When dogs start to growl while playing, it doesn't necessarily have to be a sign of aggression. Because they sometimes growl out of joy. This can be recognized by the fact that the growl is very high and the dog does not bar his teeth.
However, if the growling is actually due to aggressive behavior, then I recommend taking out liability insurance for your dog immediately.
According to the German Civil Code (BGB), you are liable for all kinds of damage caused by your dog. It is not for nothing that 15 of the 16 federal states have a requirement to insure dogs.
In general, there are 5 types of growls, some of which can sound very similar to people. However, they differ in pitch and length:
- Aggressive growling
- Threatening growl
- Frustrated growl
- Friendly growl
- Playful growling [1]
Dogs are much more sensitive here and can easily hear the differences. Or to put it another way: Your dog knows when another four-legged friend is becoming aggressive.
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Why do dogs growl when they play?
Growling is one of a total of 6 ways dogs communicate. These include barking, whining, whining, whining, howling and finally growling.
The playing growl serves as feedback for the playing partner. Because imagine if you told a friend a joke and then he looked at you silently.
Would you still want to have fun with him afterwards? Probably not. So, if you will, the growl is an acknowledgment of “I’m having fun!”
You can also often tell from body language that the growl is not intended to be a threat:
- Dog bends down on his front paws
- Wagging tail standing upwards
- Dog sticks his butt high up
- Dog jumps around wildly after growling [2]
And yes, even if dogs then fight wildly or even bite slightly – that is completely normal. At least to a certain extent.
This is most common in puppies and young dogs. Because in the early years they still have to learn which expression is appropriate for which situation. [3]
Growling when playing is usually used to communicate joy. This is especially the case if the dog gets down on its front paws and sticks its butt up. Even wild fighting, barking and biting can be part of the game.
Differences between aggressive and playful growling
In some cases, playing can also end in a fight. Kindergarteners see this phenomenon every day in children playing. You should pay attention to the following signs:
- Baring your teeth: If the dog shows its incisors before growling or biting and the nose is very wrinkled at the top, then it is usually serious.
- Raised fur: If the hair on the dog's back stands on end, it is a sign of severe stress or even fear. [4]
- Immediate snapping: If your dog snaps at you or others immediately after growling, then it is definitely not a play growl.
- Deep growl: An aggressive growl is significantly lower in pitch than a friendly growl. It sounds noticeably more threatening.
- Stiff posture: If the dog's entire body is tense and stiff, then this is a sign of an impending attack.
- Stare: When predators fixate on prey with their eyes, they are about to attack. This is part of dogs' natural instinct to hunt.
- Short growl: A playful and friendly growl rarely lasts more than a second. A threatened and aggressive growl, on the other hand, is significantly longer. [5]
In the following video you can see two dogs who start to growl while playing:
What's noticeable here is that they don't show any teeth, their growl is relatively short, their posture is completely relaxed and they jump around wildly. All signs of joy.
When dogs growl out of aggression, their teeth are usually visible, their fur stands up and their posture is tense. In addition, the growl is very deep and rather drawn out. A playful growl, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of that.
Actions for aggressive growling
The initial situation is crucial here. If play between two dogs suddenly ends in an aggressive fight, the following has proven useful:
Make an unusual sound or cry to get the dogs' attention. A dog clicker or an anti-bark device are ideal for this.
Both of these devices emit a sound that almost never occurs in nature. It therefore triggers immediate interest and makes them look to you.
To avoid future fights, it is important to give dogs immediate feedback on their behavior. A “No” command is sufficient here. [6]
If the growling no longer has anything to do with play and the dog resorts to more aggressive measures, then stopping play is the ideal feedback.
Leash your dog and pull them apart. What is important here is that the dogs are still confused by the distraction. Otherwise, you may risk getting bitten.
However, if your dog starts to growl aggressively at you, you can skip step 1. It is important here that you avoid all violence.
Because in 4 out of 5 cases, a lack of self-confidence is the cause of this reaction. And you only make that worse with verbal or physical violence. [7]
You should also make sure that your dog has accepted you as alpha and sees you as superior in his hierarchy.
If your dog suddenly becomes aggressive while playing, pain may also be responsible. Here I recommend visiting the vet.
If dogs growl while playing and suddenly become aggressive, you need to distract them, give them a command and use the leash to pull them apart. Only through consistent feedback will the dog learn that this is not okay.
How can you prevent aggressiveness?
Some dogs get along much less well with other dogs because of their past. This applies primarily to breeds that were once used for dog fighting. This includes:
- Akita
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Boerboel
- Ca de Bou
- Doberman
- Dogo Argentino
- Shar Pei
- Staffordshire bull terrier
- Tosa Inu [8]
But even very territorial breeds such as guard dogs are more likely to behave aggressively if their territory is threatened by the presence of strangers.
For these dogs, growling while playing is usually a sign of aggression. The following measures have proven successful here:
- Early socialization: Get your dog used to regular contact with strangers and dogs from an early age.
- Consistent feedback: Whenever there is a sign of aggression, your dog should receive the appropriate feedback with a “No!” command.
- Dog school: Go through Johanna Esser's online dog school. There you will find an extra course on this topic that I personally really liked.
- Separate feeding: Survival is the top priority for dogs. When someone approaches their food, they usually don't understand the joke.
- Constant reward: If your dog behaves in a friendly manner while playing, you can specifically encourage this behavior with treats.
- Remove toys: Very territorial dogs do not tolerate strange dogs touching their toys. You can therefore remove these as a preventive measure. [9]
Growling while playing can also be an expression of excess energy. It is therefore important to ensure sufficient mental and physical exercise.
In serious cases, castration can also help. Because this reduces estrogen and testosterone levels. So those hormones that make you aggressive.
But that should really only be the last option. Because this radically changes the dog's behavior. Personally, I'm not a fan of this method.
In order to prevent aggressive behavior, early socialization is the be-all and end-all. It is also important to give the dog consistent feedback on its behavior. Using these methods, growling while playing increasingly becomes a sign of joy.
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