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Grrrrrrrrr….. One more time. |
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Growls are good! Yes, you read that correctly. GROWLS ARE GOOD! When a dog growls she is
giving a warning and giving important information. She may be frightened. She may be telling an all too pushy
adolescent pup to back off. HE may be
saying to the vet –THAT hurts! A
LOT!!! A rescued dog finally getting
some good food for the first time may be saying: Don’t even think of coming near my wonderful
raw meaty bone! A bitch may be telling
you that it is not such a good idea to go near HER pups!*** Growls give us a lot of information and we
better plan on taking notes. All too often – (Maybe most
of the time?) people are told by trainers and vets to punish that growl
before things get worse.
Actually? Punishing the growl
is almost a sure fire way to have things get worse – a lot worse. Get rid of the growl and
one often ends up with a bite with “no warning”. People believe they are punishing
“aggression” when they try to stop the growl and all they are actually doing is
eliminating the signal – the warning – the alarm. If one encounters a growl the smart thing
to do is – Back off! Then work on
resolving the problem that exists that caused the stress that resulted
in a growl. If fear is an issue it is
really important to address the fears and improve the dog’s self confidence
in the specific situation and in various new environments. Punishment is not the answer. It is so sad to see a seriously frightened
dog doing its best to get away from the advancements of Ms. Luvadawg saying things like: I love dogs. Dogs love me. Oh, what a
sweetie. I just want to give you a
nice pat you cute li’l thing. Come on now – over here. A bite is in the offing. Aggressive dog? No.
Dangerous dog? No. At least not yet. But this dog could and very well may bite
and, the outcome is not wonderful for all concerned. When a dog is growling at an invasive adolescent airhead best to let
things ride. The exception to the rule
is if either dog is doing its best to escape the situation and no escape
route is available. Step in! No good lessons are learned from bullying. Pain? Any dog – that is right – ANY dog can bite
given the circumstances that push that dog over its limit. Do not attempt to pick up a dog that has
been hit by a car, for example, unless you have protection for your
body. The dog does not understand
being “rescued”. Small dogs can often
be wrapped safely in a blanket, jacket or towel. Large/giant breeds? Use good sense. If there is any indication of back injuries
it is vitally important to slide the dog on to a pallet to reduce risks of
further injuires!!!!! If your most well behaved
Chihuahua or Mastiff (or anything in between!) is in serious pain do put on a
muzzle* before attempting treatment.
Learn about make-shift muzzles for the day it could be your dog. You’ll welcome having all your appendages
in working order as you do follow up care for your recuperating canine buddy.
Growls that involve bones,
food bowls, toys, beds or any territories/resources fall into the
category of resource guarding.
Actually – people often wish to believe a dog growling (or worse!) at
someone who approaches them when the dog is close is guarding them when more
than likely the dog is guarding the equivalent of a big wonderful bone. –
YOU! Sorry – but it is true. The dog is not protecting the person but
resource guarding!** Resource guarding requires
careful attention. Punishment is NOT
in order. Training is. It pleases me to have a big
dog with priorities about “resource guarding” territory. The thing is: I determine what the territory is and how
the guarding process works – not my wonderful dog. *Muzzles: It is a wise move to train your dog to
calmly accept a muzzle for the sad day it may be necessary to use one. **Carefully trained
personal protection dogs are an exception.
I have never met one here. ***Well socialized bitches
should accept people approaching her pups.
That is an important lesson for the overall well being of those pups
for their future lives. Bitches that
do NOT allow people close to there pups may well be
preparing the pups for problems in the future. Food for thought. B |