# Growling and Sleeping



## REC (Oct 9, 2019)

Hi there. I've searched through the posts and didn't see this exact scenario - I apologize in advance if this question has been asked previously. My 2 year old V. will growl at me if I lean down and give her a kiss while she is sleeping in her bed. This is not her on the sofa or my bed - this is her sleeping in her own bed - and it is literally just me giving her a kiss. I know the growl is warning me that she doesn't want to be bothered, I get the message, but should I correct it? My last V was a lot older before starting to growl while sleeping - I guess I'm just a bit surprised that my current V is doing it now while she's still young. 

Should I ignore it? Or should I correct her? I just don't want it to get worse and am wondering what the 'threshold' is for tolerating growling. TIA!


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## Pupmum99 (Jan 4, 2022)

If it was me I’d be leaving her totally alone in her bed. Shared spaces with you such as the sofa are fair game but her bed is just that, hers, and often it’s good for them to have that space where they can take themselves off to without being interacted with. If it becomes a resource guarding thing though that’s a little different. You could try (when she’s in her bed) just walking past and dropping a treat without saying anything to her, so rewarding the independence but also letting her know it’s OK for you to be near her bed while she’s in it. They’re all so different. But if it were me leave i’d leave her to it in there and that gives her her own choice for personal sleep space versus chilling with you on the sofa. Tbh, I’m the same if I’m bothered in bed! Good luck


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## InTheNet (Jun 1, 2016)

If she is truly asleep you may be startling her.

Our male was asleep on our bed and was running /chasing something in his dreams.
I reached down to give him a pat and instantly he was up and gave me a good bite. 1 second later he was looking sheepish and loving me up. I had startled him.

If she is asleep or almost you may want to speak to her as you approach.

I do not like getting woke either.


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## rsarvis (Nov 16, 2021)

InTheNet said:


> I do not like getting woke either.


Lol. I'm pretty sure you could call it growling, what my wife does when I bother her while she's sleeping in the morning.


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## Kpl (Aug 30, 2020)

REC said:


> Hi there. I've searched through the posts and didn't see this exact scenario - I apologize in advance if this question has been asked previously. My 2 year old V. will growl at me if I lean down and give her a kiss while she is sleeping in her bed. This is not her on the sofa or my bed - this is her sleeping in her own bed - and it is literally just me giving her a kiss. I know the growl is warning me that she doesn't want to be bothered, I get the message, but should I correct it? My last V was a lot older before starting to growl while sleeping - I guess I'm just a bit surprised that my current V is doing it now while she's still young.
> 
> Should I ignore it? Or should I correct her? I just don't want it to get worse and am wondering what the 'threshold' is for tolerating growling. TIA!


Hi- our 2 year old does the exact same thing! I have wondered too- correct it? Or not? I feel like if he’s in his bed, leave it alone. But on the couch if he does it I make him get down. I’m tempted to say it’s like “grumbling” more than growling, but it sure does sound like a growl.


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

I'm betting it is more a "whine" versus a growl although it may sounds like it. Ellie will make a whiney type long "hummmmmnnnnnnn" when she is sleeping on the couch with us and we annoy her by having to move her or or the blanket etc. Kind of like a complaint versus an aggressive overture.


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