The Cause, Not the Symptom

Growling, snarling, and barking are warning signals

Many of us have experienced the chill at the sound of a dog’s rumbling growl or vicious bark.  Some of us might have even been the owner of the dog that was doing the barking and growling and felt embarrassed by our dogs’ behavior.  We feel like our dogs are being rude and unsocial and the temptation is to reprimand them for being that way.  But it’s important to remember why dogs growl and bark and to examine the causes rather than addressing the symptom.

Dogs do most of their communication without vocalization.  Slight gestures like the turn of the head, lip licking, or sniffing the ground are all signs of discomfort.  Given the option, most dogs will give a variety of signals, including leaving a situation, rather than get involved in a physical conflict.  It’s only after the silent communication is ignored that verbal communication is utilized.  Growling/barking are the final warnings before physical action is taken, and depending on the dog, physical action can be anything from an air snap to an inhibited bite to a full-fledged attack.

However, experience can modify how dogs communicate their warnings.  A dog whose silent warning signs are consistently ignored will then cease to use those signals and go directly to vocalization, especially if vocalization gets the desired results.  A dog who is punished for vocalizing will stop vocalizing and go immediately into a physical response.  A dog that attacks without any warning at all is highly dangerous.  For safety’s sake, it makes sense to keep the growl and the bark, but address what is making the dog uncomfortable so it won’t feel the need to warn people or animals away.

Growling usually happens when a dog still has a considerable amount of control over its behavior.  It’s the human equivalent of a firm “Stop.”   The dog is willing to wait for the situation to change, although it’s already considering the next step in the process, if the situation remains the same.  There is room for negotiation when the mental pressure is released.

Barking, on the other hand, is done in the state of high arousal and suggests a dog out of control of its behavior.  Not all barking is a warning, dogs can bark out of extreme joy.  Barking is the equivalent of human yelling.  Humans yell when they’re excited as well, whether in celebration of a victorious sporting event or if a loved one is in danger.  Because a barking dog is already beyond its control threshold, there is no time for negotiation, and the dog can go immediately into its preferred defense mode of fight or flight.

Address the cause, not the signal.

Because growling and barking are warnings to “stay away/leave me alone,” to stop the vocalization, we need to find out why the dog wants space.  Usually, it is because the dog is afraid, afraid that it’s going to be harmed or that something important (to the dog) is going to be taken away.  If a dog is worried about being harmed, is it because it is currently in discomfort/pain?  Has it been hurt before by something/someone similar?  Is it encountering an unknown person/animal/object that might hurt it?  If the dog is worried something is going to be taken away, it’s called “resource guarding.”  The resource can be a toy, a treat, food, or even a person.  There is also guarding territory, trying to keep people and animals away from an area to protect the resources there.  The dog is afraid it’s going to lose something valuable.

Sometimes it’s obvious what’s making our dogs growl and bark.  Other times it takes some detective work, which is where a professional trainer can become useful.  Once we find the cause, we can train our dogs to be less fearful or possessive which will eliminate their need to growl/bark, while allowing them to keep that warning signal, should they need it at a later date.  It’s a crucial component for safety.

Dogs give warnings to tell us they’re feeling threatened, that their personal space is being invaded and that they are worried that something “bad” is going to happen.  We owe it to them to respect and address their concerns. Just like with human friends and family members, when we keep all the lines of communication open, we can better  understand each other.