My Puppy Is Growling When Kids Hold It

When a puppy growls, he's one step away from biting. Puppies may growl when they're scared, tired, feeling possessive or playing. Except for occasional play growling, you must not tolerate all other instances of growling, especially around children. Training your puppy not to growl and teaching your children how to interact with him will bring harmony to your household.

  1. Pack Order

    • Descended from wolves, dogs still maintain the instincts of these ancestors. Wolves form packs with a single pack leader. A puppy needs to find its place within your family or pack and will test you for dominance by growling and nipping. You must teach the puppy that you and your children outrank him in the pack. To do this, feed your puppy last after your family has eaten and ask him to sit before giving him his food. Assert yourself as the leader and don't tolerate growling at any time.

    Rules for Puppy

    • A puppy must be trained to like and respect humans. While struggling with dominance issues, a puppy may become possessive of his food, toys and favorite spots. If he growls when you try to take a toy or his food bowl away, a sharp "NO!" will tell him that's not acceptable. You can also ignore him, turn your back or walk away to show that there's no reward for growling. If the puppy growls at a particular child, let that child be the one to feed him and give him toys.

    Rules for Children

    • Children, especially younger ones, need to learn the right way to interact with a puppy. They should never pick up a puppy from behind because this frightens the dog and he may react by growling, scratching or biting. Some kids like to carry a puppy around, which tires him and may lead to growling. When playing with a puppy, teach children to be kind and gentle, avoid aggressive games such as chase, tug-of-war and keep-away and to never tease a puppy maliciously.

    Socialization and Training

    • Puppies need to experience new situations and people so that they grow up confident and well-adjusted. Introduce your puppy to friends and relatives, take him to a dog park or enroll him in obedience or agility training. Watch for signs of growling on these outings and immediately correct behavior. Also, work with your puppy at home to follow basic commands such as "come," "sit," "stay" and "down."