W Sibs Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 When Charlie plays... he likes to growl and make a lot of noise. I think it's very cute... only because he is a very quiet dog. Now, Emmy has started to copy him. Plus it's handy for me, I know where they are playing by the noise they make and when to step in to stop or bring out the camcord to record them.. Problem is when she goes to Puppy Pre School.. she kinda makes some other dogs scared with her play growls/barks. A lady asked me if she was being aggressive and I told her that's how she plays and she told me that I should make her stop because that can cause her trouble with other dogs... is that true? All the other dogs I've had will make noise when they play, so I've never thought twice about it. They were a lot bigger and older, and Charlie has never been a normal puppy/dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 I have the least agressive dog in the world. When he plays with other dogs of any size he growls and they growl back. I really don't think that play growling is going to tun a dog into a vicious animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 (edited) My two youngsters growl very alarmingly when playing with each other, but don't do it as much with dogs they know less well. I don't think it has ever got them into trouble but if it's worrying the other puppies maybe just interrupt her when she gets that revved up. Edited May 10, 2010 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 What lady was it? I hope it wasn't the person taking the class! All my dogs have been very noisy when they play and have never had a problem. A play growl is normal and other dogs should be able to tell the difference. Dogs take into account all the body language. Sounds like this person is putting human values onto the dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted May 10, 2010 Author Share Posted May 10, 2010 (edited) Neither do I. It was a lady who's taking her puppy to puppy pre school. I think Emmy was scaring her puppy.. so she made a comment. Edited May 10, 2010 by charleswentworth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetty Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Jet is a very quiet dog. Only barks when there are dogs/people walking past the house or something like that otherwise he is silent. He will sometimes make a growling noise when he is playing games but it is never violent. I would think the noises she is making are not violent. You can usually tell the difference between an agressive growl & a play growl. Well I usually can anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Zero growls when I play with him - especially when we're playing tug. He occasionally growls when he's playing with other dogs too. There is a big difference between a play growl and a "back off or I'll bite you" growl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpette Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Mine vocalise when they play with each other and Baylee even barks to encourage the two younger ones. When they play with other dogs, especially other breeds, they tend to play quietly and according to the play style of the other dogs. For example herding dogs like Kelpies and BCs it is nip and run to instigate chasey games, with Labs and bigger breeds it is mouthing and rolling around then zoomies. CWW puppy school is a great place for Emmy to learn the different play styles of other breeds. If the lady is concerned let Emmy play with the other dogs instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarope Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 If that woman heard my two GSD's playing, she'd have a heart attact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 There is a big difference between a play growl and a "back off or I'll bite you" growl. Yep, the two of mine that growl furiously in play occassionally accidentally hurt each other playing. When that happens there is the most minute change in the pitch of the growl and the offender disengages and backs off instantly. The injured party usually then decides she's not that hurt after all and it all starts again, LOL, but they can undoubtably tell the difference. Maybe the lady whose puppy was frightened hasn't learnt the difference yet. It would be courteous not to let Emmy scare her with growling, but I don't think it's that Emmy is doing anything wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiesha09 Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 My dogs growls when he plays all the time and I hear it SO often 'oh your dog is aggressive' as they call their dog away. I have to as I explain that this is infact his 'play' growl. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body and would run away like the little pansy he is rather than growl (I do love him dearly but he's not exactly tough!!!) So I wouldn't stop it at all. You can certainly tell the difference when you hear the I'm not playing growl, although you might have to explain this to the people at the park etc. sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted May 10, 2010 Author Share Posted May 10, 2010 (edited) Thanks guys My two are very noisy when they are together playing bitey face (they aren't allow to run around together... so it's my boyfriend and my job to do zoomies with Emmy). I know that Emmy still got to learn some manners when she plays, and Charlie is useless on teaching them. He lets her get away with murder.. that's the kind of dog he is I think I would ask the teacher not to let Emmy and her dog off leash together... so the lady can stop being nervous. Edited May 10, 2010 by charleswentworth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest belgian.blue Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Ivy never used to make a sound when she'd play with another dog until Badger arrived .. now she growls, huffs and everything else. I have never really seen her so happy as she has been in the last two weeks with having Badg here. Badger also growls, happlily yaps and everything else when playing with Ivy. No aggression between the two at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 My Labrador, Trouble, is the noisiest when she's playing... so is Zeddy my other girl - and sometimes James the foster boy gets some noise going too... You learn to tell what's a play growl and what's not pretty quickly... *grin* Some people are just so precious about their dogs' interaction with others... I bet your girl ends up well socialised and friendly - and that other lady's dog becomes a nasty mollycoddled snapping thing that is frightened of everything and everyone... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 I think I would ask the teacher not to let Emmy and her dog off leash together... so the lady can stop being nervous. Hopefully the class will help the lady learn about such things. If she has little experience with dogs she may start off nervous but she can learn to get over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 My Samoyeds are very noisy when playing, grumbles, growls and barking, its all in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackie_a1 Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Boos sounds like a dying goat when he growls and Razor is twice his size and growls also during play. I think the lady was just being narky. I've never had a problem with my dogs distinguishing between a play growl and an aggressive growl. I think it's the same as if someones tickling you and you're yelling stop it *giggle* stop it pleaassse! As opposed to when someones tickling you and you're like STOP IT! SERIOUSLY STOP TOUCHING ME! Most people can distinguish between play and serious as in my opinion can dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx'sBuddy Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 my dog never growls unless we are playing tug and i growl first!!! then she growls and i growl and she thinks its great fun. she is submissive and knows i am the leader and she has never growled anytime except for this one situation. growling like this is fun not scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawprints Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 I think it's very normal. When my mums staffy and my rottie used to play the sounds than emanated from the room were hilarious. It sounded as though they were killing each other, crossed with someone strangling a whipper snipper (that would be the staffy of course ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted May 10, 2010 Author Share Posted May 10, 2010 So good to hear my dogs are normal... When Emmy starts she sounds like a cat purring... her bark is so high pitch but very loud and demanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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