PUPPY GROWLING

Hello everyone,
I have an 10 week old pup, she is gorgeous, toilet training is going well. Shes a bit nippy and chews but thats to be expected but im more concerned why she has recently starting growling , sometimes when we pick her up other times if we say no to her nipping us or our clothes. It may sound dramatic but i hope this doesnt mean she is going to be an aggressive dog. Any suggestions would be gratefully recieved ! she has had her first injection 5 days ago and has been wormed

Hiya and welcome from me and Moo, it certainly won't be aggression, don't fear there,she could just be uncomfortable, maybe call the vets and ask

Hi and welcome firstly there is NO worries of that a puppy of 10wks has no natural aggression in it at all, staffords are known for being very verbal dogs and pups find their voices and make all sorts of noises, you should hear the growls they make when with their litter brothers and sisters, pups can growl when being handled as they are protesting about being picked up but you should get her use too being handled just do it gradually, as long as she isn,t yelping or showing discomfort which if she is take her too the vets for a check up if not,just relax and enjoy your new addition x

In my experience, the growling at a puppy that age is down to frustration or simple playfulness. When I say frustration I, of course, don't mean aggression, just the puppy being moody and letting you know she doesn't agree with you. Loki will growl or bark when I tell him no when he's in a playful mood, and he'll also sometimes cry, because it's his way of saying, "Come on, play with me, I'm bored!"

So don't worry

As stated no worries about the growling. It's important to handle all parts of her when she is a pup so it won't be an issue when she is older.

Again as above it is not aggression we have an 18 week old male and he often growls when picked up or when told off and it is just communication, he is picked up all the time and we just tell him off for the growling like we would a kid for being grumpy

Caley was the same she would growl when we tried to pick her up but we would just say to her "who do you think your growling at" in a low tone and she would then flip on her back and go silly...she hardly growls at us now only her toys lol .

Growling is communication along with body language, your pup growls when you pick him up which says to me that he doesn't like being picked up, dogs have to learn to be picked up, to them it is scary to suddenly be up in the air.

Dogs don't speak English so don't understand what No means, in many cases it can sound like a bark to a dog, if I say no to my Staffy he will bark back as me .

Puppies like babies like to feel things with their mouths, how often do we have to race to our baby to get something before they put it in their mouths. I have been bitten quite a few times by a baby wanting to know what my finger tasted like. Dogs also like to put things in their mouths, usually our skin or clothes. I used to have a dog that when someone came into my house he would gently get hold of their hand and lead them into the living room.

When is your pup nipping? Once you have worked out when he nips you can then work out how to stop him.

I agree with all of the above!

A pup growls to communicate. As long as the lips aren't drawn back with teeth showing (highly unlikely in a pup) I wouldn't worry. After a while your pup will want to be picked up - trouble is, by that time he'll be too big!

Caryll wrote:I agree with all of the above!

A pup growls to communicate. As long as the lips aren't drawn back with teeth showing (highly unlikely in a pup) I wouldn't worry. After a while your pup will want to be picked up - trouble is, by that time he'll be too big!

Me too!

mine does this too and it seems to be more so when having her mad half hour, nipping everything that gets in her way and running round the house like a lunatic, when she gets like this we put her in her crate as we have 2 small children and she hurts. Dont think its aggression at all, just playfulness and wanting to get her own way but she still has time out. She's in there now actually.

She's 12 weeks on sunday. Good luck with yours

jules xx

Thanks to you all for the info, very helpful x