82: Why Does My Dog Growl? What Growling Really Means and How to Respond (DWAA Two-Time Finalist Episode)

This episode is being re-aired in celebration of its recognition as a two-time finalist in the 2025 Dog Writers Association of America Writing Competition, earning honors in both:

• Spoken Word: Behavior, Training or Sports
• Captain William Lewis Judy Award

If your Doodle has ever growled and left you feeling worried, confused, or embarrassed, this episode will change how you hear that sound forever.

Growling is not bad behavior. It is communication. And when we listen instead of punish, we keep dogs and people safer.

In this conversation, I’m joined by parenting and training expert Michelle Stern, founder of Pooch Parenting, to unpack what growling actually means and how Doodle parents can respond in ways that reduce stress rather than escalate it.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why dogs growl and what they are trying to communicate
• Whether growling always signals aggression
• When correcting a growl makes behavior worse
• How to respond if your dog growls at adults, kids, or guests
• What growling during play really means
• How emotional safety reduces the need for growling in the first place

Prevent growling by reducing daily stress

Many growling moments are not about “bad behavior” at all. They are about dogs being overtired, overstimulated, or pushed past their coping threshold.

My book, Your Doodle’s Daily Schedule Blueprint, helps Doodle parents build predictable daily rhythms with built-in downtime so dogs are less reactive, less testy, and better able to cope with everyday life.

You can grab your copy here:
 👉 DoodleBlueprint.com

Free resource from Michelle Stern

Michelle is generously sharing her guide The ABCs of Growling, which helps you decode growling clearly and calmly so you know what your dog needs in the moment.

Download it here:
 👉 poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling

Connect with Michelle

• Website: poochparenting.net
• Instagram: @poochparenting
• Facebook: Pooch Parenting

Want help with socialization and body language?

Keeping track of all the sights, sounds, textures, places, and people your Doodle needs positive exposure to can feel overwhelming.

You can download my Doodle Puppy Socialization Checklist here:
👉 https://thedoodlepro.com/socialization

Test your Doodle body language knowledge with my Body Language Quiz:
👉 https://thedoodlepro.com/body

If this episode helped you hear your dog differently, subscribing and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts helps other Doodle parents find science-based, compassionate guidance when they need it most.

Do you want help keeping track of all the sights, sounds, textures, places, and people that your doodle needs positive, ongoing, and quality exposures to? Don't try to keep track of it all in your mind by using my free Doodle Puppy Socialization Checklist! Download it for free now at https://thedoodlepro.com/socialization.

Test your Doodle Body Language knowledge with our FREE quiz!
https://thedoodlepro.com/body

Transcript

Why Does My Dog Growl? Dog Growling Explained, What It Really Means and What to Do (Ep 82)

Why does my dog growl? In this episode, Corinne Gearhart and Michelle Stern explain dog growling, what growling really means, how to respond safely, and why punishing growls backfires. Includes tips for Doodles, growling at kids, resource guarding, and growling during play.

Episode Summary
Does your dog growl? If you’ve ever panicked when your Doodle growls, you’re not alone. Many dog parents assume growling equals aggression, but growling is often your dog’s way of asking for space, safety, or help. In this conversation, Corinne Gearhart and Michelle Stern of Pooch Parenting break down what dog growling actually means, how to respond in the moment, how to prevent growling by lowering daily stress, and why punishing a growl can make bites more likely later.

Award Recognition
This episode is being re-aired in celebration of its recognition as a two-time finalist in the 2025 Dog Writers Association of America Writing Competition:
Spoken Word: Behavior, Training or Sports
Captain William Lewis Judy Award

Quick Links
Prevent stress before it builds: Your Doodle’s Daily Schedule Blueprint at DoodleBlueprint.com
Download Michelle’s guide: The ABCs of Growling at poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling
Subscribe and review: Apple Podcasts

Topics Covered
Why dogs growl and what growling really means
Is growling always aggression?
What to do if your dog growls at you, kids, or guests
Growling during play and tug
Why punishing growling can backfire
How to notice “whispers” in dog body language before a growl happens
Doodles and body language: how coats and grooming can hide signals
Resource guarding and growling over food, bones, or space
Kids and dogs: the safest rules for interactions
How to help a dog feel safe instead of forced
Learned helplessness and shut-down behavior
Counterconditioning for grooming and bathing stress

Transcript
[00:00:00]

Before we jump in, I want to share a quick note of gratitude. This episode, The Truth About Growling, was named a two-time finalist by the Dog Writers Association of America in their annual writing competition. I am deeply honored by that recognition. I also want to thank my guest, Michelle Stern, for this conversation.

Episodes like this matter because they help Doodle parents better understand communication, emotion, and safety. I’m grateful for voices willing to bring clarity to topics that are often misunderstood. Let’s get into the episode.

Corinne Gearhart
One of our most popular guests, Michelle Stern. You might recognize Michelle from her episode in the archives discussing how to advocate for your Doodle around children, because yes, even Doodles can have trouble with children, and we want happy, healthy, and safe relationships with them.

Michelle is the founder of Pooch Parenting, and not only is she a certified dog trainer, but she’s also a former school teacher. That combination is unusual and powerful. Today we’re discussing growling, and it’s a hot topic. I’m so happy to have Michelle here.

Michelle Stern
Thank you for having me back.

Corinne Gearhart
Me too. When I mentioned we’re discussing growling, I think people have a visceral response. When I think about growling, I think about how people respond emotionally from the human side. Can you talk about that?

[00:02:00]

Michelle Stern
Yes. I love that was your first reaction because it reframed it for me. Growling can feel like your dog is “in trouble.” Like your dog might not be perfect, or your dog is a bad dog, or your dog has feelings that are unpleasant. None of us want our dogs to feel unpleasant, but communication is a great thing.

We don’t like that our dogs feel bad, but with knowledge and forethought, we can look at who our dog is, how they’re feeling, and then say, “Oh, I can shift the dynamics here. I can help you feel different so you don’t feel bad moving forward.”

Growling can feel triggering because we don’t want it to reflect poorly on us. For many people, dogs feel like a reflection of ourselves, even though that isn’t actually accurate. And if our dog feels bad, we may see that as our failure.

But I like to flip it. If your dog is growling, I want you to literally say, “Thank you.” Say the words. “Thank you, sweetie. I appreciate you telling me something is wrong.”

I have a puppy and a senior dog. My puppy gets close to the barrier and my senior dog growls. When I’m in my best state, I tell my senior dog, “Thanks for letting me know,” and I either move my senior dog farther away or give the puppy an alternate behavior so the older dog doesn’t have to escalate.

They’re having a conversation. The puppy is being annoying. The older dog is saying, “You’re in my space.” And I’m saying, “I would rather you growl than bite.”

Because the alternative is, “If I don’t communicate, I take action.” And in a family with multiple dogs, or kids, toddlers, or a baby, that matters. Toddlers can be like puppies, unpredictable and grabby. That is uncomfortable for many dogs.

Growling feels bad to us, but it is something to be celebrated, because your dog is saying, “I need help. Why aren’t you intervening?” We want dogs asking for help instead of taking action.

[00:06:00]

Corinne Gearhart
Let’s call out what humans feel. People worry growling is a sign of aggression. If my dog growls, they think, “My dog is dangerous.” Do you want to touch on that?

Michelle Stern
Yes. I get panicked messages. People ask, “Do I have a bad dog? Do I have to get rid of my dog? Is my dog dangerous?” Someone even asked, “Do I have to euthanize my dog?” And I’m like, “Let’s slow down.”

We have to evaluate the circumstances. We need to get curious. What caused it? What happened? How can we intervene? Can we shift how the dog feels?

We can’t label a dog based on one behavior. We need history, the individual dog, and the context. And we also need to consider how the humans are feeling because fear can shut down your ability to respond well. If you’re too scared to function, you might need professional support.

You can do a bad thing and it doesn’t make you a bad person. Same with dogs. A dog who growls is not automatically “aggressive.” If a dog is biting repeatedly without warning, that is a different situation. But a dog who growls is often asking for help.

[00:10:00]

Corinne Gearhart
I hear people say, “I rolled them on their back, scruffed them, yelled at them, nipped it in the bud.” Those listening, Michelle is shaking her head. Have you heard these?

Michelle Stern
Yes. Those concepts are old-fashioned and outdated. Research supports that learning happens better when the learner feels safe.

From my teaching background, I can tell you if a student is hungry, sick, in pain, sad, scared, or experiencing trauma, learning doesn’t happen well. They’re not receptive.

If you scare a dog in the moment they growl, you teach them not to trust you. You didn’t stop the thing that made them growl. You didn’t make them safer. You made them more scared. Then they either escalate and use teeth, or they stop communicating and become “unpredictable.”

A lot of people say, “He bit out of the blue.” Often, the dog had been punished for expressing themselves earlier. Most dogs communicate before they growl.

One trainer I respect, Chirag Patel, calls early body language “whispers.” If you miss the whispers, dogs escalate to growling, which is more like shouting. And beyond that, it can become physical.

So when people ask, “How do I stop my dog from growling?” the helpful answer is: notice discomfort before the growl. Not by punishing growling. Instead, “I’m sorry I missed that. I’ll do better next time.”

[00:14:00]

Corinne Gearhart
Dogs who have had the growl punished out are the ones I’m more nervous about, because they’ve been taught communication is scary, and then all that’s left is feeling cornered and using teeth.

And dog body language isn’t intuitive for humans. It takes studying, like learning a foreign language. And Doodles are harder, because coats and haircuts hide a lot. Hackles can be hard to see. Tails can be docked or curl over the back. Beards make muzzle tension harder to read. That doesn’t mean they aren’t whispering. It means we have to listen even closer.

Michelle Stern
Yes. A big part is making sure you can see their eyes. If you can see the whites, if they’re looking away, if there is tension.

Even if you can’t see the skin under the coat, you can see the body change. If the dog is loose and wiggly, then suddenly goes still, that’s a clue.

Another whisper is paw lift. Dogs may lift a paw when uncomfortable. Yawning can be a stress signal too, when it’s not just waking up from sleep.

[00:20:00]

Corinne Gearhart
A listener shared: “I don’t mind when my dog growls. He’s communicating with me, but I want to teach him when to stop growling when I ask.”

Michelle Stern
Rebecca, I’m going to challenge you. Why do you want your dog to stop growling? Is it because it feels bad to you? Because you wish your dog didn’t feel afraid?

Corinne Gearhart
Rebecca said she wants him to stop so he doesn’t cross threshold and go into full anxiety mode.

Michelle Stern
Then focus less on stopping the growl and more on identifying the trigger. Build trust. If you identify what causes the fear, you can reduce it. Use a different room, a fan, a noise machine, music.

It’s not fair to ask your dog to stop having feelings. If you were having big feelings, how would you want someone to respond? You would want help removing the trigger.

[00:24:00]

Corinne Gearhart
This is like when many of us were told as kids, “Stop crying.” It didn’t change the fear or sadness, it just stopped the expression.

Michelle Stern
Yes. And here’s an extreme example. In some orphanages, babies stop crying because of learned helplessness. They learn communication isn’t effective. No one comes.

Dogs can show learned helplessness too. At the vet or groomer, a very fearful dog may shut down. It looks like “compliance,” but it’s overwhelm.

We want to address the underlying cause so the dog feels seen.

[00:28:00]

Corinne Gearhart
Can you explain the difference between barking and growling?

Michelle Stern
Both are communication. Barking can be excitement, alerting, fear, frustration, or demand barking. It’s very contextual.

Growling is the one that triggers our primitive danger response. We have to get curious and take action. Sometimes action means stepping away to make the dog feel safe in the moment, then revisiting the bigger picture later.

If you say, “My dog tried to bite me,” dogs don’t usually miss. Air snaps are warnings. Dogs are saying, “I’m serious.”

Corinne Gearhart
Growling is often associated with fear, anxiety, or stress, but some dogs are vocal during play or tug. A helpful trainer trick is to video play and watch on mute. Look for loose bodies, role switching, breaks, and whether both dogs re-engage willingly. That helps you assess consent and comfort.

Michelle Stern
Yes. Terriers can sound wild when playing. But if there’s growling over a bone or valued item, that’s not “happy vocalization.” That’s a warning. Resource guarding is normal dog behavior. We don’t punish the communication. We change the environment and build trust.

[00:37:00]

Corinne Gearhart
Let’s use an example: a dog is sleeping on their bed and a child goes to pet the dog and the dog growls. How do you walk a family through that?

Michelle Stern
People don’t like this answer. Don’t let your child approach a sleeping dog. Period.

Kids and dogs need predictable rules. You don’t let a child touch a hot stove. You don’t let them run into the street. You set boundaries.

Use baby gates, pens, doors, barriers. Create a dog safe zone. If the dog is on a bed or asleep anywhere, they’re off limits. Make it fun for kids with games if needed, but enforce it.

Corinne Gearhart
Two hard and fast rules in my house: never touch a dog when they’re sleeping or eating, and we play with dogs when they come to us. This is about consent and respecting space. The growl is the dog saying, “No, I don’t like that.”

Michelle Stern
Yes. Invite the dog over. The dog can say no. If a child is persistent, use two baby gates with an air gap. Don’t let visitors bully you with “All dogs love me.” If your dog doesn’t feel safe, game over.

[00:44:00]

Corinne Gearhart
A question came in: can a dog learn helplessness by bypassing the growling phase? Odin stiffens and tolerates a lot but has never growled. Example: bath time and hugs. He freezes, looks away, and seems like he wants to disappear.

Michelle Stern
Hugs are easy. Stop hugging him for a while. It’s not how dogs show love. Let him initiate affection. Play hard to get. Build trust.

For bath time and grooming, counterconditioning helps. Dogs don’t always need as many baths as we think. Brushing to the skin to prevent matting matters.

Use lick mats with suction cups for the tub, or smear peanut butter on the side of the tub if needed. Pair grooming tools with good stuff: object, amazing. Object, amazing.

Handle paws, ears, and body with high-value treats. Change the value depending on the stress level: cheese, hot dog, chicken, roast beef. Your dog decides what is rewarding.

“Putting up with it” is too low of a bar. We want a more positive emotional response over time.

[00:56:00]

Corinne Gearhart
Michelle, you have a gift for listeners called The ABCs of Growling.

Michelle Stern
Yes. It’s how to understand and respond to your dog. It covers what growling means, how to notice whispers, and how to help dogs feel safe so they don’t need to growl in the first place.

Corinne Gearhart
Wonderful. We’ll link that in the show notes. If people want to find you?

Michelle Stern
poochparenting.net and Instagram and Facebook at Pooch Parenting.

End of transcript

Resources Mentioned
Your Doodle’s Daily Schedule Blueprint: DoodleBlueprint.com
The ABCs of Growling by Michelle Stern: poochparenting.net/abcs-of-growling
More support for Doodle parents: The Doodle Pro® Podcast on Apple Podcasts