my dog is a grumbler (shepherd, labs, poodles, bite)
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My lil 4 pound poodle grumbles like an old woman! She is sweet but on her terms. She will get in our lap and cuddle but if we move her or change position she grumbles (low growl) She never bites. She is this way when we pick her up , play with her , anything. It seems like she precedes in interaction with a low growl even if it is before she licks you! I have had several poodles and never had this behavior in such a small package! I had a neighbor tell me that it wouldn't be so cute and would be frightening if she were a large breed and I probably wouldn't condone it. When she does it we say firmly and loudly "NO growlies" She still does it though. We assume she is just a bossy lil thing. She seems to want us on her terms such as we have to chase her to hold her yet when she wants she will seek us out to be picked up or cuddled. What gives? Any suggestions or has anyone experienced this?
My lil 4 pound poodle grumbles like an old woman! She is sweet but on her terms. She will get in our lap and cuddle but if we move her or change position she grumbles (low growl) She never bites. She is this way when we pick her up , play with her , anything. It seems like she precedes in interaction with a low growl even if it is before she licks you! I have had several poodles and never had this behavior in such a small package! I had a neighbor tell me that it wouldn't be so cute and would be frightening if she were a large breed and I probably wouldn't condone it. When she does it we say firmly and loudly "NO growlies" She still does it though. We assume she is just a bossy lil thing. She seems to want us on her terms such as we have to chase her to hold her yet when she wants she will seek us out to be picked up or cuddled. What gives? Any suggestions or has anyone experienced this?
Actually its very cute in a large breed. We had an 80 lb Choco Lab that was a "happy growler". Yup - You'd think he was about to take my face off by the sound of it but it was his way of telling me that he was loving the belly scratch...the head rub....the grooming...or what ever I was doing. I always explained to vets and vet techs on introductions and showed them that he didn't mean any harm by it. After they got to know him, they realized what a love sponge he was and got a kick out of it. It was just one of his little quirks and there was no meaness or aggression in it. I still miss our Bandit. I'd give a year of my life just to hear that happy growl one more time!
I have a grumbler too, my Westie is fine until me or one of the other fur babies gets in her space or if I try to move her she grumbles and loudly. If she is asleep on the LR floor at night and I pick her up to put her to bed she grumbles. I have long ago gotten used to it but when I first got her many yrs ago I thought that grumble meant she was going to bite but I just bit the bullet and moved her anyway an realized it was just a grumpy growl and nothing more.
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"No growlies" -- that's what I say to my husband, too!
Seriously, though, it's quite a coincidence because Artie (who's 35 pounds) was lying in my lap just last night and I wanted to shift him over a bit because one of my legs was falling asleep under his weight. So I moved him a little, and he gave me a low growl. He does this on occasion when he's not pleased with MY behavior.
I think saying "No" is the best approach. Hopefully, in time she'll understand.
My JRT has a myriad of of grumbles and groans. For instance when we get into bed at night I usually will read for a bit and by the time I'm ready to turn off the light he's managed to take up more than his fair share of the bed (I know how can a 20lbs dog hog more than 1/2 a bed) when I move him (he's already under his "bankie") I get groans and grumbles...I certainly wouldn't call them growls.
Poodles are smart and maybe she just has lots to say and lots of ways to express it.
I had a very sweet Lab/Whippet mixed female (Sandy) that thought she was a cat. Everytime you petted her she would give a low grumbling growl that sounded like a purr.
I have had other females that were also very vocal. I currently have a Lab/Alaskan Husky mixed female that growls loudly and snarls all the time when playing. To an outside observer I'm sure it looks and sounds like she is attacking me when we play.
Sam never "grumbled" like in a mean way, but as he got older, he was funny. When I would throw his ball, he would make this sound...it was sort of like, "now, why did she DO that?!", he was obviously annoyed, because then, he had to GET up, and go across the room and get his favorite ball. He became quite the cranky, little old man in his last year.
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