grumbling at men?????

[Rebecca Atkinson]

Hi there i am just wondering how you would combat a grumble when men come in to my house? i am a childminder and dixie has been to work with me from a young age and recently started grumbling at men and i wondered how to stop this? She did it a little when she was crate training but now she is just in her bed and stays in there when told too. it is becoming a bigger issue now as it is more noticeable and because i look after children i want to stop her as it dent look good????? help???

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

By "grumbling", do you mean growling? 

[Rebecca Atkinson]

Well yeah I suppose but it doesn't sound fierce it sounds more like she is frightened she also does it when she thinks someone is out there?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Can you explain the physical set-up? What do you mean by "out there"? Dixie is in her bed in another room and growls when... she thinks someone is at the door? She hears a man's voice? I'm not clear as to the circumstances when this is occurring. 

Most dogs do bark or issue some kind of warning when someone comes to the door, and that's actually a desirable trait for most dog owners, as it lets us know somebody is out there. Growling is typically a warning, whether it stems from fear or from something else. 

[charlotte bednarsh]

Hi Rebecca, I would definitely want to stop the grumbling or growling at men, because it is different than the barking that most dogs do when someone comes to the door.  The grumbling or growling, particularly at males, sounds more like behavior that could turn into something more aggressive and given you are watching children, that could be dangerous.  For instance, what if a dad comes to your house to pick up a child, and Dixie lunges at him.  I would definitely speak with a knowledgeable trainer who could assess the growling, determine the level of danger it presents and what you need to do.  If Dixie is growling at men, she could easily growl at an older male child, so I would be very cautious.  Given the fact you are watching children within your home, you have a huge responsibility and liability to ensure your dog is safe to be around for all individuals entering your home.

[Rebecca Atkinson]

I am under no allusion that I wouldnt be! I would said any dog is capable of anything and I can see it is out of fear and is weary of male voices! She is watched at all times and I am with her when such males come into the house she allows them to stroke her but I can see she is alittle uneasy not to the point she is being funny or hurt someone. So I don't think it's a drastic as that but just really wanted to ask for some advise or things I could try before that!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

It so hard to give advice without knowing the exact context of the growling.  My dogs will bark and even growl if they hear someone right outside our house of at the door....it's their way of warning that there might be danger.  I have no problem with it if it's just a quick few barks or growls....if it continues I correct them verbally and go to the door to show them that I have it "under control".  If the man comes into the house and the growling continues, that would be more concerning.  Is there any possible way you could get a quick video on your phone so that we could better understand what's going on?