My little Lenny, a 1-year-old Pomeranian, has been growling at me for the past few days.<\/p>
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I live alone with my dog, and I know I treat him more like a child than a dog. I used to have a dog at my parents' house, but since he was old and settled in his environment, he stayed there. I never had any problems with him, even though he had a very privileged place in the family (he slept with me and was allowed on the chairs, the bed, the sofa, etc.).<\/p>
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Most of the time, he growls when I tell him off. For example, this morning Lenny had an accident in the living room (which still happens quite a lot); I scolded him, and he growled and bared his teeth at me.<\/p>
But Lenny also growled at me last night when I wanted to take him out for his last walk before bed. He was playing on the floor with his toy and didn't like me trying to take him out.<\/p>
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I’m not sure how to handle this behaviour.<\/p>
Last night, as I was about to take him out, I was already dressed and had my gloves on, so I picked him up while wearing them; he growled but didn't bite me.<\/p>
Once we were out of the flat, I was able to put his harness on, and he even gave my hands some licks.<\/p>
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I don't understand this sudden aggressive behaviour towards me; it really upsets me that we have this kind of relationship. 😔<\/p>
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What should I do?<\/p>
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Thanks for your replies.<\/p>
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Have a lovely day 🙂<\/p>
Translated from French
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I’m having the same issue with my one-year-old Spitz. I’ve just come across your post and it’s a relief to know I’m not the only one going through this. I give him all the love I can, but he’s still aggressive, growling and biting. I don’t think he’s ever been through anything traumatic.
Have you found a solution yet?
We’re seeing a behaviourist, but so far it’s been a bit hit and miss—sometimes it improves and then he regresses, and I feel quite helpless. I’d never give him up, obviously, but I want to do my best so we can get along and both be happy.
If you only base your training on bartering, he’ll be running rings around you, and quite right too! If your puppy dares to growl at you, for goodness sake, make a proper fuss!
Hi everyone, Pancho is also aggressive regarding his collar, being brushed, or when he steals a bit of paper or a sock. He’s even gone as far as biting. I’ve tried swapping the stolen item for treats, but now he just loses his temper and lunges at us while growling or even biting.
Yet he knows how to obey as soon as we do training sessions using dry food.
What should I do? This is the first time I’ve been unable to get anywhere with a dog.
Thanks for your advice, and please, no lectures.
I'm having the same problem with my Pomeranian. He's over 2 years old.
He's house-trained, he has his own little spot for sleeping and eating, he was neutered at 6 months due to a testicular issue, and he sees our vet once a year. Nyx is a very aggressive dog — he often growls at my husband and my children, and he bites us too. We reached out to a canine behaviourist recommended by our vet, who advised positive reinforcement training, which we've been doing our best to follow. Our vet also mentioned that a firm word every now and then (without any physical reprimand, of course — just speaking in a sharper, more assertive tone) might help, but nothing seems to work. The kinder we are, the more he tends to bite, and to the point of drawing blood.
He's only allowed on the sofa — he doesn't have access to the bedrooms, the bathroom, or the toilet, and he respects those boundaries very well.
He's already bitten the apprentice at our groomer's, as well as the person who looks after him when we need to visit family further away and can't take him with us as there isn't enough room. Nyx bit her when she tried to clean his eyes, which he also does when we try — but it's the same when I brush him, when I try to put paw balm on his pads after he's been out in the frost, or when we walk within about 6 feet of him to get to the toilet while he's lying in the middle of the living room, which is unavoidable. We try to get him to settle in his bed, but he growls at us for that too.
Anyway, if anyone has any other advice, I'd really appreciate it.
Thank you all, and do take care of yourselves during these rather unusual times.
So even if I catch him peeing right in front of me, I shouldn't say anything?
That's right. Absolutely no reaction at all.
Either it's a medical issue, in which case telling him off won't change a thing. You'd just be adding stress to a physical inability to hold it in.
Or it's down to anxiety or him getting overwhelmed by emotion, and telling him off risks making the problem worse.
And if your dog is doing this to get your attention, then telling him off will only give him a reason to keep doing it.
In EVERY case, telling him off is the wrong way to respond to this behaviour.
You really need to make sure these accidents aren't down to a health issue. Did the vet you spoke to carry out the necessary tests, or did they just tell you to scold the dog if you caught him in the act?
How did you go about house-training him originally?
As for getting a behaviourist involved, yes, that's a good idea. Not just for the toilet training issue (if it's behavioural), but also regarding your relationship with the dog (treating him like a child, if I've understood correctly).
So, even if I catch him in the act, should I really not say anything?
I don't shout or hit him; I just use a firm tone to tell him that he shouldn't be doing that.
Lenny is a very clever little dog and he clearly understands that he's meant to do his business outside, as there are weeks where he doesn't have any accidents at all. I honestly think he's doing it just to get a reaction out of me...
A dog behaviourist should be able to help me get him fully house-trained once and for all.
Toilet training is definitely a real issue with Lenny, and there isn’t any medical reason for it.
There are periods where Lenny almost stops having accidents in the house, then for no apparent reason (as far as I can see) it starts all over again...
It is getting better and better, though... it feels like a long process but we’re getting there...
I’ve already started getting in touch with some behaviourists to try and get this sorted as quickly as possible so we can both be a bit more relaxed.
When it comes to telling him off, my vet advised me to only scold him if I catch him in the act; otherwise, I should say nothing and make sure to give him plenty of praise when he goes outside. I take him for 15-20 minute walks four times a day: morning, noon, evening, and at bedtime.
Hi there,
I don’t think it’s unusual at all for your dog to growl when you’re telling him off. You’re being confrontational or even threatening, and he’s simply letting you know he isn’t going to just take it.
Now, if your dog were to come up to you and growl while you were busy doing something else, that would be a real cause for concern and certainly wouldn’t be normal.
How is it that your one-year-old dog is still peeing in the house? That is what isn't normal.
It’s either a medical issue that only a vet will be able to resolve, or it’s behavioural (anxiety, stress triggered by a strong emotion, excessive thirst, poor toilet training, etc.). Do you have any idea which it might be?
As for scolding him for having an accident, I don’t really see the point... other than letting off a bit of steam. If his accidents are caused by anxiety or stress, telling him off is certainly not going to help matters. And if it’s a medical issue, it won’t change anything either. So why scold him?
Unless you already have the answer, the first thing you need to do is take him to the vet to make sure his accidents aren't linked to an underlying health condition.
Whatever the result, I’d also encourage you to get in touch with a dog behaviourist.
