Puppy Growl!!!

[escalade]

Is it normal for my little TESS to growl during any play. With other dogs or ME. She sounds angry when she plays...even though I know she isn't...Is there a way to stop it...Should I even care..??

SHE's GREAT THOUGH

 

[cashisking]

Boxers are a boisterous breed, my boy is loud and mean sounding during play too... I like it! doesn't bother me one bit! I am sure you could curb the behavoir if you wanted..

Jenn

 

[myrocky]

Boxers are very vocal in their play. This is one of the many traits that make a boxer a boxer If you use the search button you will find lots of information on boxer growls.

 

[Baileysmom]

Yep, its a boxer thing i guess, Bailey sounds so mean and nasty when playing. I have to warn park goers that she is sweet as pie and would never hurt their dog. She sounds like she is going to kill my moms dog but has never even put a scratch on him. I do not know how to stop it. But it is normal.

Tanya
Baileysmom

 

[boxertalk]

Growls...for toys only seems to work

Our 4 month old female Boxer puppy has been taught that growling is reserved for toys only, but shouldn't be included in play with humans. So far it seems to be working. If she gets too rambunctious when she is playing with us and we hear a soft, muffled growl, we all say "NO!" at once and she becomes mute and continues to play with us. We DO allow barks of joy...when we get really going, playing with balls, pull toys, stuffed toys, etc. But no growls or biting when playing with humans of any size or shape.

She has a large lifesize plush stuffed dog we purchased for $10.00 at local KMart store (she has had this toy since she was 7 1/2 weeks old and it is still in one piece!) and she is allowed to growl at this fake dog all she likes...and SHE DOES. We were afraid maybe it would teach her to grab other real dogs, jump all over them, bite their backs and necks and growl while jumping in a circle with her forearms wrapped tightly around them...but no, she never even barks or growls at any real dogs she sees or meets close up. She stays mute and just wags her stubby tail. Apparently she knows a fake dog from a real one!

 

[Lizzie]

My two sometimes sound like are trying to really hurt each other, but they are just playing. They are very rough but that's how they like it. Sounds completely normal to me. :D However, neither of them growl at me when I am playing with them.

 

[Mike99TA]

When I play rough with my 10 week old boy Rocky, he growls and snarls so bad it sounds like he has rabies and is trying to kill me, but he won't even bite It's almost funny!! He knows he can be rough when I play with him so he gets loud and boisterous, but he only gets that way if you start playing rough with him, not just with random strangers that just want to pet him. I think its cute.

 

[SrfNgtrz]

When my Lady, plays she'll growl, bark and she does and unbelieveable immitation of Chewbaca from Star Wars. It's the funniest thing ever!!!!!! I wish I had a sound bite.

 

[okie girl]

:( I have a 10wk old and a 8 mth old. We have had the 10 wk old for exactly 3wks now. My 8 mth old has been in heat the whole time we have had the 10mth old so they have not got to play much together but everytime we let them the 10 wk old goes nuts. He starts growling and really biting the 8mth old. I know he is hurting her but she is so good she will only move him with her paws or push her with her mouth. I don't know what to do with the 10wk old because he is really serious and acts like he wants to kill her. The 10 wk old also goes before we see him and uses the bathroom on the 8mth olds bed. What do I do?

 

[otto'sdad]

Otto seems to be the loudest and most in-your-face of all of the puppies in his obedience class. Before class, there is play time for the puppies and they are all set loose, but Otto just goes nuts. Normally he plays with bigger adult dogs and he can play rough, but they dish out as much as they take. Unfortunately some of the other puppies in the class don't hold their own as well. The owners are not very happy with me and Otto as they feel that he is hurting their puppies. The dog trainer said that the growling and everything is ok and the puppies should just be left alone, but the other parent still try to keep their dogs away from Otto. He's not the biggest puppy in the class by a long shot, but he's strong as can be and he sounds totally evil. He does the same thing at home when we play tug with his rope, making guests feel a bit nervous, but they ease up when they see I can pull his rope out of his mouth, lean forward, and he'll give me a big kiss.