# Growling...



## Belle-K (Sep 19, 2012)

Hi guys!

Belle is 4 months now and whenever she gets hyper she growls a lot & goes crazy, she sounds a little vicious lol! Then this morning we had our first snow fall, when I was wiping her feet off before coming inside she didn't like it and growled at the towel I was wiping her off with. 

Just was wondering if this is normal maltese behaviour or if this is something I should be trying to correct?? Everyday she seems to be a little more vocal it seems.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

My Laurel growls all the time, she has since she was a puppy. She never ever bites, but she sounds sort of like a little machine , when she's playing with the other dogs!


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## ladodd (Jan 8, 2012)

My Lily is a growler. My two younger pups know that she is all growl and no bite. It's so funny to watch them pushing her buttons to get her to growl, they know she doesn't have a mean bone in her body, she just sounds MEAN.


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## Leila'sMommy (Oct 20, 2012)

Leila does it too if she gets something she knows she's not supposed to have and we're trying to get it from her. She'll run behind the loveseat that's not blocked off and growl at us when we come up to it before even reaching for her.


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## zooeysmom (Aug 1, 2011)

I wouldn't let her growl at the towel you're using to wipe her down. It's one thing when they're playing with other dogs or toys, but growling can escalate into aggression if you don't nip it in the bud. I'd tell her "Shhhh!" very firmly until she stops.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

Glad to see that there are others on here who's little Fluffs growl also. I posted something regarding that same issue regarding our Chrissy on another thread and was happy to see that I am not alone with this issue.


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## Belle-K (Sep 19, 2012)

Ok good glad I'm not the only one! No she have never ever bit me or anything she just can sound so mean sometimes lol! I told her NO when she growled at the towel this morning (she wanted to down to play with the cat but I wasn't being quick enough for her i guess lol) She has quite the personality!!


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

Ozzie growls at Lisa and at his toys when he's playing... and he will growl at me if I try and take his rawhide/bully stick away if he is lucky enough to get one to chew on for a bit!

The only other time he growls at me (or bf) is a few times in our bed if we are reading... we think it was because we weren't paying attention to him. He has also growled at me once or twice out of NOWHERE while I'm ignoring him on the couch, pretty sure either for attention or because he had to go potty! All of these times, he was wagging his tail while growling! He sounds like a little motorboat!


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## maltese#1fan (Feb 20, 2012)

Bella growls at DH when she wants to play. She will sit in front of him and growl and growl and if he doesn't move quick enough for her, she will nudge his hand with her nose. It's the funniest thing to watch.


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## Maizy Moo's Mum (Jul 4, 2012)

Maizy is a growler when she plays wish i could figure out how to upload a video its hilarious!! She is sooooooo noisy always shocks everyone as she is so quiet normally!!!!

However this is the only time she growls im not sure on growling at her feet being wiped was it a vicious growl if so im not sure i would be happy with this??


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

zooeysmom said:


> I wouldn't let her growl at the towel you're using to wipe her down. It's one thing when they're playing with other dogs or toys, but growling can escalate into aggression if you don't nip it in the bud. I'd tell her "Shhhh!" very firmly until she stops.


:thumbsup: I agree! Play growling is one thing, but growling at the towel, or while being brushed or if a treat is taken away is serious. Growling often leads to biting if not stopped.

I would really recommend the Nothing in Life is Free program. You must establish that you are in charge.

Dog Training: Nothing in Life is Free : The Humane Society of the United States

Nothing in Life is Free


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Ladysmom said:


> :thumbsup: I agree! Play growling is one thing, but growling at the towel, or while being brushed or if a treat is taken away is serious. Growling often leads to biting if not stopped.
> 
> I would really recommend the Nothing in Life is Free program. You must establish that you are in charge.
> 
> ...


:thumbsup:

Both of those were great posts.

Grace is VERY vocal LOL ... She barks, dead duck calls, and growls. The growling is only during play, though. And Grace has learned when I am playing and when I'm done. She won't growl at me unless I'm in the same play mode as she is.

The moment I ask her for her toy, she sits and stops.

She hates brushing on her feet. Really hates it. But she doesn't growl at me. She did a few times as a young puppy but I stopped it right then. A very firm and startling "Bah" (our "no").... When she stopped, I gave her a treat. Then during brushing I would treat her often before growling happened. She hasn't done it since.

If I want a chewy, even if the other pup is right next to them, they know if I reach for the chew, it is mine. And they let go. No growling.

In fact, I purposely do that exercise with their bones and their food just so they are used to people reaching into their dish or taking it away when they aren't done. I always give it back. But neither one growl or get upset.

Allowing a dog to growl outside of play - and not knowing when to not growl during play - can cause problems.

Another dog may not see it as play growl. Another person may not see it as that.

A child could be terrified and cry "bite" even if she didn't, and that could get you in a mess of trouble.


The NILF program is a good one.... These little fluffs are adorable but they can try to dominate really quickly LOL


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

We do use NILIF with our boys and thus far I haven't had a growling issue. DH likes to roughouse with them (I'm not crazy about that) and they will growl while they play like that, but that's the only time.


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## Belle-K (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks guys! I will definitely keep my eye on growls outside play, this was the first time she growled at the towel but like I said the cat was there & she was squirming to try and get down and play, said NO in a stern voice and stopped wiping her feet then waited a second and began to wipe her feet again with no problems. I didn't see it as something vicious, no growls when taking away a treats, I've always made it a point of petting her during meal times so she gets used to that, and no growls during brush time. 
I don't know if this is all fluffs or not but she really doesn't like the word "no", she feels very bad after she hears that word and usually mopes around and gives me the "puppy eyes"


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Grace'sMom said:


> :thumbsup:
> 
> 
> She hates brushing on her feet. Really hates it. But she doesn't growl at me. She did a few times as a young puppy but I stopped it right then. A very firm and startling "Bah" (our "no").... When she stopped, I gave her a treat. Then during brushing I would treat her often before growling happened. She hasn't done it since.


Bailey growled for real once when he was about 6-7 months old after he became a teenager and decided to push the boundaries. He found a chicken bone outside while we were walking and did not want to drop it. When I went to take it away he gave me a very quiet growl. I instinctively grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and said horrible things to him in my ugliest voice. I must have sounded like I was possessed by a demon! Bailey quickly dropped the bone and never growled again. I don't think he ever wants that scary mommy to come back!


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Ladysmom said:


> Bailey growled for real once when he was about 6-7 months old after he became a teenager and decided to push the boundaries. He found a chicken bone outside while we were walking and did not want to drop it. When I went to take it away he gave me a very quiet growl. I instinctively grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and said horrible things to him in my ugliest voice. I must have sounded like I was possessed by a demon! Bailey quickly dropped the bone and never growled again. I don't think he ever wants that scary mommy to come back!



Funny how they know when the "Mommy means business" voice comes out LOL Then suddenly they are little angels :innocent:

Little stinkers!


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