Types of Growls in Dogs and Their Meaning

Dogs use their whole body to communicate with the individuals and environments they interact with. For them, body language is much more important than it is for us, since we tend to favor verbal communication. But our furry friends are also able to make different sounds, including growls. What does it mean when a dog growls? What is a growling dog trying to tell us?

Let's look in detail at how to identify the different growls dogs make and what they mean, based on context.

Why Do Dogs Growl?

Growling is one of the most straightforward sounds dogs make, since, generally, a dog growls when something bothers it. It's a warning signal used to tell other dogs, their owners, or other individuals that some behavior displeases them. In other words, it's their way of saying "Enough, you're bothering me!"

The small "catch" is that many things can cause a dog discomfort or annoyance, depending on the context. So, the most important thing for understanding the meaning of the different types of growls in dogs is paying attention both to the growling dog's posture and to what's happening around it when the growl occurs.

This way, we're more likely to identify the cause of the growl and know how to remove or ease the stimulus causing our dog to react negatively. To help you with this interpretive task, below we'll look at the main contexts in which a dog growls and why.

The Dog Growls When It Has Something in Its Mouth

If your dog growls when you try to take something out of its mouth, the most likely cause is resource guarding. What does this mean? It means your dog understands that whatever's in its mouth is such an important resource for its wellbeing that it'll try to protect it to avoid losing possession of it.

Resource guarding in dogs can show up around objects (their toys, for example), food, people (mainly their owners), other animals, and also environments/territory. Beyond growling, a dog may show other aggressive behaviors to protect its most prized "belongings," like baring its teeth or even biting.

This is an instinctive survival mechanism, meaning it's part of dogs' nature (and other species' too). As a result, it's not recommended to scold or punish a dog exhibiting resource guarding, since this backfires and is dangerous.

That said, it is important to prevent this kind of protective behavior through proper socialization and teaching your dog to drop objects.

The Dog Growls While Eating

If your dog growls when someone tries to approach its food or approach it while it's eating, we're again looking at resource guarding. In fact, dogs tend to develop protective behaviors mainly around food, since it's essential for their survival.

Remember not to scold your dog for the simple act of growling! Every dog growls — it's inherent to "canine nature," and it's not possible to eliminate it from their behavior.

Your furry friend should have a calm environment where it can eat peacefully and safely. It's also worth always letting your dog see you preparing its homemade food, or serving kibble into its bowl. These are simple actions that'll help it understand you're the one providing its food, and that you have no intention of taking it away.

Another good practice is offering treats or kibble pieces directly from your hand (always with an open palm).

The Dog That Growls While Playing

Here we have a situation where the dog isn't growling because it's upset, but rather as part of the game. This behavior mainly shows up when the dog interacts with toys that engage its bite, like rope tug toys or other chew toys.

This is playful, natural behavior dogs also display when playing with other dogs, so there's no need to scold them. Just make sure your furry friend has a playful demeanor and shows no signs of anger or aggression.

Why Does My Dog Growl When I Pet It?

In this case, it could be that some part of your furry friend's body is so sensitive that pets that would normally please it end up causing discomfort or pain instead. That's why the first step is taking it to the vet to rule out any health issue.

If no illness is diagnosed, it's important to pay attention to your furry friend's behavior and the routine you share. If you've just adopted your best friend, this behavior could indicate a history of physical violence. In other words, maybe your dog growls when you pet it because, in the past, it's been a victim of hitting, punishment, or other forms of physical abuse. In this case, we recommend seeking the help of a canine ethology expert.

On another note, if you tend to punish, lock up, or scold your dog, maybe the growl appears as a defensive behavior, driven by fear that you'll go back to using these methods that cause it pain, sadness, or suffering. Here we tell you about the consequences of punishing a dog and why you shouldn't do it.

Why Do Dogs Growl at Each Other?

As we mentioned, dogs don't just growl at people — they also growl at each other. In fact, growls are very effective within dogs' communication system, and can appear as a warning or threat signal during an interaction.

For example, when a dog plays with another dog, it may eventually growl to warn about the limits of the interaction. For example, to tell the other dog to hold back its strength or intensity to avoid hurting it. These are completely normal situations and don't mean the dog is being aggressive or preparing to attack.

On another note, when a dog growls at other dogs in a negative context, showing it's upset or threatened, we're likely to see other signs of aggression too. To know how to properly handle these situations, we recommend reading this article: "My Dog Growls at Other Dogs: What Should I Do?"