How to tell the difference between play growling and aggressive growling?
Leola Feil
2025-06-08 15:11:23
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I've heard that a play growl isn't supposed to sound like a loud snarl, so I'm wondering if she's genuinely upset. Other than her noises she doesn't seem defensive— her hackles aren't up, she's not biting, none of that. What should I look for in her behavior to tell if she's upset or just really into the game. Does the growl just depend on the breed. She's a pit mix. This wouldn't normally concern me, its just that this snarl is a new thing and unlike her normal play growl.
Concepcion Schaefer
2025-06-04 07:14:00
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Growls designed to make bad things stop or go away may be deep, may involve bared teeth, and may be low and rumbling but pitch and volume depend on the size and breed of the dog and will vary from dog to dog. Take context and body language into account, don’t just consider the growl. A stiff body, a tail held high, maybe wagged but in a tense manner, wide eyes, ears back, lips pulled back, teeth bared – all these add up to a dog who really wants this situation to stop, now. Some dogs will not show all these signs though, a very small dog with hairy floppy ears may produce a higher-pitched growl, you may not see the ears back as they won’t go so far back as pricked ears, and the tail may be too hairy to see the movement properly or the muzzle may have such long hair you can’t see the lips drawn back or the bared teeth.
A dog’s happy growl sounds relaxed but most importantly, it’s relatively clear from the situation your dog is in if they are emitting a pleasure growl: if they are having their belly rubbed or something else, they really enjoy. This type of growl may or may not be accompanied by bared teeth, but look carefully, typically the lips will be soft, not drawn back hard, ears will not be pulled back, and body language will be soft and floppy.
Margarett Effertz
2025-05-23 11:24:41
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Rough-housing is normal and healthy for dogs, whether they’re growling at each other, lunging, wrestling or even biting- it’s all part of how they play. The Growl: Dogs do growl while playing, but there are two ways to tell different growls apart. An aggressive growl will be accompanied by snarling and snapping, while a playful growl is just a sound, accompanied by relaxed body movements. The Snarl: When the dog lifts the lip to bare teeth, just before a growl or bite, this is called snarling. This is a definite sign of aggression, not play. An aggressive growl will be accompanied by snarling and snapping, while a playful growl is just a sound, accompanied by relaxed body movements. The Freeze: A sure sign of stress is when a dog’s body “freezes” or goes rigid with stiff legs. The Stare-off: If a dog is intently staring at another dog without breaking eye contact and following that dog around, this is an indication of stalking.
Toney Osinski
2025-05-23 10:58:17
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When dogs play, it often takes the form of play fighting, play biting and wrestling. Although it can be fun and harmless, sometimes this can intensify into unsafe and serious scraps if you do not observe your dog closely. Growling – Sometimes dogs will growl during play, but these growls are accompanied with loose, relaxed body language. When growling is followed by any of the above behaviors, or is a deep and low, it may be a sign of aggressive behavior that needs to be addressed. Stiffness – when a dog becomes tense and stressed, they usually appear rigid and stand in a stiff-legged stance. Their face is another indicator, so look for muscles tightening or furrowed brows. Freezing – when a dog becomes tense or rigid, they may enter a state of nervousness and freeze up. Direct stare – another indicator of a stressed pup is when they intently focus on another dog without blinking or engage in excessive and aggressive stalking. Snarling – often ignored by humans, tiny muzzle movements associated with a lip snarl may be an indicator of an uncomfortable dog. Dogs will often lift their lip in a snarl before they growl or snap.
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