Why Is My Dog Growling At My Baby?
Dogs growl to communicate various states of mind they are experiencing. Every dog is unique in the ranges and pitches of its growls. It is something that parents especially need to be aware of and educated about. Understanding the different types of growls can help you interpret what your dog is trying to tell you. The growl context is especially critical to pinpoint when your dog is giving a warning growl towards a young baby or toddler. If this happens in your family, it is not too late to intervene and create a healthy environment for your baby and dog. Be thankful for your dog trying to tell you they need help adjusting to all the new changes with kids and families.
Let’s describe the variations of growling a dog can express and what your dog tries to tell you.
Play Growling
If your dog growls while playing with children, it does not always mean expressing “aggression or dominance” towards them. You must monitor the interactions so they don’t escalate to aggression or an unhealthy state of mind for your dog. We never want your dog thinking your baby/toddler is a “littermate” when playing. That could create play-nipping, mouthing, or other inappropriate behaviors that could scare your child even though the dog intended to have fun. How two dogs play together should not replicate how they can interact with a little human. That is where an adult needs to step in, not permitting the play to get to that level. Pick a word such as “enough,” then regain control of the environment’s energy. It’s the same concept when the kids start horseplaying with each other. There’s a high probability that you know it will end with somebody having tears!
Warning Growls
A warning growl occurs when a dog feels threatened or is possessive over a resource. This warning signal is the most common precursor before a dog resorts to nipping a young child. The dog tries to communicate with the baby/toddler that they crossed their space or boundaries/thresholds. The dog can escalate to a nip when all their warnings go ignored and unhelped. Your dog growling at your child is a gift to you as a parent. You now have the chance to intercede and regain your dog’s trust. It also indicates that your dog has a lot of free-thinking power in your environment, giving them the authority to feel they are the ones to correct and warn your child. It should be the parent overlooking these thresholds that a child pushes, not the dog’s job!
In most cases, the dog has tolerated a lot of stress. Remember that something in the kids’ environment makes them uncomfortable, and your dog is trying to be fair. They could have chosen to bite first instead, but they didn’t. If you correct this behavior, you take away their warning signal and push the dog to nip. Giving your dog a correction for growling will not make them more comfortable. Just as we have boundaries, we need to respect that our dogs do, too. If growling isn’t changing a situation involving the child, the next attempt they try could be a nip. Most dog bites towards young children occur from accumulating stressors that have built up over time. As parents, we must understand our dog’s age, personality, and thresholds to maintain a healthy environment for the entire family.
Aggressive Growling
If a dog has resorted to this form of communication, they try to express control and power over a situation. If your dog has displayed this behavior towards small children, this is very concerning, and you need to contact a professional trainer as soon as possible. This growl is different than a “warming growl.” It is not about them asking for help in a situation. It is about the dog controlling the situation. The dog is in a confident state of mind and preparing to fight next. You have very little time to intercede before the situation escalates, and even then, proceed with caution in the best way to regain control.
Developing A Training Plan
If your dog has been “play growling or warning growling” at your young child, it is time to start implementing a training plan for your dog (and kid!) If you are still hesitant about why your dog could be growling, you need to contact a professional trainer to evaluate your environment.
*Only put the baby and dog together after the trainer comes out and advises.
In most cases, streaming the “Dogs to Diapers” online course is sufficient to help give your dog jobs around the baby. Dogs, like people, work best when they understand their roles. Remember, it is not about correcting your dog for being uncomfortable. It is about recognizing your dog’s stressors and intervening to set your dog up for success. Your dog likely loves and enjoys your baby but in doses of healthy interactions! Here are some other tips to start implementing:
*Healthy alone time to chew on a KONG, interactive toy, or Bully Stick
*Outside alone time away from the kids (give a bowl of ice)
*Establish places around the house where the toddler cannot interact with the dog. (Example: when the dog is on their dog bed)
*Sit down with your baby on your lap and teach healthy “gentle petting.”
For more seasoned dogs who have been consistently growling towards your child, resorted to trying nipping, and now resent being around:
Visiting our YouTube page is usually sufficient for preparing your dog, but Dogs to Diapers offers a personalized “Trainer Intervention” Package if you need individual assistance. It consists of a Video or Phone Chat, a tailored behavior analysis, and supporting follow-up notes/videos (for future reference) based on the intervention’s findings. The cost of this package is $250. You can contact me at info@dogstodiapers.com to schedule.
