Growling

Bryando

My Lab pup 7 months has decided today to display growling when I go to take his bone. Suggestions to nip this? I roared at him NO as he knows what that means. Slightly scared so I want this sorted.

marlot

Please don't shout at him for growling. If you're not careful you'll raise a dog which just attacks without warning. Growling first is good!

Do some fun training with him to teach drop and leave. Use treats (he's a labrador!) so he gets a treat when he drops his toy on command. Follow up by teaching him 'leave'. No matter how precious the toy in her mouth - or even a bone - my dog will drop it on command. She knows she'll get lots of praise if its a high value item that she drops (like a bone) - but we gradually built up to that.

GwylimT

If you shout you're essentially teaching him to shout.

You need to teach him to drop, it can take a while but its worth it. You can start with toys etc and a successful drop is rewarded.

It isn't anything to be scared about, lots of puppys do this, just like toddlers, after all think what a toddler does when you remove a sweetie!

Fosterdog

Your dog is using the most subtle method he can to tell you what he means, in this case that he doesn't want to give up his bone. He probably also displays a number of body language signs first, when they are ignored he is progressing to a growl, usually accompanied by turning the bone away from you. If the growl is ignored it is likely to escalate to air snapping, he is not trying to bite you but when his warnings haven't worked a snap in your direction is the next step, this all eventually can lead to a bite.

Two things, firstly you DO NOT want to punish him for growling, that will just make him skip the growling/warning stage in the future for fear of punishment. My boy growls in certain situations and I'm glad he does, he only growls as a warning to younger dogs when they get too boisterous for him, he has also air snapped at them but doesn't need to take it as far as a bite because if the other dog doesn't listen to him at this stage (which almost never happens) I will remove either him or the other dog from the situation that is stressing him.

Secondly as the others have said you need to teach him to give even his most prized bone to you. For now do not give him bones if that is the reaction you have. Start small with toys he doesn't mind giving up, always have a trade for him, if he drops one toy he gets another, if he drops another toy he gets a treat. Build this up slowly to get him to give up more and more prized items until you can work up to the bone, even if to start with it is just traded for another bone.

He us at the age where he will be pushing the boundaries and testing what he can and can't do, get it right now and you will have a good well mannered adult dog.

sheramber

Another point . don't TAKE things from him. Ask him for them. Play 'swapsies'.

How would you react if you were enjoying a special treat and someone came over and took it away from you without warning?

Bones are very special to dogs so only give them when he is not likely to be disturbed.

Once you have taught him 'swapsies' you can tell him swapsies and give him something else, equally good to make it worthwhile, in place of the bone. Get him to move away from the bone to get the alternative and then lift the bone.

Bryando

Thanks for the guidance folks. Shall follow it . Thanks again