How to Train Your Dog to Stop Growling

Hello Irma, I highly recommend working with a trainer who specializes in behavior issues like aggression in person for this issue. Look for a trainer who works with a team of trainers, so that there are multiple people to practice the training around who are "strangers" to pup and know how to interact safely with aggressive dogs. Pup first needs to be assessed to determine what types of aggression are present - is pup possessive of other people or pets, resource guarding items or food, fearful, using aggression to get what they want, reacting to something else and redirecting that aggression toward whoever is closest to them, ect...How you train specifically partially depends on the type of aggression and situation surrounding it. This process typically involves things like gently building pup's overall respect, trust, and listening with you so that pup doesn't think they own you if they are possessive, and so that their behavior is easier to manage, and so that they feel more secure and can defer to your leadership when in situations that make them uncomfortable. It also tends to involve gradually desensitizing pup to people, one at a time, with safety measures like a back tie leash or basket muzzle in place (introduced gradually ahead of time using treats so it's not just associated with the training and stressful), starting with people being further away at first, and working on pup's obedience with you around the people in the background to help pup remain calm and not get overly aroused and fixated on the other person. This can sometimes also involve interrupting pup's aroused state, but that should only be done under the guidance of the trainer and with proper safety measures in place, because with any aggression there is always the risk of the dog redirecting their aggression to whoever is closest when stressed. There will be additional training for things like fear or resource guarding or another type of aggression, that's specific to the type of aggression. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Gabrielle, I highly recommend working with a trainer who specializes in behavior issues like aggression in person for this issue. Pup first needs to be assessed to determine what types of aggression are present - is pup possessive of other people or pets, resource guarding items or food, fearful, using aggression to get what they want, reacting to something else and redirecting that aggression toward whoever is closest to them, ect...How you train specifically partially depends on the type of aggression and situation surrounding it. This process typically involves things like gently building pup's overall respect, trust, and listening with you so that pup doesn't think they own you if they are possessive, and so that their behavior is easier to manage, and so that they feel more secure and can defer to your leadership when in situations that make them uncomfortable. It also tends to involve gradually desensitizing pup to people, one at a time, with safety measures like a back tie leash or basket muzzle in place (introduced gradually ahead of time using treats so it's not just associated with the training and stressful), starting with people being further away at first, and working on pup's obedience with you around the people in the background to help pup remain calm and not get overly aroused and fixated on the other person. This can sometimes also involve interrupting pup's aroused state, but that should only be done under the guidance of the trainer and with proper safety measures in place, because with any aggression there is always the risk of the dog redirecting their aggression to whoever is closest when stressed. For touch, pup would be desensitized to a basket muzzle, the type of muzzle with holes where treats can be passed through. With the muzzle on, and a trainer's supervision pup can also gradually be desensitized to touch by pairing touch with treats each time pup tolerates the touch calmly without aggression. You would start with touches pup likes, keeping things gentle and brief, giving a treat at the same time to prevent that aggressive response, and gradually moving onto touches in other areas. If there are forms of touches that are leading to pup mistrusting someone in the home - like pup being grabbed, squeezed, kicked, hit, or in some other way experiencing touch as something bad, then those forms of punishment or ways of interacting with pup will also need to be changed, and most likely pup taught some other commands or behaviors, that can be used to communicate with pup differently - like teaching Come or using a drag leash while home, so you can calmly address pup running off instead of needing to grab pup more harshly, as an example. I would teach Leave It and Out also. Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello D, It sounds like pup probably wants to be left alone, but I would still address it. Since pup is moving away, that's a good sign. I would first, instruct everyone not to bother pup while they are resting - it sounds like pup is defensive about that. The growl could progress to a bite eventually. Second, get pup used to someone in their space just while training so pup can handle it when life happens and they get cuddled despite your rules. I would practice walking past pup and tossing pup a treat while they are resting, from a distance that doesn't bother pup. Practice this until pup's body language looks happy about you approaching. When pup is happy and relaxed about your approach, decrease distance over time, until you have worked up to petting pup gently while they are resting while at the same time feeding a treat under their chin while you pet, making your arrival something pup looks forward to instead of feels defensive about while resting. Keep these practices short so pup can still rest and not feel stressed. Do them daily for short amounts of time. Once pup is great with you approaching, work up to others in your family practicing with your guidance and careful oversight. Watch pup's body language carefully. The goal is for pup to like the approaches and eventually petting - if pup is tensing, the person is too close, touching too much, or progressing through the training too fast - give space and slow down, practicing at the previous distance for longer first. The goal is not just to get close to pup but to change how pup actually feels about someone being close. Finally, I would tell pup "Ah Ah" and "Off" or "Out" if pup growls. Have pup move away or off the furniture for growling - but teach others to respect pup's space while resting pretty firmly also. Pup's space should only be entered while resting when you are intentionally practicing with treats for the purpose of desensitizing. The rest of the time, give pup space while resting. If someone wants to see pup while pup is resting, they need to call pup over. If pup wants to say hi, pup can go to them. They can also reward pup when pup comes when they call them and then give touch and affection once pup comes to them. Off section: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-train-dog-stay-off-couch/ Out: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Georgia, I would start by speaking with your vet so see if there is something medical going on. A chemical or hormonal imbalance, source or pain like unmanaged arthritis, or other medical issue can increase aggression and anxiety in an older dog. If the issue is purely behavioral, I would hire a professional trainer who has experience with resource guarding to help carefully address the resource guarding. You will want to build trust by rewarding pup whenever they respond calmly and patiently when your other dog enters the room or area where he is, when you pass by (at a safe distance) when pup has something they love like a toy. I would have your mum work on gently building respect for her through obedience command practice and not rewarding pushiness and following through on household rules and boundaries like him - like pup not being pushy. It sounds like pup is defensive around the other dog, perhaps in pain and anxious the other dog will touch them and aggravate it, or resource guarding around the other dog. Any training that's done should be done with safety measures like pup on a longer back tie leash, so pup can't lunge and reach you or another dog to bite, or basket muzzle pup has been desensitized to ahead of time. I would show your parents this response and get their help too. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Trish, I would hire professional training help to assess whether pup is loud just alerting loudly or actually aggressive toward visitors. If pup is just alerting loudly, then pup would be taught Quiet, Place, and gradually desensitized to someone coming to the door, so that pup doesn't see it as so suspicious and can greet guests more calmly (if pup isn't aggressive toward guests). If pup is aggressive and a bite risk for guests who would visit, then I work with a trainer who specifically works with a decent sized staff of other trainers, who can practice counter conditioning pup to new people, working on building pup's overall respect and trust for you via obedience command practice, to help pup respond to you even while they are aroused, so you can give pup instruction for how to react to new people and they listen to you, and take a lot of safety measures during these practices with things like a secure back clip leash and harness, to keep pup from being able to completely reach the person when they lunge, even during training. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden