Growling behaviors

The Play Growl
Dogs growl when playing with each other. Listen to a litter of pups and it sounds like world war III most of the time. Growling is normal communication for dogs and in a play situation, it is like a human egging on the other during a pillow fight. It is strictly to illicit the desired behavior from the opponent and not meant aggressively.

The body language of a play growl is alert but relaxed. Lips are loose, covering the teeth, ears are in their natural play position, hackles will be down and the tail is in its typical play position. This is not a serious situation unless you are the toy!

Depending on your personal situation, you may want to discourage this growl behavior. For example, if you have children and their friends often visit, a play growl can scare a child that is not used to being around a dog. In addition, if you have a large or giant breed, this play growl could seem a lot more serious to then in a small dog.

The Talkie Growl
Some dogs tell you what they want by barking while others give you ‘the look’ and then there are some that use a growl to get your attention. Usually the dog’s body language is neutral or suggestive of ‘follow me’ – alert again but comfortable in their surroundings. As doggy/human communication goes, this is usually worth listening to as it often means they need to go outside, their water dish is empty, the house is on fire – you know, anything that they want you to deal with now, not in a few minutes.

The many growls have many meanings. Learn to read your dog’s moods and body language and you will learn to understand what they are telling you. Remember that not all dogs communicate exactly the same so if you an unknown dog is growling at you, always take it seriously – back away and do not approach again until the owner is around.