Puppy growling

[Dogsfevr]

How do you pick her up.alot of people do pick pups up the wrong way & hurt them & the dogs can start to fear what is going to happen.

It can be created behaviour or an issue but either way you need assistance to make there isn't something that you are unknowingly doing & how to solve the issue .

[corvus]

Be aware that whenever you pick a puppy up, you are essentially robbing them of all control over where they go. A lot of puppies don't really care. They are happy to go wherever with you. However, some puppies very much do care. They need control over where they are going and when in order to feel safe. It is best you see a behaviourist now, but in the meantime, work on getting your puppy's willing cooperation by rewarding her for coming to you. You can also make being picked up less threatening by always giving her a treat when you do it. When she growls at you, she is saying she does not like what is happening. She is allowed to not like it, and telling you is better than not telling you, so I wouldn't be worried about the growls. If you back off and work on getting her willing cooperation whenever she growls, then she won't feel like she needs to escalate. You will be rewarding the growls to some extent, because backing off is what she wants, but growls in themselves are harmless. A behaviourist will help you figure out how to behave and interact with her so she doesn't feel the need to growl, either. I assessed a cav cross puppy just like this recently. He was a very nice and tolerant boy, but he just wanted handling to be on his terms. 

[julesluvscavs]

On 18/01/2017 at 7:28 AM, Gretel said:

Definitely not typical Cav puppy behaviour

No its not 
Did the breeder give you any advice about it ? 

Edited January 20, 2017 by julesluvscavs

[julesluvscavs]

Miah (who is now 4) growls if she wants to let us know she needs to go outside or if theres a doggy biscuit/treat stuck under something but she developed that later not as a puppy.

[julesluvscavs]

On 18/01/2017 at 3:42 PM, showdog said:

How do you pick her up.alot of people do pick pups up the wrong way & hurt them & the dogs can start to fear what is going to happen.

It can be created behaviour or an issue but either way you need assistance to make there isn't something that you are unknowingly doing & how to solve the issue .

Thats what is going through my mind.

Edited January 20, 2017 by julesluvscavs
Because i keep making mistakes *sigh*

[Roova]

13 hours ago, corvus said:

Be aware that whenever you pick a puppy up, you are essentially robbing them of all control over where they go. A lot of puppies don't really care. They are happy to go wherever with you. However, some puppies very much do care. They need control over where they are going and when in order to feel safe. It is best you see a behaviourist now, but in the meantime, work on getting your puppy's willing cooperation by rewarding her for coming to you. You can also make being picked up less threatening by always giving her a treat when you do it. When she growls at you, she is saying she does not like what is happening. She is allowed to not like it, and telling you is better than not telling you, so I wouldn't be worried about the growls. If you back off and work on getting her willing cooperation whenever she growls, then she won't feel like she needs to escalate. You will be rewarding the growls to some extent, because backing off is what she wants, but growls in themselves are harmless. A behaviourist will help you figure out how to behave and interact with her so she doesn't feel the need to growl, either. I assessed a cav cross puppy just like this recently. He was a very nice and tolerant boy, but he just wanted handling to be on his terms. 

This is a good reminder we don't often give choices to our animals, we expect instant obedience and a willingness to do what we want, when we want. Working  with their personalities and respecting choices definitely builds a strong trusting relationship. 

[Firsttimecavmun]

Hi sorry not been on for a few days. 

 

Ok it seems that she is pretty much only growling if she is picked up so we have been working on ways round not having to pick her up and if we've had to we've been careful as to how we go about it. We haven't heard a growl from her now for about 4 days except when playing with our other dog so feeling more positive about things. 

 

I went into the adelaide veterinary place and she was good very kind and understanding but as I wasn't paying for a proper consult I maybe didn't get too much out of them. But her choices for me were rehome, return to breeder, put to sleep, or get help through them but I kind of felt like she was putting me off spending the money going with that option. 

 

I have also been back to the vet and she's had a thorough check over for pain which there seems to be none and she also didn't growl at the vet this time so that was very positive too. 

 

For now I will continue doing what I'm doing, I will and have taken all of your advice and we will start dog training when it starts back in a couple of weeks. 

 

I am am also in touch with her breeder who is at a loss as to why she would be doing it but is keeping in touch and offering advice too. 

 

Thank you you everyone who replied and I will keep you updated as to how we go. Wish us luck! 

 

 

[Tassie]

That's a really positive update.   Good that the breeder is on board, and that you have ruled out pain .. always important to do.   You can do some at home play training with her .. just teaching her tricks etc .. where there is no pressure on either of you to "get it right" .   That should help you to keep building a great relationship with her (based as corvus said, on giving her choices to earn rewards (whatever she finds rewarding) for making "good" choices.   There are some great Youtube resources .. have a look at kikopup (Emily Larlham), Donna Hill and Deb Jones .. who all have some useful clips for working with puppies.

 

Thinking about rewards, permission (to do what the pup wants) can be a powerful reward, so if she's allowed on the couch as long as she gets off when asked, you can use permission to get on the couch ..for a cuddle, or just a little bit of rest from training, as a reward.   So maybe use food or something she finds attractive as a lure to encourage her to get off it, deliver that reward, and then give her permission to get back on the sofa.    This says to her that like all good things .. you are the keeper of the good stuff in life, but if she makes good choices (i.e. does what you're asking her to do - once she understands it) then you will deliver the goodies.

 

Sounds like you're on the way to a great life with your puppy.   Feisty as she is, she would probably enjoy dabbling in some dog sports.  I've seen Cavs do really well in obedience, rally, dances with dogs, agility, tracking, nosework ....and the list goes on. .

 

[karen15]

as a pup my westie had things he didn't like so I turned them into a game eg rolling over and getting feet handled was scary so every morning we play on the bed and he ends up flipped, tickled and feet handled. These days if he doesn't get flipped early enough, he runs around my feet and rolls himself over to instigate his tummy rubs LOL

 

Wasn't keen on being brushed either he would run off when the brush came out. So brush stayed out and whenever he jumped on the couch he'd get a quick no fuss brush, then a cuddle. Now he likes being groomed.

 

If I remember correctly, he wasn't over keen on getting picked up either. So I'd warn him before picking him up with either a 1, 2, 3 up or uppy puppy. Now we go 1 2 3 and he puts in a bounce on the 3 to get lifted pick up for short time and put down before he squirmed, so he knew he wasn't going to be held onto for ages.

[Dogsfevr]

i would consider taking the pup to a dog chiropractor to make sure it isn't sore ,most vets will not be able to tell you if the dog is sore or not & stoic pups rarely show a pain threshold.

It seems your doing  great but by ruling out no muscle soreness you can have the complete package

[asal]

PK's advice is spot on, I had  and bred cavaliers for over 16 years and your puppy is not behaving like a normal cavalier, please take pk's advice.

 

 

[asal]

13 hours ago, karen15 said:

as a pup my westie had things he didn't like so I turned them into a game eg rolling over and getting feet handled was scary so every morning we play on the bed and he ends up flipped, tickled and feet handled. These days if he doesn't get flipped early enough, he runs around my feet and rolls himself over to instigate his tummy rubs LOL

 

Wasn't keen on being brushed either he would run off when the brush came out. So brush stayed out and whenever he jumped on the couch he'd get a quick no fuss brush, then a cuddle. Now he likes being groomed.

 

If I remember correctly, he wasn't over keen on getting picked up either. So I'd warn him before picking him up with either a 1, 2, 3 up or uppy puppy. Now we go 1 2 3 and he puts in a bounce on the 3 to get lifted pick up for short time and put down before he squirmed, so he knew he wasn't going to be held onto for ages.

such good advice, yes turn things into a game , good psychology, animals aren't dumb as  some people try to tell you, when someone would say that to me, I would be thinking, I'm looking at the dumb one,  they have no idea now richly their animals can interact with them

[Tassie]

5 hours ago, asal said:

such good advice, yes turn things into a game , good psychology, animals aren't dumb as  some people try to tell you, when someone would say that to me, I would be thinking, I'm looking at the dumb one,  they have no idea now richly their animals can interact with them

+1 

[Scrappi&Monty]

20 hours ago, karen15 said:

as a pup my westie had things he didn't like so I turned them into a game eg rolling over and getting feet handled was scary so every morning we play on the bed and he ends up flipped, tickled and feet handled. These days if he doesn't get flipped early enough, he runs around my feet and rolls himself over to instigate his tummy rubs LOL

 

Wasn't keen on being brushed either he would run off when the brush came out. So brush stayed out and whenever he jumped on the couch he'd get a quick no fuss brush, then a cuddle. Now he likes being groomed.

 

If I remember correctly, he wasn't over keen on getting picked up either. So I'd warn him before picking him up with either a 1, 2, 3 up or uppy puppy. Now we go 1 2 3 and he puts in a bounce on the 3 to get lifted pick up for short time and put down before he squirmed, so he knew he wasn't going to be held onto for ages.

Yes I agree with that. 

With Scrappi, baths, towels and blow drys are now a fun game.

We get excited and happy and praise him when we blow dry him and be all silly, and we also play "the towel monster" haha, looks silly but it works. 

As Karen said, I think that it's a good idea to let the pup know when they are being picked up, rather than just suddenly picking them up. Lets them have an idea of what's going on. We do the same when putting the dogs harnesses/collars on, we say "harness" or "collar".

 

[cavNrott]

Firsttimecavmum.  Are you picking her up by placing one hand on her bottom and the other on her chest inbetween her front legs?  That's the best way to ensure you don't hurt her when lifting her.  Getting into the habit of lifting this way will stand you in good stead as she matures.

 

Is there a reason why she can't walk outside with you when you take her out to toilet?  She needs to learn to walk outside to empty bowels and bladder.  If you carrying her out each time you might find she expects this every time and she may not take the initiative to walk outside herself when she has the urge to urinate or defecate.

 

Growling is unusual for this lovely, gentle breed and I agree with the suggestion to have a vet make sure she's not in pain. Particularly if you're fairly sure it's not your technique when picking her up that's causing her to growl.  It sounds as if she is not used to being picked up or handled.

 

I wouldn't at this stage do NILIF with her.  She's a baby puppy who has found herself in a new place with people she doesn't know.  She is perhaps missing her mother and litter mates. 

 

If she continues to growl then I would seek advice from a behaviourist but I think she'll settle nicely.  Cavs usually do.

 

[Cavstar]

Firsttimecavmum I have sent you a PM

I have an oddball Ruby cavalier who is a growler amongst other things

[ann21]

Replying so I can get notifications about this thread. I was (am) going through a similar thing. I picked up my second puppy late January and he also growled at strangers and noises. After a week of him still growling at my aunt I started to get concerned. We went for puppy school from the start but I also got a dog trainer in. After talking to her and my dog's breeder I think he's just had a rough transition being taken away from his littermates. I think he's just a trying-to-be-brave puppy in a scary situation. I worked a lot on getting strangers to feed him his meals, and/or to get him to focus on me whenever he was startled/wanting to growl. We recently went on a road trip and I had him in a carrier in certain places- I think that helped because he was in a safe place in a noisy environment. He's still a bit sensitive to sudden noises and movements but much better than he was. 

 

Edited to add: my puppy is from a registered breeder, and his parents have lovely temperaments (i met his mom, total sweetheart). He was also socialized since young and was confident at the breeder's so it wasn't any of those things. 

Edited February 1, 2017 by ann21