DOGS DON'T PURR
There are about 17,000 references to this topic on Google plus this one. Dogs do make a lot of vocalizations like any other animal.The one that can be the most misunderstood by non-dog savvy people, and more so by children, is a low growl.
Dogs can certainly growl for different reasons and in different contexts using different tones and pitches. When you hear a low 'belly' growl it's a warning. A low growl can be triggered by someone 'invading' the dog's space, especially if it's resting. It could also be resource guarding food or a toy.
Some might take this sound as purring, but dogs don't purr. If you have a concern about your dog or a friend's dog growling at your child or maybe even at an adult, you may want to read this blog from DogGoneSafe .
Dogs give subtle and not so subtle behaviors when they start feeling threatened, anxious, pressured or forced. Some give very clear linear escalations of aggression while others have truncated communications. The latter makes it more challenging to take appropriate action. Some dogs can get very intense in their communication but never
bite. While other dogs lack that control and bite because the recipient fails to respond to its communication. More often then not, a dog will warn you where they will bite you. Another misconception is that you 'avoided' a bite by moving out of the way in time. Don't be fooled. Dogs are much quicker then us so if they really wanted to bite you would have a some sort of degree of contact bite. Young children often get bitten in the face simply because they get in the dog's face and they are at face level with the dog. Older children usually get bitten on the extremities like adults. The best way not to be bitten is to respect a dog's space and communication. Preventing Dog Bites
Some people find it funny to push their dog's buttons. This can further sensitize their dog's sensitivity and make the dog's aggression worse. I really don't understand what is so amusing by teasing an animal to the point of anger and distress. It's quite disrespectful. I take that back, I do have an idea why people do this. It's a large disconnect from human and animal. The (non-savvy) person with the larger brain has no education or understanding of dog behavior - period. It's a clash of cultures. Wouldn't this sort of human behavior lead to animal abuse? Wouldn't it lead to young children having less or no empathy for other living things?
Read Pasado the Donkey's brutal story
Dogs can suppress some level of aggression if physically punished, but the potential for a dog to bite is always there. The old "master/dominance" approach to dealing with a growling dog can very easily backfire. A dog will learn to suppress its communication system under the heavy hand of its owner. One day the dog may 'snap' and bite. People that tease their dog into anger or growling for the fun of it are at high risk of causing a dog to 'snap' or 'bite out of the blue'.
Pushing a dog into anger for the fun of it
Dog being stressed and is conflicted showing stress signs
Teenagers teasing a small dog while it has a rawhide chew
My wish is that people would STOP doing these sorts of provocations towards dogs and attend my lectures/workshops to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the animals we live with.
There are about 17,000 references to this topic on Google plus this one. Dogs do make a lot of vocalizations like any other animal.The one that can be the most misunderstood by non-dog savvy people, and more so by children, is a low growl.
Dogs can certainly growl for different reasons and in different contexts using different tones and pitches. When you hear a low 'belly' growl it's a warning. A low growl can be triggered by someone 'invading' the dog's space, especially if it's resting. It could also be resource guarding food or a toy.
Some might take this sound as purring, but dogs don't purr. If you have a concern about your dog or a friend's dog growling at your child or maybe even at an adult, you may want to read this blog from DogGoneSafe .
Dogs give subtle and not so subtle behaviors when they start feeling threatened, anxious, pressured or forced. Some give very clear linear escalations of aggression while others have truncated communications. The latter makes it more challenging to take appropriate action. Some dogs can get very intense in their communication but never
bite. While other dogs lack that control and bite because the recipient fails to respond to its communication. More often then not, a dog will warn you where they will bite you. Another misconception is that you 'avoided' a bite by moving out of the way in time. Don't be fooled. Dogs are much quicker then us so if they really wanted to bite you would have a some sort of degree of contact bite. Young children often get bitten in the face simply because they get in the dog's face and they are at face level with the dog. Older children usually get bitten on the extremities like adults. The best way not to be bitten is to respect a dog's space and communication. Preventing Dog Bites
Some people find it funny to push their dog's buttons. This can further sensitize their dog's sensitivity and make the dog's aggression worse. I really don't understand what is so amusing by teasing an animal to the point of anger and distress. It's quite disrespectful. I take that back, I do have an idea why people do this. It's a large disconnect from human and animal. The (non-savvy) person with the larger brain has no education or understanding of dog behavior - period. It's a clash of cultures. Wouldn't this sort of human behavior lead to animal abuse? Wouldn't it lead to young children having less or no empathy for other living things?
Read Pasado the Donkey's brutal story
Dogs can suppress some level of aggression if physically punished, but the potential for a dog to bite is always there. The old "master/dominance" approach to dealing with a growling dog can very easily backfire. A dog will learn to suppress its communication system under the heavy hand of its owner. One day the dog may 'snap' and bite. People that tease their dog into anger or growling for the fun of it are at high risk of causing a dog to 'snap' or 'bite out of the blue'.
Pushing a dog into anger for the fun of it
Dog being stressed and is conflicted showing stress signs
Teenagers teasing a small dog while it has a rawhide chew
My wish is that people would STOP doing these sorts of provocations towards dogs and attend my lectures/workshops to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the animals we live with.
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