# Growling at wife Part II



## Donck15 (Jun 7, 2015)

Good morning to all,
I thought I would look for some other thoughts on this topic. Here is an update; Cooper turned 1 year old in June. For about the past month he has been disrespectful to my wife. Ignoring her commands, growling at her on occasion. He now has her buffaloed, and can tell he has the upper hand. She is working to change their relationship with the help of a trainer. (one time she was getting ready to feed him and told him to sit, he looked at her and walked away) She did not give him the food, and he went to bed hungry.

He also will growl at me on occasion. Most of the time its about something he doesn't want to do, like let me wipe him down with tick oil or take his collar on or off. However, there are what appear to me to be random times also, where I have no idea what bothered him.

We've talked with the breeder and their thoughts have helped, but the issue still remains. 

It seems to me he is getting a little more aggressive all the time. I feel like I'm failing him and want to get a solid plan in place so my wife can enjoy him again, as well as myself. We will continue to work with him, but I have this question.

Should I neuter him? I know this is a big topic. I've alway had labs until Coop, and I've wrestled with this before. In general I don't like the idea at all. I like how the dog develops physically and mentally as an intact male. Its why I wanted a male in the first place. However, each time I've had a male neutered, they did lose the aggressive behavior and became the family dog they were before. While it may seem like a no brainer to most people (we have no plans to breed him) I still would much rather find a way to get our dog back without neutering him. The trainer and some other friends highly recommend neutering and as I've said, that has worked for us as well.

I need to get this handled right away, I don't want to loose our good Coop!

I would appreciate any and all thoughts on the matter. Thank you,


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I don't know if neutering would have any effect or not. I kind of doubt it. I can only tell you how I have handled my dogs growling at me in the past. I don't know if it's right or wrong, but it has worked for me in stopping the behavior. I am not a trainer, but I've always had at least one dog over the last fifty years, so that counts for something. 
You can't let your dog boss you around, and so you must make it clear to him that that is unacceptable behavior. When my young dog has growled at me, I respond in kind with a human "growl", of sorts. QUICKLY, and in a very loud, very stern voice, I say "HEY! NONE OF THAT!" It doesn't really matter what words you choose, but they should be loud enough to startle him... loud and stern. If you do that a few times, he should get the message. You just have to make it clear to him that you are the boss, not him.
I have always loved my dogs very much, and have pampered them to the extreme. But they have to understand that they aren't running the show.


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## 1stVizsla (Jun 22, 2016)

We just had our 13mo German Shepard dog neutered, 2 mo after adopting him. He had intense energy levels and obsessive- focused behaviors (one object of which was our new 3mo V puppy) and we needed him to take it down several notches. He had some of the same disrespectful dominant dog behaviors with 3 instances of growling at strangers (never other dogs or us) when feeling cornered.

After 3wks it does seem like our 13mo young dogs intensity is lower. I don't think it has solved his problems but it has made it easier for him to listen to us as we work with him on correcting those. I've also decided to take him to an obedience class to further challenge him/us in improving.

Your issue doesn't sound as serious to me (however, some trainers say that growling at a family member is beyond unacceptable and may mean serious issues/breeding, socialization, neurological-I've read lots of theories). 

Based on your description I agree with Ms Whipples approach and think if your wife is firm you will succeed. I would go with your gut feeling on this one... good luck


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## Pecan_and_BB (Jun 15, 2015)

I am not a dog trainer, but have had sport breeds my entire life and have trained a bunch.

Pecan right now is in that same age as Cooper and my experience with all of my dogs at this age (1yr to about 16mths) I find to be the most challenging. This is the age I find it no longer becomes about direct obedience in the relationship and them learning commands or what you want them to do, but about them making correct choices. They will test you to the limits, not out of dis-obedience, but to test your relationship with them.

The example of your wife feeding him is a textbook example of him testing that relationship. After issuing the command once, it's a waiting game, stand there and wait him out. He'll probably just stand there, look around, look at you and you can see those wheels turning on the "what if I don't do what they're asking?". If he begins to walk away or do something other than the command, let him know that isn't the choice you approve of "Ah, ah!" or whatever you choose. If they continue to walk away, get a lead to keep them around the area and start again (don't ever use the lead for correction, just so they can't make the choice of leaving completely). The instant they make the correct choice, you need to reward them with the biggest thing they value. This re-affirms with your dog that the correct choice will be rewarded.

Pecan is doing this currently with her recall. Off leash, I will issue the command, she'll stop dead on whatever she is doing and then look at me and her surroundings like: "I know what I heard, but should I go over there, or continue to chase this cricket?" I've had her stand there like that for 5 minutes once with me saying "Ah, ah!" twice before she finally slowly walked over to me in protest. Once she got to me, I got down on the ground and rolled around and let her jump all over me as her reward.

Growling with the taking off the collar? I've experienced this one and mine was on the onset of an ear infection. Usually, there has to be some stress in their environment for them to give you a growling warning that what you are currently doing is not wanted. If it isn't stress, then it is more than likely resource guarding (my couch, my bone, my food, my toy, etc...). In those instances, the growl is always a warning first which is what you want your dog to do as it's a form of communication that you need to respect and understand. When that has happened with my dogs, I don't step back, but stop whatever it was I am doing with them, I using a soothing voice and ask "what is wrong?" (not that I expect an answer), I wait 10-15sec, and then go to their "touch" command (nose touching my open palm) or "shake a paw" command. Those targeting commands relieve stress and fear and help focus the dog away from the stress. Once I see they have gone away from their growling state, I will attempt to do whatever it was that got them growling, but more delicately.


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## Rbka (Apr 21, 2014)

> Could he be challenging your leadership? (not 100% relevant article, but I always find it helpful for the "teenage" stage) http://www.trader.co.nz/versatiledogs/articles/awkward.htm
> 
> Also, my male is intact and sweet as can be and I am generally in favour of keeping males intact barring any necessity to neuter (i.e. testicular cancer or prostate issues); however here is a link to another story of a V whose issues were resolved by neutering:
> http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,24250.msg227850.html#msg227850
> ...


Not sure if this was you who posted as "coop" (http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,45017.msg326161.html#msg326161) at one point, but here is my reply above. Check out the other thread about Mountie.


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## Donck15 (Jun 7, 2015)

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I think we're making some progress, my wife has been to the trainer with him and is definitely more demanding of his respect. I amazed how "human like" he is. Sometimes I feel like I'm dealing with a 12 year old boy that can't talk! We love him like crazy and will find a good solution. Thanks again,


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## MikoMN (Nov 29, 2016)

As I read through the old posts I found this. DonCK15, has this improved over the last 7 months? If so, what did you finally end up doing? If not, what did you try? 

Your experience would be helpful for many of us. We are having similar issues with my wife when I am not around. At 8 months resource guarding has started. Always in regards to food. Every meal is hand fed now, or he guards it. And any special treat, like a peanut butter filled kong, will instigate a growl if he is approached.


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