# Dog Doesn't Growl



## Bearjing (Oct 24, 2008)

I have a general question about dogs and growling.

My 10 month old shepherd mix, Boudi, doesn't growl. 

She is a confident, comfortable pup from all indications. She has no hesitation to "alert" to things with a bark and the "stand at attention" posture. Generally, she is a very outgoing dog who is comfortable around new people and unknown dogs & situations. She also shows very little fear response to pretty much anything, so I don't think this is some sort of timidity on her part. 

However, she just doesn't growl - I don't think I've heard her do it even once. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind - but I would like to understand this a little better, as all my other dogs do growl in at least some situations.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

My German Shepherd Strauss, though extremely vocal, also does not growl...not really.

The only time he growls is if we are actively playing tug and he's frustrated. In fact, all other dogs get if they get too "in his face" is the nose wrinkle lip curl, and the licking of his own lips


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## Bearjing (Oct 24, 2008)

Perhaps it's my other dogs that are odd! I hadn't even considered that! (Not that they growl *all *the time or anything...) 

I guess it could be something coming from the shepherd in her too, she is my first with that in her.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

My other GSD, Ranger, will growl when he's annoyed. Justin doesn't make any noise other than whining


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## sterkrazzy (May 18, 2008)

My dog doesn't growl either.

There's one particular dog at the dog park, a big 108 pound dugo argentina, and he'll protect his friends if this dog ends up on top of them. He chases the dugo away, while showing his teeth and biting at his neck. It's the only dog he does this to, but it's the strangest thing that he doesn't growl, and instead he whines.

He's also a vocal dog inside the house, he'll bark and make these groaning type noises (I call it talking).


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Mollie doesn't growl. She probably figures she has no need.

Esther does growl, and it is an unpleasant sound - somehow reminiscent of the rattle snakes in New Mexico.


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## Namrah (Jul 15, 2008)

Elka doesn't growl, but she makes every other sound in the book. Must be the husky part, I love it. 

She did growl as a puppy, learned it at the dog park. She doesn't go there anymore and has been cured of it, which I prefer. 

She is pretty vocal though, just not growly.


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

I suppose like people, dogs can be soft spoken too. In my home we have a running joke that Elsa's more Portuguese than I. I'm part Portuguese so I feel like I can get away with this generalization, but, the Portuguese in our family are VERY LOUD in conversation. I on the other hand am very soft spoken, where as Elsa is very growly and vocal like my aunts and uncles. Of course our amusement of her speak probably encourages it, but her play partners don't seem to mind.


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## Meghan&Pedro (Nov 6, 2006)

The only times I've really come in contact with a dog that does not growl, EVER, not even when pushed, is when the dog was worked with by an 'dog trainer' who believes in correcting for any type of behavior that could become potentially dangerous such as any reactive posturing or vocalization.

Now in theory that sounds like a good idea, right?

Well a reactive dog will still react, sometimes you just correct the warning out of them first 

Maybe you're dog is just a lady and doesn't see the need to growl. She could also be very well socialized with both well behaved and pushy dogs, and be totally fine with both. Her age will play a role in that as well.

I would say if she doesn't let out a first growl inbetween 18 and 36 months (social maturity) well then it's true. She is a lady and just doesn't have time for such nonsense LOL

My boxer/rottie has never growled at a person or another dog in response to any behaviors. Nor has she ever growled at us or the other dogs while playing with her toys (Even playing tug with the other dogs), but at this point I'm pegging it down to age (she's just about 7 months) and was well socialized with first socially-well-behaved dogs and then with dogs that friendly rush, push boundaries, take flying leaps at you... LOL She tolerates it all very well


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## Bearjing (Oct 24, 2008)

Wow, I didn't know this was so common. Boudi does fine other ways to communicate - She has the excited wines, various barks that mean this or that -- and absolutely *no* qualms about talking. But, (I guess) she sees no need to growl... at least not yet.

Meghan&Pedro, it crossed my mind that it might just be her age. I guess the others I've had as young pups (I've had 2 others when they were under a year) were much less well adjusted than Boudi seems to be, and both of them displayed fear agression that included some growling, so I wasn't sure. 

Boudi has never been worked with a trainer at all. It turns out she's probably going to end up too small to do it, but I'd been considering doing Shutzhund work with her to give her funny little brain a work out. My discussions with the club members here indicated I should put off formal training -- and really be careful not to knock the "doggie instincts" out of her with earily negative lessons. I ended up doing only home training with her, and I've used only completely positive training with her. She learns things very quickly, and it actually has worked pretty well, although, honestly, she does get a way with a bit from time to time! 

I guess I'll find out in a year or so if she's really a Lady or not!! I'm kind of hoping she keeps this "feature" - she doesn't seem to have any trouble expressing herself vocally in other ways, and it's kind of nice to have a dog that just never seems to need to get *angry* about things.


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## Meghan&Pedro (Nov 6, 2006)

LOL well sounds good, good luck with any formal training you decide to take part in.

If you decide to do any type of formal class (which is always good for distraction training as well as seeing how well you and your dog actually work together, once you start pushing your dog outside of their comfort zone) You might have fun doing something like rally obedience now. I love doing it with all three of my dogs, even though only one of them really enjoys it. It's great to not only build a strong relationship with your dog, but really drill in to them your basic obedience commands, which have helped me more than once out at the dog parks ( The at distance sit/stay, run at me & jump for me to catch you for the little dogs in case of a larger dog with dog aggression etc) 

It's also almost always purely positive training, with nothing more than possibly physically putting the dog back into the right position (stepping at them to back them up, or one hand on the chest, one hand on the bum, and guide into a sit etc)

You can do it with the old coalers method of 'well if it don't work, use a choke', but you don't have to. I've done all three of my dogs, as well as lots of clients dogs with nothing but positive reinforcement, and interruption of the wrong behavior.

Plus it's fun LOL


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## Bearjing (Oct 24, 2008)

I do like the idea of distraction training -- she gets out and about a lot so she's exposed to other pups, but I don't train with her regularly enough with others around.

Since it seems Shutzhund is out, agility crossed my mind - but this "Rally Obendience...." I've never heard of it before: Heading out to look it up! 

She is a pup with a lot of energy, focus, and brains. She's a girl that's going to need some regular metal activity to be happy in life. Right now, playing and home training seem to work very well, but I suspect that as she matures something more guided and demanding is going to be required.


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## MyDogIsCalledHattie (Feb 3, 2021)

I have a dog called Hattie, she is two years old, we’ve had her for 9 months now! She is very vocal, and confident. We never do anything that would make her growl, but I’ve never heard her do it. She is a spring spaniel as well as a vinamra, pointer and maybe a few others. She really hates water, so when we wash her she make a little mmmmmrrrrrrrr noise, it doesn’t sound like a growl


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

This thread is over twelve years old and most participants are no longer active on this forum, so I'm closing it to future replies. Feel free to join one of our current discussions or start a thread of your own!


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