10/11/2023
Still it amazes me that dog guardians continue to use unethical ways to teach their dogs and when it comes to growling, they even punish this too! It amazes me even more that a growl is unwelcome. Growling is the step prior to a bite and some dogs will react quicker than others. It is not however, a guarantee that a dog will or will not bite if they growl, just as it is not guaranteed a dog will not bite if they don’t growl 1st.
Growling is a healthy behaviour that expresses boundaries between individuals and it serves a purpose. Listening to boundaries is important for any relationship to flourish and ignoring those boundaries destroys trust. Look at every canine relationship, particularly those who fight and generally aren’t viewed as cohabiting peacefully. Does the growl work? Is one not respecting the others boundaries?
Look at dogs who are afraid and who react to someone approaching them, their behaviour communicates ‘I’m not comfortable, you’re overstepping my boundary.’
If we listen more to what our dogs are saying and helping them in ways they understand and that are helpful, you will see that all undesirable behaviours are rooted within an emotional response. They are no robots who are made to obey your every command, they are sentient beings with a mind of their own.
Every interaction with a dog should be one that is agreed by both parties, whether that be dog, another animal or human.
Overstepping boundaries makes for an unstable/insecure relationship.
How do you feel when someone doesn’t respect your boundaries? Would you trust that person implicitly? Or exercise some caution?
Between dogs, their method of communication and receiving of communication is understood well in dogs that are well socialised.
Between humans, their method of communication is different to a dogs but between the same species, it is understood well.
Between dogs and humans, we both have different methods of communicating but that doesn’t mean there needs to be a language barrier.
When someone uses a punishment tool on their dog, a dog will in some way communicate they are uncomfortable, they will avoid the negative consequence where they are able to control it, and they will merely comply with whatever behaviour you intend to create (sometimes). But what is this doing to your relationship? Do you have a truly beautiful bond? Does your dog feel entirely safe in your presence? Do you overstep your dogs boundaries and not care because it is ‘necessary’ to get the behaviour you desire?
There is no argument to be had when it comes up that ‘dogs punish each other or a mother dog disciplines her puppies with force’
Dogs do not go out of their way to punish anyone, they react on what they feel and use the methods they have available to them to communicate in a way that will work. We are not dogs, we do not growl to tell someone we aren’t comfortable, and we do not bite if someone oversteps our boundaries. Likewise, dogs do not punish us or their own kind for things they dislike. They do however try and avoid things that they dislike. A person coming along and suggesting they must deal with something they dislike because they have to learn what a human wants them to do is just an unimaginable concept and one that is abnormal. Naturally, this is not how things work. You cannot force another being who has a mind of their own to do only what you want. Sure, you may achieve compliance, but that compliance is forced, it is not truly given because your dog wants to engage with you. The underlying motivation was to avoid something they dislike. I call that abuse! It is the same with any unhealthy, toxic, abusive relationship. The vulnerable party has no power and the abuser has all the control and power. Even if you only use that halti on walks to stop your dog pulling you, you are the provider of something your dog doesn’t enjoy, he is unlikely to even enjoy the walks you say he must have because he must walk next to you or endure something he dislikes.
There are no excuses here.
Listen to your dogs boundaries in all senses, including the subtle calming signals so he doesn’t even need to communicate with a growl and when it comes to teaching your dog, don’t resort to methods that causes something unpleasant for your dog, consider their feelings instead.
Choose kindness and harmony