Dog Aggression: Embrace The Growl – Why Your Dog Growling Is Communication, Not Aggression & How To Help

By Norma Jeanne Laurette ​

Introduction

​We’ve bonded with dogs for thousands of years, building relationships based on trust, understanding and communication. However, one natural behaviour that remains misunderstood and mismanaged is growling. Many guardians interpret growling as disobedience or aggression and attempt to suppress or punish it. The truth is that growling is an important part of canine communication, a warning intended to prevent unpleasant situations from escalating (R1).
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Allowing a dog to growl without punishment supports its right to communicate its feelings and helps maintain healthy dog/dog and dog/human relationships (R2). Growling is not aggression, it’s a dog’s way of saying, “I’m uncomfortable,” “I need space” or “please stop”. When these warnings are ignored, aggression can escalate and when they are punished, dogs can stop communicating altogether, leaving them with no other option but to jump straight to more extreme behaviours such as nipping, biting or fighting (R3).

Canine Communication

​Dogs communicate mainly through body language and vocalizations (R4). Unlike people who rely heavily on words, dogs use a combination of physical and vocal communications to express their emotions. A growl is often paired with other cues such as a stiff body, raised hackles or turning the head away, all of which add context to the dog’s message (R5).

This layered communication system evolved from their wolf ancestors, where clear signals helped maintain social balance and avoid unnecessary conflict (R6). In domestic dogs, growling can reflect stress, anxiety, fear, pain or even playfulness (R7). A low growl during play can express enthusiasm, while a deeper, more intense growl usually means physical or emotional discomfort, or a need for space (R8). Understanding these differences is essential. Punishing a dog for growling ignores what the dog is trying to communicate and can erode confidence, trust and emotional wellbeing (R9). When we view growling as useful information instead, we have the ability to identify and address the root cause of the problem.

Research has shown that growling can convey specific information such as a dog’s size and its willingness to escalate, allowing many tense situations to be resolved without aggression (R10). When we allow our dogs to growl, we are respecting their feelings, while gaining valuable information that can be used to create a safer environment and happier dog (R11).

Why Dogs Growl

​Dogs communicate mainly through body language and vocalizations (R4). Unlike people who rely heavily on words, dogs use a combination of physical and vocal communications to express their emotions. A growl is often paired with other cues such as a stiff body, raised hackles or turning the head away, all of which add context to the dog’s message (R5).

This layered communication system evolved from their wolf ancestors, where clear signals helped maintain social balance and avoid unnecessary conflict (R6). In domestic dogs, growling can reflect stress, anxiety, fear, pain or even playfulness (R7). A low growl during play can express enthusiasm, while a deeper, more intense growl usually means physical or emotional discomfort, or a need for space (R8). Understanding these differences is essential. Punishing a dog for growling ignores what the dog is trying to communicate and can erode confidence, trust and emotional wellbeing (R9). When we view growling as useful information instead, we have the ability to identify and address the root cause of the problem.

Research has shown that growling can convey specific information such as a dog’s size and its willingness to escalate, allowing many tense situations to be resolved without aggression (R10). When we allow our dogs to growl, we are respecting their feelings, while gaining valuable information that can be used to create a safer environment and happier dog (R11).

Punishing The Growl

​Punishing a growling dog is on par with taking the batteries out of your smoke detector, as it removes a necessary and important warning (R22). Dogs who learn that growling is not safe often stop warning altogether, increasing the risk of unexpected bites (R23). These dogs are frequently described as “unpredictable,” with claims that the dog bit “without reason or warning.” The truth is that the dog has learned not only that communication doesn’t work, but also that bad things happen when it does communicate (R24). For more information about aggression see our article Canine Aggression – When Dogs Are Aggressive & Holistic Treatments. For more information about warning behaviours see our article entitled Canine Aggression – The Canine Communications Continuum.

There are emotional costs for the dog as well. Repeated punishment can exacerbate frustration, stress, fear and anxiety, making behavior problems worse instead of better (R25). These unpleasant emotions can develop into ongoing issues such as separation anxiety, destructive behavior, excessive barking, whining, house soiling, withdrawal, avoidance, compulsive behaviours as well as reactivity and aggression. The resulting behavior problems will be far more damaging to the dog’s temperament and emotional wellbeing and a lot more difficult to change than addressing what was upsetting the dog in the first place (R26). Punishment and negativity never improve behaviour, all it does is throw gasoline on an already volatile situation (R27).

From a safety standpoint, allowing a dog to growl can protect both dogs and people (R28). A growl gives the other dog or person who triggered it a chance to stop, step back, reassess the situation and adjust their approach to prevent the fight or bite (R29). Families that are educated about canine communication consistently see a lot less bites than those that are not (R30). Greg, my sister Margaret Ann Frank and I published a book called Puppy Says Let’s Be Friends. Any child who understands what’s in this book will know far more about preventing dog bites than many adults (R50). Click to order Puppy Says Let’s Be Friends.

Physical & Emotional Needs

​Meeting a dog’s physical and emotional needs on a daily basis through a natural, balanced diet, low-stress environment, canine enrichment, play and appropriate exercise also helps reduce frustration and stress-based behaviours that can lead to aggression (R38) (R41). For information about canine enrichment see my article entitled Canine Enrichment For Dogs. For information about healthy diets see my articles Canine Nutrition – Essential For Your Dog’s Health & Longevity and Canine Nutrition – Raw For Dogs.

Practical Tips

​The first step to addressing any type of aggression in dogs is always to eliminate the possibility of any physiological, neurological or pharmaceutical causes and contributing factors, because all the behavior modification in the world will not change a behaviour problem with a physical cause (R40).

Once the possibility of physical contributors has been eliminated, only then do we view the issue as behavioural. When addressing growling as a behaviour problem, we begin by observing the dog’s communication in different situations to identify what triggers the growling (R42). From there, a positive behaviour rehabilitation program can be implemented to help the dog feel better about emotional triggers that cannot be avoided. You also have the option of contacting a qualified, positive behaviour expert when additional support is required (R43).

When attending dog training classes, always choose force-free programs run by educated, qualified and experienced positive dog trainers who emphasize socialization, communication as well as both physical and emotional safety (R44).

Children should always be taught to be kind, gentle and respectful with their dog, and to respond to any growling by quietly walking away – this applies to adults as well (R45).

Summary

​Allowing a dog to growl is not about being permissive or tolerating aggression, it’s about listening, learning and supporting the dog through an upsetting situation (R47). Growling is a vital form of communication that helps prevent bites, reduce stress, and build trusting and respectful relationships (R48). When we respond thoughtfully and compassionately instead of reactively, we can turn potential conflict into an opportunity for understanding and rehabilitation, resulting in a happier dog with improved self-control, a more resilient temperament, improved emotional wellbeing and a better quality of life (R49).

References

​R1) Yin, S. (2009). Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs & Cats. CattleDog Publishing. Explains growling as an early warning signal.
(R2) Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats. Elsevier. Discusses emotional wellbeing and dog communication.
(R3) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training. Blackwell Science. On punishment and suppression of communication.
(R4) Beaver, B. V. (2009). Canine Behavior: Insights and Answers. Saunders. On body language and vocal communication.
(R5) Horwitz, D. F., & Mills, D. (2009). BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine. BSAVA. On paired cues with growling.
(R6) Mech, L. D., & Boitani, L. (2003). Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. University of Chicago Press. Evolutionary basis of signals.
(R7) Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2016). Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet. Basic Books. On emotions reflected in growling.
(R8) Yin, S. (2009). Low Stress Handling. Play vs. serious growls.
(R9) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training. On punishment eroding confidence.
(R10) Pongrácz, P., Molnár, C., & Miklósi, Á. (2006). Vocal communication in dogs: Growls convey information. Animal Cognition, 9(3), 187–195.
(R11) Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine. Respecting natural communication.
(R12) Yin, S. (2009). Low Stress Handling. Growling as early warning.
(R13) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training. Setting boundaries.
(R14) Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2016). Dog Sense. Safety around children and unfamiliar people.
(R15) Herron, M. E., Shofer, F. S., & Reisner, I. R. (2008). Retrospective study of the effects of training methods on owner-reported behavior problems. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 117(1-2), 47–54. On resource guarding.
(R16) Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine. Humane management.
(R17) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training. Punishment escalates aggression.
(R18) Yin, S. (2009). Low Stress Handling. Professionals on growling benefits.
(R19) Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2016). Dog Sense. Play growls.
(R20) Beaver, B. V. (2009). Canine Behavior: Insights and Answers. Context for interpreting growls.
(R21) Horwitz, D. F., & Mills, D. (2009). Play vs. serious communication cues.
(R22) Yin, S. (2009). Low Stress Handling. Warning signals.
(R23) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Unpredictable bites.
(R24) Herron, M. E., et al. (2008). Learned suppression of communication.
(R25) Overall, K. L. (2013). Emotional costs of punishment.
(R26) Beaver, B. V. (2009). Stress-induced behavior problems.
(R27) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Punishment aggravates behavior problems.
(R28) Yin, S. (2009). Growling protects dogs and people.
(R29) Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2016). Opportunity to step back.
(R30) Herron, M. E., et al. (2008). Education reduces bites.
(R31) Pryor, K. (2006). Lads Before the Wind: Adventures in Positive Reinforcement Training. Clicker Press. Force-free training.
(R32) Hiby, E. F., Rooney, N. J., & Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2004). Dog training methods: Their use, effectiveness and interaction with behavior and welfare. Animal Welfare, 13, 63–69.
(R33) Pryor, K. (2006). Positive associations reduce growling.
(R34) Hiby, E. F., et al. (2004). Behavioral change through counter-conditioning.
(R35) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Environmental management.
(R36) Overall, K. L. (2013). Safe spaces for dogs.
(R37) Beaver, B. V. (2009). Reading early body language.
(R38) Horwitz, D. F., & Mills, D. (2009). Exercise and enrichment reduce frustration behaviors.
(R39) Pryor, K. (2006). Preservation of communication through positive training.
(R40) Overall, K. L. (2013). Rule out medical causes first.
(R41) Freeman, L. M., et al. (2013). Nutrition and canine health. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 43(4), 761–777.
(R42) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Observing triggers.
(R43) Pryor, K. (2006). Work with qualified experts.
(R44) Hiby, E. F., et al. (2004). Force-free training classes.
(R45) Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2016). Children’s education on stress signals.
(R46) Yin, S. (2009). Promote awareness for safer interactions.
(R47) Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Listening and learning from growls.
(R48) Overall, K. L. (2013). Communication prevents bites and builds trust.
(R49) Pryor, K. (2006). Compassionate response improves dog quality of life.
(R50) https://dogtrainingcareers.com/product/puppy-says-lets-be-friends/