Your dog growls when you pet it for six main reasons: fear, pain, discomfort, resource guarding, emotional state, or poor socialization. Learn what each means and how to fix it.
Your dog growls at you when you pet him. Today at Animal Expert, we explain the six possible causes of this behavior and what to do in each case. First, Fear or Distrust if the animal does not feel safe in its environment or does not trust a person's good intentions, it will avoid letting them get too close or petting it because it does not know if they are going to hurt it. This usually happens in the case of dogs that have experienced traumatic experiences such as abandonment or physical abuse, or that have been trained based on punishment and threats. In these cases, we always recommend that you work with an ethologist who can help you and your dog gradually gain trust in each other. When the animal begins to feel safe with you, it will not need to be threatening and its behavior will begin to change. 2. Pain or discomfort Physical discomfort caused by a pathology can make dogs more susceptible to contact and prefer to avoid it, either for fear of suffering pain or because they want to be alone and calm. In many cases, if there is acute and localized pain, the dog will only complain and growl when, for example, you pet him in a specific area or pick him up. While he will not be aggressive if you touch any other part of his body, in this case, the first thing you should do is take him to the vet for a physical exam. 3. Discomfort with the petting in other cases, the dog is neither in pain nor afraid, but simply is not enjoying the petting and lets you know through growling. Not all dogs are the same. Each one has different tastes, a unique personality, and a different sensitivity when it comes to physical contact. It is possible that one dog enjoys rougher petting on the head while another hates it and prefers to have its chest scratched gently. You have to learn what your dog likes and dislikes. Discover how and where to pet a dog in the video that we have included in the card. 4. Resource protection if your dog only growls at you when he is playing with an object, it is very likely that there is a problem with resource guarding. The dog tries to protect any object that he considers valuable for fear that you will take it away. This behavior usually appears as a consequence of an inadequate training style. For example, if when the animal is a puppy, you take away his plate while he is eating or take away his toys abruptly, it is possible that the animal will learn to protect his things. The animal must learn that you are not a threat and that he can trust you. To achieve this, it is necessary to strengthen the bond between you both. Practice some basic dog training techniques and use positive reinforcement, always rewarding the dog's good behavior. 5. Altered emotional state if the animal is in an unstable or very upset psychological state, it may have sudden reactions that are not intentional. If the growl has no effect and physical contact does not cease, the animal may end up marking or biting as a reflex and involuntary act. If your dog gets particularly nervous in certain situations and loses his temper when faced with specific stimuli, the first thing you should do is address the underlying problem that is fear, reactivity, or anxiety. Working on the animal's main problem with the help of an ethologist, growling and redirected aggression will disappear on their own. 6. Isolation or lack of Socialization what the puppy learns during its socialization stage will determine a large part of its future behavior, so it is very important that it socializes with all types of animals, people, and situations. An animal that lives in isolation or has not had positive contact with people during its youth will be very fearful and will avoid petting, emitting growls as a warning. Fortunately, dogs are incredibly resilient, adaptable, and intelligent animals. And with help and a lot of patience, a dog with little socialization can gradually learn to trust humans again. If you want to continue learning about canine behavior, don't miss the playlist that we have left for you here. Tell us, have you discovered the cause of this behavior in your dog yet? Until next time, experts.
