# Dog snapping while laying down



## bokchoy222 (Apr 14, 2008)

Our 3-year old Labrador Retriever is well socialized, friendly, playful, and obedient on and off-leash, and gets plenty of exercise each day at the off-leash dog park. However, once in a while, he will growl, bark aggressively, and try to bite – not a hard bite, but a warning bite that doesn't break skin. Though he doesn't exhibit this behavior often, we have seen him behave like this when we walk near him when he's laying down at home, or sometimes if we sit by him. It wasn't until he started attending doggy day care that he started exhibiting this behavior, so we wonder if he learned this from the day care. When he has behaved like this toward us, we try not to back down and try to get him to submit by telling him to lay down or put his head down, but he doesn't always listen and sometimes keeps growling.

Do you have suggestions on what we should we do when he behaves like this? Thank you


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Your first step should be to vets office to make sure there are no underlying medical problems causing the behavior.


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## bokchoy222 (Apr 14, 2008)

Curbside Prophet said:


> Your first step should be to vets office to make sure there are no underlying medical problems causing the behavior.


I have taken him to the vet and he is perfectly healthy. What sort of medical behavior could result in this sort of reaction?


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Just about anything that would cause your dog physical pain or discomfort...a virus, a sticker in his fur, bone or muscle problems. Petting him on the head could cause pain if he moves or tenses up to your touch. There may not be a medical issue causing the behavior, but the vet is where *I* would start if it's not obvious. 

Otherwise, I would thank the dog for growling and letting me know there's a problem. I would also not force the dog to submit. I would give him a choice that leads to what I want...perhaps a recall from a short distance for a food reward. And now that I have him, I could handle the dog and perhaps find a mechanical problem.


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

As Curb said there can be many medical causes not easily found in a routine exam...a bone spur, disc inflamation etc. But, from what you suggest (Doggy Day Care) I'm inclined to believe that might be part of the issue. 
This could be a learned response from there...ie; doesn't want to play with the others...just wants to rest...but, the other dogs continue to pester him. A good daycare should spot that issue and not force him to play. I'm not saying this is definately the case....just suggesting a possibility.


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## bokchoy222 (Apr 14, 2008)

TooneyDogs said:


> As Curb said there can be many medical causes not easily found in a routine exam...a bone spur, disc inflamation etc. But, from what you suggest (Doggy Day Care) I'm inclined to believe that might be part of the issue.
> This could be a learned response from there...ie; doesn't want to play with the others...just wants to rest...but, the other dogs continue to pester him. A good daycare should spot that issue and not force him to play. I'm not saying this is definately the case....just suggesting a possibility.


Does anybody know a good way to treat this behavior so that he'll stop snapping? My dog shows no signs of pain. We frequent the parks on a daily basis and he is perfectly healthy. I don't believe that it is a physical issue.

Thanks for your help.


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## reverend_maynard (Aug 4, 2007)

Can you describe the circumstances in which he does this in a little more detail?


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## bokchoy222 (Apr 14, 2008)

reverend_maynard said:


> Can you describe the circumstances in which he does this in a little more detail?


The times that he snaps is always when he's laying down. Either he is just resting or laying on the floor watching us cook. Sometimes he would be laying on the couch and if you get too close, he'd give a small growl, indicating that he doesn't want to be bothered. He only does this once in awhile, but I don't like him showing this sort of behavior.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Absolutely have him vet examed first and foremost. Have you given this symptoms to the vet? He is three? He might have pain from hip dysplasia or some other ailment like arthritis.. and not want to move after he gets settled. Is he over weight? If yse, he may be uncomfortable getting up. Just ideas. 

If it is not physical, and even if it is, I would invoke the NILIF training mentioned in the sitickies. This may mean banning him from the couch and furniture for now. Also, crate train him. His crate is his spot where he knows no one will bother him. However, you should be able to go into his crate at any time to touch him. 

I would also start feeding him by hand so he gets the idea that food is from you and to get it he has to sit there and wait to get it (tho you do not mention if he growls over his food). 

My dog started this sort of thing with the cats walking past her bed. She did it twice. Now she has to eat next to the cat and has gotten so the cvat will also eat out of her bowl. She is physically fine. 

Will the dog come when called even when he is laying down? The best thing is to diffuse the beahvior. If he snaps and growls, call him to you and snap a leash on and ask for something. When he wants to go to his bed, don't let him until you say so. You ask for something like 'sit' before allowing him to go lay on his bed. IOW's anything he wants you become the gate to that thing through a behavior you ask for first.


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## bokchoy222 (Apr 14, 2008)

My dog is sort of like Marley from the book "Marley and Me" Simba is a huge, 100+ lbs., American Yellow Lab. I take him to an off leash dog park on a daily basis and he gets plenty of exercise. When we go for walks, he is always at my heel to my left and he never gets in front of me. I have trained him very properly through reading many dog books.

I actually did the power feeding (feed by hand) last night before I gave him his dinner. I had him sit there and take the food from my hand, calmly and gently. He is very good and obedient other than this snapping thing he does. He will come to me while laying down and do anything I ask of him.

Last night when I woke up, he was laying on the bed perpendicularly to me and I noticed that my legs have been pushed off of the bed. His head was where my legs should have been, so I nudged my legs back to its proper position. When I did that, he got up and moved over while making a small grunting sound. In the middle of my sleep, he suddenly snapped at me. Perhaps I nudged him again while I was asleep and this probably annoyed him. I got scratched a little on the arm and no the chest and I told him to get off and that he was a bad boy. He immediately jumped off the bed and laid on the floor.

Perhaps I'll try keeping him off of the bed and couch and see how that goes. I still have a feeling that this wouldn't solve the situation though.

Thanks for all the replies so far! Still need help!


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

That description still makes me think there is a pain issue somewhere with your dog. 

He could also be a deep sleeper and he may snap on waking suddenly.

The dog is snapping the air as if someone were there.. but no one is.. can be a form of epilepsy in dogs. Three is about right for this to manifest itself. I believe the common name of the disorder is Dust Snapping.


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## applesmom (Jun 9, 2007)

The first thing I'd suggest is to have his thyroid checked by your vet.

Hypothyroidism can produce behavioral changes and it's easily controlled with proper medication.

http://www.doganswers.com/Thyroid.htm

http://www.gsdhelpline.com/hypothyroid.htm


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