# What do grumbling noises mean to you?



## CrimsonAccent (Feb 17, 2012)

FI's dog (Angus) makes these sometimes. Not growls. Not whines. Just grumbles? Like the closest thing I could compare it to would be like doggy purring but ...gruntier?

I've generally taken them as "happy"/"content" noises. Or just, "I'm making noise" noises.

Just asking out of curiosity, and on the off chance it could be a "I'm unhappy but putting up with you" type of thing. Usually this happens when he approaches and we start petting him. I've never taken it as a discontent noise since he is free to leave the situation. On the off chance it is breed specific/type prevalent: he's a Border Collie mix.


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

Some dogs just like to make noise really. What the grumbling sounds mean depends on the dog and the situation. If I heard some of the noises Jubel makes out of a strange dog I'd quickly be backing off and allowing that dog space in case those were unhappy noises for them. At a certain point it's just knowing your dog.


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## dogsule (Nov 6, 2013)

One of my girls grumbles at me when I wipe her feet off. I know she doesn't like it but it isn't an aggressive grumble, more like laughing. I laugh right back...LOL!


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## Sarah~ (Oct 12, 2013)

Eko talks all the time! Grumbles, moans, whines, it all means something. He is such a talker! He has sounds for PET ME, notice me, that feels good, I don't like that, and he even has sighs for when he is very disappointed in me. Like when he is told to lay down when he gets a bit overexcited  Most of the time when he is grumbling when I pet him it's because he likes it, so maybe that's what it is?


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## JeJo (Jul 29, 2013)

My lab emits what I call long and low rumbly sighs which, as with you, come off to me as happy and content, _*"life is goood"*_ sounds. 
I'm likely to hear it when I'm giving her the deep shoulder massages that she so loves, or body length scritches, or sometimes when we've all just kicked back and settled in for the evening. If contentment has a sound...


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## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

Heh, for me grumbles often mean "I'm SOOOOOOO happy to see you!". I also get sighs that are almost grumbles. Diesel used to grumble a bit just to say, "I'm not sure about what you are doing", but he also grumbled to say hi. For me, grumbles are usually happy things!


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Labs are great manipulators, moaning and stretching to encourage the victim that is massaging. Grumbling on the other hand might be a subtle - I like what you're doing but in a different spot, or not as hard, or too hard ... Try rubbing more softly to see how the grumbling changes, or try changing locations.

I think that some dogs grumble when you scratch their butt, and if you actually scratch the 'itch' the grinding and grumbling stops...


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Snowball makes those noises in the following situations:
1) When the Humans are taking too long to get ready for a walk. Usually includes intermittent whines, yips, and woofs.
2) While he's receiving butt scratchies (but he doesn't seem to stop "grumbling" no matter how/where we scratch)
3) When the cat gets too close to him. Will turn into a growl if the cat doesn't stop.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Faxon did that, it was always when she was in a relaxed state.


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## Safastak (Dec 2, 2013)

My dog used to make that exact same sound, some kind of purring. We thought it was because he probably injured his vocal cords as he was stubborn and would almost choke to death on the leash while trying to walk ahead of us during his walks. 

He mostly did that sound when we would pet him or when he would sit up next to us.


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## 3doglady (Jul 31, 2011)

JeJo said:


> My lab emits what I call long and low rumbly sighs which, as with you, come off to me as happy and content, _*"life is goood"*_ sounds.
> I'm likely to hear it when I'm giving her the deep shoulder massages that she so loves, or body length scritches, or sometimes when we've all just kicked back and settled in for the evening. If contentment has a sound...


Haha - my lab does the same thing, only she does a happy/sleepy grumble in the morning. I take it as "good morning. please rub my belly". If I respond in a grumble, she will keep grumble-talking with me. Sometimes she does it at bed time too.


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## Adjecyca1 (Jul 25, 2010)

My current dogs don't make any grumbling noises, but my old dog Ace did, and it was loud and obnoxious but was all out of " i want something" and people were usually afraid of how it sounded, he would go by the door and grumble if he wanted to go to the bathroom, if he knew it was feeding time he would go upstairs to his crate and grumble, if someone who wasn't me had a treat he would grumble ( he knew he couldn't get treats from me that way lol)


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

I have a husky. 
Grumbling means 'go die.' Usually. Depends on the context of the grumbling, the situation.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

HollowHeaven said:


> I have a husky.
> Grumbling means 'go die.' Usually. Depends on the context of the grumbling, the situation.


HAHAHA. I <3 Husky Sounds.


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## DaisyDC (Feb 24, 2013)

Daisy grumbles. She's not a big barker--maybe once a month. There will be a bit of a whine with a prance between the patio door and front door if we're not taking her out quickly enough. But oh, she grumbles. Usually when she wants attention. She will lay on the back of of the couch, staring up at the shelf where the toys currently out of rotation live, and grumble. If she wants you to be petting her while you're trying to write and email, grumbles. It's really quite funny.


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## CrimsonAccent (Feb 17, 2012)

Thanks all for the replies and stories 

I figured it was a context-dependent situation, and FI also agrees it's "doggy purring" and this is his childhood dog so who would know him better?  Just curious as I've never heard it from other dogs. Angus definitely uses his cuteness for more pets/treats/attention at times, so I might experiment with petting softer/harder/different places or just stopping altogether. 

Can never stop learning new things about dogs


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## JTurner (May 19, 2013)

My dog makes all kinds of noises, in fact, I've never had a dog that was so talkative...He makes happy & angry grumbles, has a low bark, a really high pitched (ear tingling) bark when he's alarmed which is all the time, whines when he is anxious, grumbles when he is sleepy or I'm waking him up...Silly dog


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## w8ing4rain (Sep 4, 2008)

With Dixie grumbling either means "You stopped rubbing my belly" or "Why are we getting out of bed? I am not done sleeping yet and I am warm and cozy".


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## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

Murphy is very vocal, and he grumbles and mumbles all the time. Especially to Alannah. They will have grumbling conversations. I just laugh and video record them.


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