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Posted by muttz on February 16, 2003 at 23:24:48:
In Reply to: Bichon wanting to play, then growling - driving me crazy! posted by mommacude on February 16, 2003 at 21:45:59:
:We have a 14 month old Bichon. We also have a 3 year old and a baby on the way in April.
:I've never had a small dog like this and maybe the way they play is just different than larger dogs. He is very annoying to me and many of my friends but my husband feels it's very normal for a dog and it has been the cause of some disagreement.
:He is very very obsessed with a few of his toys. And he wants to play a lot. That's fine by me, but the way he wants to play is what I would like to try and change.
:He has a rubber bone. He'll bring it near me but as soon as I reach for it he hops back and growls. Then he quickly juts it towards me and back again growling the whole time. For my husband he's more likely to drop the toy or put it in his hand to let him quickly tug it away. Then my husband will throw it and he'll get it and bring it back. For me he holds on so tightly I can literally pick him up by pulling it up and he won't let go. If I tickle him on the leg he'll let go, but that's it. I quite often pull it away from him and put it out of reach especially if I'm trying to work so I don't have this dog bumping me with a bone and growling at me while I'm trying to work. (I work from home).
:I would love to be able to play catch with him or find some other way to interact with him. Hubby says that the growling is just play and I shouldn't get so upset by it, but my Beagle/Terrier mix never did that, nor did any of the Labradors I was around as a kid. I keep telling my husband I want a "real" dog, and feel terrible for having such a bad attitude about the poor little guy. His parents have a Bichon, and it was actually my idea to get one since I knew we wouldn't have time to walk a dog, and so a smaller dog fits in better with being able to get his exercise running around the house and in the back yard.
:A friend of mine with a Lab got a shock collar for hers, but that seems so mean.
:We tried going to training at the vet's but it didn't help as he just laid down flat in fear the whole time, and wouldn't do much for the treats.
:Would it help to get someone to come into our house to train? Or is this normal for a Bichon? If it is normal behavior I'm going to have to consider finding him another home, although my daughter and husband would be heartbroken. I just get so angry and irritated about this habit that I just can't stand it. I don't know if I could take another 8-10 years of having this behavior in my home.
:I also worry about him running around on the back of the couch and bed when the baby comes, that he'll just get run over and scratched.
:He's also very hyper when people stop by, and jumps up and scratches people. I can't control him at all and I'm at my witt's end.
:Thanks for your help!!
:Christine
It doesn't matter what the size of the dog, growling in play is common! There are lots of different growls and sounds - so without hearing your dog and knowing your dog - I can't say whether its aggressive or not. My dog makes a growling noise in play - it probably sounds aggressive to some - but I've heard his real growl - and its very very very different!
but that said, you don't find it appropriate. What i think you, as a family, need to do, is sit down together and work out what you are going to do. Getting a trainer in would be helpful. I think you should be the one to handle the dog. This will enforce you as leader to the dog - and also help you bond. I think training is the best bonding excercise between human and dog. Get the trainer to help you with appropriate games and GAME RULES. However, its important that ALL of the family stick to those rules. If you have a rule such as As soon as growl is made, play stops. EVERYONE must stick to this rule 100% of the time. If your husband lets the dog growl and play rough when you are out - this will just ruin everyone elses hard work.
Work out, as a family, what is and what isn't acceptable (but please remember, he might be little, but he's still a dog - and dogs will be dogs - they aren't furry little people!!). Then, get a trainer in to help you work out how to achieve your target behaviour. I think training will really help here. But getting the family to agree is also very very important