# Puppy growls while playing with toys



## Rjpaws (Sep 20, 2012)

I have a 4 month silky terrier who growls while playing with his toys....he also thrashes them around....is this normal and should I try to stop this behavior ?


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Rjpaws said:


> I have a 4 month silky terrier who growls while playing with his toys....he also thrashes them around....is this normal and should I try to stop this behavior ?


Totally normal puppy play behaviour - especially in a terrier.


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## Rjpaws (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks makes me feel much better!


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

My 6 year old sounds like he's about to kill someone when he has a toy. And if you reach for it he will lunge toward the toy and 'guard' it... But I assure people that he's just vocal about toys. He will willingly bring his toys to people and will drop it if you ask him, even in the middle of a tug session.
So yeah, it's normal  It might mellow out as he grows older but maybe not.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

My chihuahua is 8 and still does this. We can even tell him "Kill it!" and he'll growl and shake whatever he has pretty violently. It's really just play. 

There's a lot of growling and barking, and this isn't half as 'vicious' as he can sound. A lot of people will jump back but it's just play. It's how he's always played.


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## sydneys (Sep 20, 2012)

Yeah, this is fine. Love the vid - gorgeous! Puppies in sibling groups will growl whilst play-fighting. It probably goes back to instinctive behaviour from their ancestors growing up in the wild. The behaviour would be beneficial in training them to survive. Although the need is no longer there, instinctive traits like this are common. Like with human babies with their startle and grasp reflexes. Those movements could have saved plenty of baby simians from falling out of trees or off their mother's fur.


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## jdudziak (Sep 19, 2012)

My dogs loved your video. Masha was about 2 inches from the screen nodding. Then of course she had to look for the dog behind the computer. Then Bandit was in the background talking back to your chihuahua. Thanks for sharing.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Totally normal!  Eddee does the same thing ... in fact he thrashes the big Wubba toy so much he hits himself in the back with it and keeps on "killing" it! ... While all the while growling at it as if it were true prey. He is a Schnauzer mix. Lol! He is only 13.4 pounds and the Wubba is meant for 65 pound Abbylynn. Hahaha!


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

I growl right back when we play tug! Kabota and I play a game where I throw the toy, and he brings it back, zooming past me and I reach for the toy and he growls really loud and vicious. Then he plays keep away while I lunge for the toy, both of us growling, then he drops the toy to start all over again. It's fun to play like a dog!


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## seaboxador (Sep 23, 2012)

Totally normal puppy behavior. Has your puppy been around other puppies? If not, try to find a local training place with a puppy play time. If you're worried about the dog learning how to play with other dogs all of all sizes then that's the ideal.


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