dominance??

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

my dood comes up to me when im on the couch and stares at me and growls when she wants to go outside.its not a intense growl so i was wondering if she is trying to dominate me or is that just the way it is.my pug doesnt tell me when he wants outside.i just send him out every couple of hours.he has never told me when he has to go so im not used to a dog letting me know.is this normal???

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Your doodle is telling you he wants to go out. No dominance issue. Most of us really like it when we have dogs who tell us they need to go out. Some dogs naturally do this. My lab mix did by hitting his tail on something and then giving us a silent bark. My old Springer did it by pawing us. We have a doggy door now so current dogs do their own thing.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I think your doodle just has to go out and that is her way of telling you. I personally don't think it has anything to do with dominance. After all, you want her to tell you and she is doing exactly that.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara does the same thing!! The first time she did it I thought WTD???? But it didn't take long to figure out it was just her way of letting us know that she needs to go outside.

HOWEVER, once she discovered this worked so well, she started trying it for other things too. Like she wanted a treat or there was something on the counter that she wanted. Finally we had to take her outside on a leash EVERYTIME she growled at us to let her know that it was the ONLY thing that growling was appropriate for!! I'm sure she thinks we are completely untrainable! LOL!!

[Melissa & Porter]

This has been almost my identical experience with Porter (the growl extending to more and more communication). When he growls for food, I stand up and made it clear the answer to his question is "no". When he growls to indicate that he can't reach his toy or he wants to play...then I try to help out or play a little or say no.

I find the growl so funny because it melds into a moan and back again.

Porter also growls when he is happily chasing other dogs...or even thinking about playing with a dog he sees. His butt is in the air in a play bow and wagging with glee, and the other dogs do not see him as dominant or aggressive. My only concern is that other people do not misinterpret him.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I find Tara's communication growl to be funny too! Sometimes it is hard to keep a straight face when I am trying to get her to STOP!!

She is also starting to do the "melt into moan" thing too! That is a good description! And in situations when she knows that she shouldn't growl she now does this weird little moan sound INSTEAD.(You know: "you told me not to growl and I am NOT growling")

It's hard to stay one step a head of these doodles!!

I had a Golden once that was a growler when he played! He was older when I got him and the first time I reached for one of his toys he growled. It scared me!! But soon I discovered it was just a play growl like you are describing Porter does! I can see where other people might not interpret it correctly!!

[Michael Gurley]

Sunny growls when she's trying to get another dog to play with her, and if it refuses, she just barks really loud in its ear until it reacts. Then she'll turn around and stick her butt in its face. Great fun!!

To tell me she wants to go out, though, she just runs full force into my legs and then stands there and stares at me... I don't think she has too many brain cells in there!!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Clancy moans, groans, 'growls' to himself all of the time, especially when he is loving a toy or bone. He is the most vocal dog we have ever had.

[Kyoko]

I think she is just telling you that she needs to go!! :-) What a good girl she is!!!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

LOL. My doodle pup crawled up on the couch, sat down and barked (just one really BIG dog bark for such a small guy) he It took me a minute to figure out he had to go out. At first I thought it was dominance too. Guess he's smarter than I am. From that moment, there's never been another accident in the house. He finds me wherever I am and gives one bark!
Think he might be catching on to Tara's trick though :)

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

You have to watch these Doods,Cheryl! If you don't train them, THEY will train YOU!! LOL!!

[Mustard Seed Ranch]

Also it may not be an actual GROWL. Golden owners know this and I warn/tell my puppy people..many Goldens have a Pur. It sounds like a low growl but its not, its just a communication tool they use, they will make it when being petted too, or WANT to be petted, and many doodles make the same noise...I call it a purr

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

seriously, what is it with dominance? People watch too much Cesar Millan. Not all dogs (in fact barely any) are trying to be dominant. A growl does not necessarily equal dominance

your dood is just letting you know she needs to go out :)