Is this normal puppy/dog behavior?

[bubblegumbarbe79]

I have a 8 wk old (almost 9) pup and she sometimes growls at you when you do something to her that she doesnt like. Like if you hold her, she will growl and if you try to remove the leash from her mouth (i tell her give it), she will growl at you. To me it isnt a playing growl, it sounds more of a mean/snappy growl. My previous corgi never did this and when I first brought Lexy home, she didnt do it until she was here for a few days. Is this just normal puppy behavior and will it go away as time goes on? I hate it when she does it because I dont like it an it makes me feel funny for some reason. Im just afraid that she will still do this as she gets older and will have a snappy/mean streak to her. She doesnt do it to everything, just certain things. Shes done it to my mom,dad and me. And we dont know why shes doing it either.

[Jespah]

How old was she when you got her? That's one thing that their Mom's will teach them not to do - so being with Mom until they are 8 or 9 weeks is good.

Both mine did it - Corgis are very vocal. I just would tell them no from the beginning and not take any guff. It may take a while she just an infant after all.

[Chip's Mom]

Chip used to do it when we first got him and I picked him and tipped him over on his back with tummy up in my arms (kind of like a baby) and hold him like that for a few minutes. he stopped the growling and only has done it once since then when we were having a nail clipping war LOL I started laughing and he started washing my face and he hasn't done it since. He did get his nails clipped. I read this somewhere and it worked on Chip.

[bubblegumbarbe79]

Originally Posted by Jespah

How old was she when you got her? That's one thing that their Mom's will teach them not to do - so being with Mom until they are 8 or 9 weeks is good.

Both mine did it - Corgis are very vocal. I just would tell them no from the beginning and not take any guff. It may take a while she just an infant after all.

I got her at 7 wks 2 days old. An I have had her since Aug 7th. I can tell that my dad doesnt like it either when she does it to him since he has a funny look on his face. Just early when I had her outside pottying and I was taking the leash from her mouth by telling her give it and taking the leash and she was growling. I have a little place on my hand where she sorta snagged me. Sometimes we have to do a gently spank to correct her. I really dont know what her probably is because we arent encouraging anything, all we are doing is just holding her and trying to take the leash from her mouth. Is she trying to boss us or something?

Originally Posted by Chip's Mom

Chip used to do it when we first got him and I picked him and tipped him over on his back with tummy up in my arms (kind of like a baby) and hold him like that for a few minutes. he stopped the growling and only has done it once since then when we were having a nail clipping war LOL I started laughing and he started washing my face and he hasn't done it since. He did get his nails clipped. I read this somewhere and it worked on Chip.

Ive tryed that a couple of times and the first time she didnt struggle and try to get up but the past other times I have tried, she has. I can understand the nail clipping part, since there hard to cutt there nails. For some reason, some dogs doesnt like that :\ . I read somewhere that by rolling them on the back, it tells them or shows them that we, *the human* are the boss? Or am I incorrect? I will keep trying that.

[corgimom]

I don't think a "gentle spank" is something I would do at her young age

[Corgis'R4me]

Originally Posted by corgimom

I don't think a "gentle spank" is something I would do at her young age

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*~* Linda, I agree !! TOTALLY...I would not spank my girls at anytime. Even if it was gentle.

{ But, everyone does things differently. In their own unique way. }

I believe in teaching & correcting...with WORDS.

IF: My girls are barking at a neighbor's dog outside...I directly disipline them by walking over to them and saying, "quiet..NO bark". Most of the time I just use the word, "quiet". I address them by their NAME first !

IF: My girls start chewing on something other than a bone or their toy (when I catch them in the ACT....I mean--lol ) I say, "drop it..NO bite". Most of the time they respond just with the words, "drop it". Again, I directly disipline them by walking over to them and addressing them by their NAME first !

I teach & train my puppies ALMOST the same way that I taught & disiplined my kids. I use WORDS & then I show them how/what I want them to learn or do.


*~* Nikki

[Corgis'R4me]

Originally Posted by bubblegumbarbe79

I have a 8 wk old (almost 9) pup and she sometimes growls at you when you do something to her that she doesnt like. Like if you hold her, she will growl and if you try to remove the leash from her mouth (i tell her give it), she will growl at you. To me it isnt a playing growl, it sounds more of a mean/snappy growl. My previous corgi never did this and when I first brought Lexy home, she didnt do it until she was here for a few days. Is this just normal puppy behavior and will it go away as time goes on? I hate it when she does it because I dont like it an it makes me feel funny for some reason. Im just afraid that she will still do this as she gets older and will have a snappy/mean streak to her. She doesnt do it to everything, just certain things. Shes done it to my mom,dad and me. And we dont know why shes doing it either.

-------------------------------------------------------

*~* I would not really call it growling...with my Midnight. It kinda sounds more like a moan or a, "humph....humph" !! ~~~goofy puppy~~~
She sometimes does this when she is resting or sleeping and my daughter, Sara, tries to pick her up.

I don't like to be messed with when I am resting or sleeping...either, neether, niether, nor!!

>>>SHEESH<<< !!

I kinda moan & "humph...humph", too !!

** Like mother...like daughter ?? **

Growling is TOTALLY different though....I know ! I think that IF Midnight growled at any of us...I would walk over to her and say, "STOP" or come up with a definitive word to use. Then, I would IGNORE HER maybe for a couple of minutes ??

I dunno...Midnight & Sunshine do not growl about anything. Midnight only moans ! ~~humph...humph~~.


*~* Nikki

[sweetlychee]

Milo growled when he was a baby too. I think as a puppy going into a new home, he's just developing and learning. He's still wary of his new home, environment, and people. Give it time. Milo only growls now when we take his harness off and he comes off from his neck and head. He doesn't like that feeling. He'll only growl at that.

[bubblegumbarbe79]

I think I will use quit or stop it when she does it. When you try to correct her without a light/softly spank, she doesnt get what your trying to do. My folks has always lightly spanked their animals if their doing something wrong and to tell them that what their doing is a No No. To me it is a growling because she opens her mouth and sorta shows her teeth (she doesnt bite you though) when she does it. But she does growl when she plays, but this one sounds different, more like a mad (like shes saying
"im serious buster" growl ) growl. Hopefully this will be something she outgrows.

[Fluffypants]

Just don't give in when she growls at you. If she growls at you, and you stop whatever "offensive" behavior caused the growling, she has won, SHE has made YOU do what SHE wants. And in the mind of doggie - if something works . . . do it again! Same goes for when you put her on her back . . . YOU have to decide when she gets up. If SHE decides, SHE is in charge. You can't let her go until she submits to your authority (suddenly hearing Cartman from South Park in my head ). This has worked like a charm with my bossy princess . . . no spanking necessary.

[Jespah]

The young age of the pup when you got her may have something to do with the behavior too as Mom would not have accepted it. The thing her mother would have done to stop the growling is to put her mouth over her muzzle - not to clamp it shut but as a show of dominance. You should put your hand gently over her muzzle and say no - the second she stops you praise her - good girl!!! That's positive reinforcement rather than negative. Even if you gently spank her, your hand or anyone's hand will become something she will be wary of and that can become a real problem in the future. It'salways important to mimic the mother's training when they are young pups - that way they will understand and not become afraid of you.

[Fluffypants]

I forgot the hand over the mouth thing! That works too! Thanks Deb!