her favorite food (cheese) and then very quickly putting cheese where the bone is and taking the bone away when she is not looking. The trainer explained that if she is getting something she likes better she may stop the guarding. And it has worked in her case.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

moonglo said:


> I think clare is right and you need to have him understand his place in the family.
> 
> I read this really good article that explains the Alpha principle really well and what to do
> http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/topdogrules.htm
> ...


There is SO much I din't agree with in this article that I don't know where to start. Certainly want our dogs to have good manners. That comes from good TRAINING not dominance. This article is based on some very out-dated ideas. First, dogs are NOT mini-wolves. They diverged from wolves so long ago that their thoughts, motivations and instincts are very different. Second, research has shown that even this "pack leader" and "dominance" business is not even correct when it comes to the social hierarchy of wolves. Wolf packs are extended family groups, and the "leader" changes fluidly, depending on what the activities of the pack are at that point in time.

I don't think you really mean that you want to "spoil him a bit"... I think you mean that you want to enjoy cuddles and develop a mutually loving, respectful relationship. Am I correct? This is entirely possible without needing to "establish dominance" over a 10 or 12 lb. animal!

You CAN spoil a dog, just as you can spoil children. But you can't spoil them by giving them too much love. You spoil them by not having clear rules for acceptable behavior. Is it important to you that your dog not lead going out the door? Maybe, especially if you live on a busy street, it is. For me, that one's not a priority. We live way away from the road, and there is absolutely no danger to Kodi if he precedes me out the door. OTOH, If I tell him to "wait" (because I don't want him going out the door at all) I expect him to do what I've asked.

But the rigidity of this article makes no sense. Why must the dog always eat AFTER the humans? We feed Kodi his dinner at 6:00. Sometimes we are eating around that time, often we eat later. What would it prove to make him wait if we choose to have our dinner at 8:00? He's not allowed to beg at the table whenever we eat... not for dominance reasons, but because it's impolite. Our kids were always expected to behave appropriately at dinner too!

I could go on and on, but you get the drift. I'm sure Dave will chime in with some GOOD articles for you.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Didn't read the article but I've read hundreds over the years that are probably similar. This is nothing to do with alpha. This is one of dog training's biggest memes. Most trainers don' t believe in this stuff anymore. It's still alive with people that haven't learned the latest studies. It was based on wolf studies,and wolf studies that were not accurate. David L . Mech, one of the world's leading wolf researchers even admits that it was a misnomer when it first appeared years ago to describe the hierarchy of the wolf family. Unfortunately it has still stuck around and has been resurrected by people like Cesar Millan. I have over fifty articles that debunk this theory but I will only give you one and that's by APDT , the largest group of dog trainers in the world. http://www.apdt.com/petowners/choose/dominance.aspx


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

morridon said:


> I just had a trainer come in because my 3 year old havanese started "guarding" her bones. The Trainer explained that it may cause growling when someone goes near it and her. Not sure if that is part of your hav's problem but she showed me how to get her away from the bone by throwing her favorite food (cheese) and then very quickly putting cheese where the bone is and taking the bone away when she is not looking. The trainer explained that if she is getting something she likes better she may stop the guarding. And it has worked in her case.


Not sure if I agree with this line of attack for resource guarding. Generally you want to condition the dog so that it will accept people coming near their food. This approach that she used only avoids the current episode.. The danger is what happens when someone comes near that isn't aware of the guarding and gets bit. You have to change the dogs attitude not just trick it to get the bone. The idea is not to get the bone but to make them not feel threatened when someone approaches them when they are eating.


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## moonglo (Dec 16, 2010)

Thanks Krandall for presenting your views. As I said, I was interested in finding out what others felt about this article, as I was unsure of the theory behind it. Perhaps the theory is wrong but some of the rules help. For example, we do not feed table scraps from the table. Like a child, once you give in (spoil them), or don’t set the boundaries (i.e. oh it’s just a small piece of chicken off my plate, what harm can it do) he’ll be begging for food at meal times. Instead, when he knows the rule, he does not beg. If he looks like he is, I ask him to lie down and he does. I praise him and it make eating a pleasure. We are not so strict with the time for dinner as we eat late and that is too long for him to wait. I agree with you there. However, in the morning, I use to get up and feed him right away before I even made my coffee. He started this thing where he would jump up by my bed and ask me to get his food. I complied until I realized what I was doing. Now it is so much more pleasurable to wake up, tell him to go play with his toys and give me a few extra minutes to sleep. Then when I get up, I make my coffee first, and then feed him. This may not have anything to do with dominance but clear rules make life certain for you and the dog. 

Regarding the dog leading out the door, boy I wished he knew about this rule! My dog ran out the front door this morning with out his harness, leash and me. He started down the stairs towards the street. There is a busy enough street in front of my house. It was the first time he has made his way down the stairs. I was able to catch him in time and alert him to stop as a car was passing by. I have to say I was not sure if he would or not. It was pretty scary. Its not just good manners but it could save his life some day. If I had trained him not to go out the door or down the stairs first I don’t think this would have happened. The theory might be outdated but I like the rule and will train him not to go out until I go first through positive reinforcement. 

“The obedience command given before any pleasurable interaction” was suggested in our puppy classes. I always have him sit and wait for his food and in doing so, he has just become more respectful and less demanding. Another rule that was listed and was suggested in the puppy class -using the phrase “leave it”. When I use it he drops it or lets me take it away without growling or problems. It may just be rules, but without them, he would be the one in control, not me. I think that they all show the dog that you are the one in control.

The hugging one I had a real problem with. I love my dog to pieces. I hug and kiss him all the time. Also, not showing emotions is a tough one. I’ve been working on loose leash walking and it’s coming along. It’s a work in progress. Though the theory is outdated in practice it has helped. I'm very interested to read Dave's article. Thanks!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

moonglo said:


> Thanks Krandall for presenting your views. As I said, I was interested in finding out what others felt about this article, as I was unsure of the theory behind it. Perhaps the theory is wrong but some of the rules help. For example, we do not feed table scraps from the table. Like a child, once you give in (spoil them), or don't set the boundaries (i.e. oh it's just a small piece of chicken off my plate, what harm can it do) he'll be begging for food at meal times. Instead, when he knows the rule, he does not beg. If he looks like he is, I ask him to lie down and he does. I praise him and it make eating a pleasure. We are not so strict with the time for dinner as we eat late and that is too long for him to wait. I agree with you there. However, in the morning, I use to get up and feed him right away before I even made my coffee. He started this thing where he would jump up by my bed and ask me to get his food. I complied until I realized what I was doing. Now it is so much more pleasurable to wake up, tell him to go play with his toys and give me a few extra minutes to sleep. Then when I get up, I make my coffee first, and then feed him. This may not have anything to do with dominance but clear rules make life certain for you and the dog.
> 
> Regarding the dog leading out the door, boy I wished he knew about this rule! My dog ran out the front door this morning with out his harness, leash and me. He started down the stairs towards the street. There is a busy enough street in front of my house. It was the first time he has made his way down the stairs. I was able to catch him in time and alert him to stop as a car was passing by. I have to say I was not sure if he would or not. It was pretty scary. Its not just good manners but it could save his life some day. If I had trained him not to go out the door or down the stairs first I don't think this would have happened. The theory might be outdated but I like the rule and will train him not to go out until I go first through positive reinforcement.
> 
> ...


As I said in my reply to you, most of us DO want our dogs to be well mannered and respectful, which means setting boundaries for them, just as we would for our children. Exactly WHAT the rules are will vary by household, and by what you expect from your dog.

You have very good reasons for wanting your pup to wait for you before going out the door. But there is a difference between expecting your dog to wait when you tell him to, and expecting him to follow you through the door when you are both going out together. Kodi knows and reliably responds when I tell him to "wait", whether it is to stay back from the door, to sit in the car without moving, or to wait while I put his food down. (which is, essentially, what you are teaching your dog by asking him to sit before feeding him... teaching impulse control is always a good thing!) But, I honestly don't care if he precedes me out the door when we are going out together. He's smart enough to know the difference. He DOESN'T try to bolt past me; he waits for permission, but then knows it's OK for him to go while I hold the door for him.

I don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with lying (or playing) on the floor with your dog as long as the dog is gentle and respectful. I'd probably think twice with a wild, adolescent large breed dog. Hugging is something that is dog-dependent. Some like it (or at least tolerate it) from people they know well. LOT'S of Havs like to snuggle with their peeps. VERY few dogs like being hugged by people they don't know, and some get downright snappy about it. (which leads to a number of the dog bites that happen, especially with children, each year) If your dog likes to cuddle with YOU, go for it! (Kodi does... he'll come asking for cuddles) I would urge you to to ask OTHER people NOT to get quite so intimate unless your dog offers it.

The bad part of the article was the idea that you need to "dominate" the dog. As I said, you don't need to dominate dogs any more than you dominate children. You need to TEACH them, gently but firmly, and have clear, CONSISTENT, expectations for behavior. With this as the basis for your training,you can give your dog all the love and affection you want without worrying about "spoiling" him.


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## moonglo (Dec 16, 2010)

Thanks Dave for the article! It was very informative.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I didn't read the responses already posted. When your dog was a puppy did you guys put your hands in his food while he was eating, add treats to his bowl, take away toys and chews. This is what should be done while they are pups and even adults so they don't get aggressive over toys, treat,s food etc. I don't think it's too late. While he is eating, add some treats to the bowl so he doesn't relate your hands as taking it away or a bad thing. If he's chewing on a bone he loves, offer him something better and then take the bone.You should all be doing this.
My Freddie is grumpy too. He will growl at me if I bump him when he is resting. He has never tried to bite me. He does it more in a grumpy way and then storms off to sleep somewhere else. It's kind of funny now that I know he would never hurt anyone. My nieces and nephews get a kick out of how grumpy he can be


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