by Denise Herman, Empire of the Dog

Many dogs growl, in fact, MOST dogs growl at some time during their adult lives, if not many times throughout. A growling dog is not abnormal, but it is a bit of a wake-up call.

Dogs growl as a way of giving advance notice that they are afraid or uncomfortable. Growling is part of a series of ritualized behaviors dogs use to settle conflicts without doing ‘serious’ harm; freezing, growling, snarling, air snapping and ultimately biting if those signs go unheeded. Tensing, freezing up, yawning excessively, panting, eye flaring and avoidance are also signs of discomfort, but as humans we often don’t notice these more subtle signs.

Growling is sometimes attributed to "Dominance," "Insubordination" or impending unavoidable aggression. In truth, dogs can growl for many reasons. Usually there are more specific reasons than "dominance" at work.  Resource guarding is when a dog will growl at family members for guarding toys, beds or food.  Handling Issues are classified as growling (or worse), when they are touched somewhere they dislike, such as their paws, ears, or tail.

Under Socialization is when some dogs growl at strangers and 'things' that enter their world that strike them as ‘strange' -- even if it seems like a very innocuous thing to be upset over.

WHAT NOT TO DO
The biggest error made when dealing with a growling dog is that the growling is SQUASHED out through punishment -- without ever addressing the underlying issue. This creates a silent time bomb effect. Your dog is still 'upset' about being touched or having his toys messed with, or wary of strangers, but he’s learned that growling is 'dangerous,' so he stops GROWLING…but is STILL UPSET, and now is at risk to bite someone without warning. If you follow the "squash the growling, ignore the problem" route, you risk creating the dog that "bites without warning." If you resolve the problem, the growling will cease.
     
GETTING HELP
You should always address a growling issue in your dog. Rarely does an aggression problem go away on it’s own. Heavy handed techniques such as alpha rolls, dominance re-ranking and other treatments like shock collars and punishments in general should be discarded in favor of more humane, safe and effective techniques. Treating aggression with aggression is not only completely counterproductive, but also dangerous.  A program consisting of Desensitizing your dog to his 'triggers' combined with Counter Conditioning [making him LIKE the trigger] is the safest and most reliable method to safely change aggressive behavior in your dog.

For severe aggression issues, a muzzle or medications from your veterinarian may be required.  Whatever you choose, always proceed with the safety of your family and the public in the forefront of your mind and actions. If you have an aggressive dog, we encourage you to seek training help from an experienced professional who works non-violently.

RESOURCES
Find a dog trainer you at
http://www.apdt.com [assoc. of pet dog trainers], our Dog Public City section

Books to help with your aggressive dog:
Culture Clash – Jean Donaldson
A general PRIMER on dog behavior misconceptions

Mine! – Jean Donaldson
About dogs that guard ‘their stuff’ from other dogs or people.

Fight! – Jean Donaldson
About dogs who act aggressively to other dogs.

http://www.sfspca.org
Free behavior library to read and download

FREE Yahoo web group for dealing with aggressive dogs in a safe, progressive fashion.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/agbeh/