# Snarling



## Kt77 (Sep 20, 2012)

Bertie has always been a growler but the past few days he's been very snarly and I don't like it. It's when I remove him or take something off him. I understand they will get cross just like toddler would but the snarl is like what they'd give in a warning to another dog when playing. Last night he done it and nipped me I would almost a bite. He's 14 weeks Sunday is this 'normal' for a puppy?


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## Kt77 (Sep 20, 2012)

Also he will now be sitting there then just launch and bite me


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

Jasper's not done that but he can dive bomb you, biting! I stick him straight in time out without a word and leave him for 5 mins if he comes back out with same attitude he goes back in for a little longer! He will calm down. You can't have him doing that with your little boy. im sure its a phase, like kids and paddies and back chat  xxx


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

He is treating you like another puppy! They launch themselves at each other when they play fight. You need to make him understand you are not another dog, it may be useful to get professional help to show you how to redirect his energy. Same with the growling and resource guarding. Be very careful trying to remove items from a dog who is guarding usually growling accompanied by standing ridgedly over the item. A professional will show you how to distract him with a treat and make it safe to remove the item. As his confidence grows he will most likely outgrow this behaviour as long as it is not allowed to develope. Good luck.

Puppy socialisation classes would help I have just noticed he is only 14 weeks !


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I think he is trying to get your attention and like children he doesn't care too much whether he gets a bad or good response, as long as you respond to him!
If he is worse at particular times of day - try and plan a Bertie play time before he starts getting snarly - maybe involve your son too... You hold the puppy and get your son to hide a treat under a toy or something and then encourage Bertie to 'go and find it!', lots of praise! Try and make it really positive and fun. Or play with a tugga toy, but have 'stop' times in the play so that he has to sit and release the toy before you continue the game. Use a tasty treat on his nose and 'stop', when he releases the toy ask for a sit and treat him!
The more games like this you play with him the better.
Maybe too wrap up warm with your son and get the torches out and take Bertie for a walk in the dark - both of them will enjoy it and a tired puppy will also hopefully be a sleepy puppy!
Good luck


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## Kt77 (Sep 20, 2012)

Definitely resource guarding, he done it when I took his bowl after his meal today. Something I'm going to have to work on.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

If you have a resource guarding issue at 14 weeks you need to deal with it quickly - when you say taking his bowl and he snarled was there still food in it - or was he still hungry as that is an unusual thing to guard otherwise. With my pup I am currently making sure she is totally comfortable with me around her bowl as I add food to her bowl now and then when she is eating so she is now very happy for me to come and touch her bowl. 

When you need to take something off him don't just dive in and take it, offer a toy or treat and trade for it instead so he does not feel threatened by you constantly taking things from him.

If you are in the UK I would get enrolled on training classes with an APDT registered trainer.


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## Kt77 (Sep 20, 2012)

Nope, no food in his bowl.


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

I have always put jasper's bowl down on his mat and made him wait until I say he can eat it! We've never had any issues, maybe this is why? Have you tried this with Bertie? X


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

JasperBlack said:


> I have always put jasper's bowl down on his mat and made him wait until I say he can eat it! We've never had any issues, maybe this is why? Have you tried this with Bertie? X
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yes we have always done the same, and I put my hands in his bowl when he is eating but only to add something of higher value, never to remove. Dudley has just grown used to my hands being there so it has never been an issue. maybe if you get him to sit near the empty bowl and treat him while you pick the bowl up and put it back a couple of times, you could then move on to adding something of higher value when he has food in it.


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## femmedufromage (Oct 20, 2012)

Hi,
I hope things are getting better. I searched for Snarling as Monty went for my husband yesterday. He has had two days of not wanting to come out of his crate when we get back from a walk. I usually lift the crate out of the car as I would not reach in to get his collar as it is his safe place - unfortunately my husband did yesterday. It was a lot of noise and no teeth. 

He can also get growly at night when I tried to move him off the sofa to go to bed. I now call him and then get a treat to get him up and walking by himself. He seems to be getting a bit more independent and will not be carried downstairs now! 

I did think it was just because he was very tired after Christmas and New Year but yesterday was a bit odd. Could it just be a security thing in his crate?

PS: He came out fine this morning, although I did keep a short lead on whilst he was in the crate in the car!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

The lead thing was exactly what I was going to suggest, it's always handy and a safe way of handling a dog. 



Can I as why you carry him down stairs ? How old is he now. 



You may need to instil a bit of pack order. A compleat ban from the couch, making him wait for his dinner. Making him wait for you to go out the door first then you invite him to fallow. 
Hold chews and take them away half way through. Use a lead if you feel you need some controle 


As for the crate keep up with the lead but also go out and put him in and take him out a couple of times make it a game.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

As he has already been snarling I wouldn't advise this, but when we had a trainer in when Dudley was young he said to assert our leadership we should own EVERY area of the house including the crate, so that he accepts us going in (bit of a squeeze, but my son does it sometimes) and he should shift from any area we decide we want. I think for now all of Kendal's advice should be taken and practised, but the going in the crate idea could perhaps be used by others. Another thing he told us to do was to block him going into the lounge - just using legs, until he gave up trying to get in and settled down elsewhere, then we could invite him in - first time was a real battle but I think it coincided with the evening madness, now he will put up little resistance if we do it - just have a little grumble. It has been useful -for example if we are at someone else's house and we don't want him in the dining room.


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## femmedufromage (Oct 20, 2012)

Thank you I will keep up with the lead, it worked again today without any fuss. He is a bit like me, grumpy when tired!

Will try the off the sofa rule, he will come down when asked.


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## femmedufromage (Oct 20, 2012)

Thank you DB1, we have also stopped him going in the lounge during the day and he can only come in during the evening! Saying that he is laying on the floor chewing my large bundle of twigs! which stand in the corner sound awful but look nice!

Had a bit of a chuckle with getting in the crate, I am going to Weightwatchers at the moment, but think even trying to diet to get into a crate is a bit extreme! I can and do put my hands in to dry him off, move his blankets, pick up treats - not sure what started this off. Perhaps his teeth are making him grouchy. He is 20 weeks on Wednesday.


Will definitely use legs as a barrier, great comments, thank you both.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Well perhaps have the fitting into the crate as your goal! I bet if everyone shared what they would do when they lost some weight (at the classes) you would get the biggest laugh!


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## Chumphreys (Oct 1, 2011)

Malie has had all he above issues including the growling when being taken to bed,growling when chewing her bones etc.It all started around 14 weeks.She is now nearly 6 months and I can say thankfully she seems to have grown out of it,with some help from us along the way.She will still occasionally growl if she is asleep and someone disturbs her but on the rare occasion that she does growl now we have realised that she is tired.I received some great advice from everyone on here as I was worried sick that I had got an aggressive puppy.We make sure that we leave her alone if she has something of high value or we trade with her if she has something she shouldn't.We have also taught the kids to leave her alone when she is sleeping.The way we solved the growling when trying to get her to bed was to call her and get her to follow us with a treat.
XClare


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## femmedufromage (Oct 20, 2012)

Ah thank you Chumphreys. All the advice is great, I was getting worried. He can get very tired and wont always settle during the day. He does not get possessive over toys or chews etc just when being moved. Saying that we have just measured him for an Equifleece Jumper which was hilarious with a dangling tape measure!


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## Kt77 (Sep 20, 2012)

Hi hadn't been on so just seen your posts. I'm starting classes next week so hoping to get some direction with what I'm doing right/wrong. He had been good for a week or so but now seems to be having a relapse!


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

We start classes next week too  x


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## Sophie'sMom (Dec 27, 2012)

Sophie, 3 months, does launch and tries to bite me with mouth open wide. We are not talking puppy nipping, she tries to bite. When I try to discipline her, she comes right back more determined. If I put into a submissibe posture on her back or hold her mouth shut, she comes at me even harder. I do put her in her crate and walk away, but it it hard to not get upset.
We are having a behaviorist come to the house to help us this week. She does temperment assessments and will tell us if this is normal or not. Hopefully she will tell us how to handle all of the stuff she does. Of course she is rougher with me then my husband, what a total bummer!
It kind of scares me, and her bites hurt!!!
Any ideas???


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

Sophie'sMom said:


> Sophie, 3 months, does launch and tries to bite me with mouth open wide. We are not talking puppy nipping, she tries to bite. When I try to discipline her, she comes right back more determined. If I put into a submissibe posture on her back or hold her mouth shut, she comes at me even harder. I do put her in her crate and walk away, but it it hard to not get upset.
> We are having a behaviorist come to the house to help us this week. She does temperment assessments and will tell us if this is normal or not. Hopefully she will tell us how to handle all of the stuff she does. Of course she is rougher with me then my husband, what a total bummer!
> It kind of scares me, and her bites hurt!!!
> Any ideas???


Lead on her collar keeping hands at safe distence and give a small but sharp correction. Any time you need to move her move her use the lead. 

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