Growling?

[ReggieK]

Hi all

Layla and I have been getting on very well over last 5 months, but I have noticed over the last 3-4 weeks that sometimes when I stroke her late at night she will growl at me, then last night I got a growl, bark and teeth snap.

She sleeps on the sofa, like it is her bed, but it is my only sofa so I use it too. As it only happens late at night (2230-2300-ish) I can only assume that a growl is her way of telling me to bugger off she wants to go to sleep. Then last night, I got a growl initially, after which she looked at me, then when I stroked her again I got growl, bark and teeth snap. Which I assume is the same message but with some expletives included.

She didn't go for me, but the teeth snap did shock me a bit as she is normally very passive and docile.

Is this normal behaviour or something I should worry about? Should I take some action to stop this if she does it again?

As mentioned, whilst she uses sofa as her bed, it is a shared space and I have friends coming over for new years eve.

Thoughts?

Thanks
K

[Lisa]

Its not YOUR sofa anymore its HER bed and you have allowed it to happen lol. Keep her off it for now and if she does get on tell her off and once off reinforce the word off then reward with a treat. Then send her to HER bed! Its a very common mistake to make and what is the one thing we tell people? A dog has to have a safe space so when they are on their bed do not disturb them, now this is her bed and you need to turn it around. Keep her off it when you are around and only allow her access to it when you are out or occassionally by invitation! If needs be when you can not watch her put something on it to give her a clear message its not just there for the taking! Well done Kev for allowing Layla to train you! My dogs are allowed access to the sofa BUT if I walk in and click my fingers they move pronto and then wait for me to sit back down and pile back around me once I have chosen my place to sit

[sibs]

Oh Lisa please may I send my OH to be trained by you. I keep telling him to make Max get off the sofa when he wants to sit down but he won't ...he just doesn't get it (OH not Max who does as asked by me)Do listen to Lisa ReggieK it makes life so much simpler.

[Milothemonster]

Yes you've allowed her to take the upper hand... very easy to do as we all want to love and spoil em.

As said you have to take charge again and tell her to get off and reward when she does and only give her access to the settee when YOU ALLOW her to.

If she doesnt get off straight away when you tell her too and she shows teeth or growls again then instead of going to grab her collar which may be seen as threatening , instead put her lead on her and take her off the couch with that.

Weve had some issues like this with a foster dog once and we found putting the lead on and getting them off with a gentle pull on that worked better in the first stages. Once your girl gets the message she should jump off easily of her own accord.

But as said reward when your girl does good and she understands the rules.. you will find she will be more relaxed too as she knows all the boundaries.

My lot sit on the settee but they know to get off if I or any other human wishes to sit down even if Milo pulls a long face and sulks for ages after wards!!

Good luck.. I think you're doing greyt with her.

[sassbu]

Dec 29, 2013 7:29:30 GMT -5 Milothemonster said:

My lot sit on the settee but they know to get off if I or any other human wishes to sit down even if Milo pulls a long face and sulks for ages after wards!!

Noel does the same as Milo   And also starts "lingering" round the front of the sofa with a woe is me look on his face at about 9.30pm when he thinks we should all push off to bed and let him go to sleep for the night 

We had terrible problems with our new dog and the sofa, she wasn't interested in getting on it herself but my would she shout at my husband if he asked my boy to get off the sofa. She's cured of this now thankfully by me not accepting any of her nonsense but it was hard sometimes trying to curtail the corner of my lips turning up at this short little girl trying to argue with a 6' big bloke 

Follow the great advice and you should all be happy 

[julies]

Totally agree with the others i put chairs on my furniture to keep mine off ... you can put à short lead on and leave it in her when you are around to make sure she doesnt get caught but you have something to grab without having to clip one on welcome to greys

[greybeard]

Perry loves his sofa - and takes all of it up.He also loves his armchair - and he's rarely shared.But somehow in the early days we managed to get "down" into his few brain cells.He's a bit hard to work out cos quite often he's happy on his bed.Agree with Lisa - you let it happen.Thing that gets me is we don't mind him sharing - usually space for a grey cos they fold up small.But no - all or nothing.My last grey waited to be invited to come up and give fantastic snuggles - I still miss that.And our Saluki x Diva,after so many years has finally decided that perhaps us sitting carefully on the far end of the settee and giving gentle strokes is really quite nice - but usually b***rs off.You've got to convince Layla that sofa = your terms,not her's - Cath.

[andywillow]

We have 6 sofas here and 8 dogs, they all know the "down" command and all abide by it, apart from Willow who if you ask her she flips on her back and wriggles and gets really silly At that point its safe to flip her over and sit down anyway Heidi is banned from our sofas here for growling, but she is different, she jumps up and demands attention then growls anyway

Sounds like Layla has trained you very very well Kevin

Forgot to say, Mark prefers to say "Do one!" they also understand that too

[kamkay]

Jet happily shares the sofa with me,but has also learn that "off' means he has to give up his place. He harrumphs a bit, but he always does as he's told:-) I'm with everyone else-Layla's doing a good job of training you.

[ReggieK]

Thanks for all the replies. Methinks I need to give this some more thought.

I really do not mind her sleeping on the sofa, to be honest I have even encouraged it as I quite like it when she gives me cuddles . I always assumed her "safe space" was upstairs on my bed, as that is where she takes herself every time I go out.

Strangely, ever since she did this, she has spent more time sleeping on the floor, only getting on sofa in the evening with me. It's like she has sensed something was wrong and is now trying to correct it. And when I say "floor" I mean on the carpet, not on the bed I got for her. Apart from the time I was going to donate the bed to Gap (It was like she knew I was giving it away!) she has never slept on it.

I'll have a think on it. Ta!

K

[ReggieK]

Small update....

Layla seems to have sorted issue out for me! She now sleeps on the floor until I go to bed, whence she either stays there or gets onto sofa.

I did nothing to encourage this, she did it all by herself. Clever girl. I have now put her blanket on floor and will see if I can get some memory foam or that vet bedding, as she seems to like a flatter bed.

Thanks for all the advice peeps but it seems all I needed to do was ask Layla

[sharonhigh45]

Pleased to see you have sorted your problem out or should I say the hound has sorted it out.

[ragsysmum]

A folded duvet in a cover is an easy, cheap option for a bed and all washable too.