Raising Puppies

It may be tempting to laugh if your tiny puppy growls over a toy when you try to take it, but this is actually a problem behavior. Growling over a food bowl, toys, or other "prizes" is called "resource guarding." This problem will not go away on its own, and actually is likely to become worse if not addressed. What starts out as a growl could end up as a snap or a bite.

Teasing your puppy while she growls is not a game. Instead, it's likely to increase her aggression. What if she gets hold of something dangerous, and you can't get it away from her because she snaps at you? What if a small child tries to take your puppy's "prize" away? Some puppies may not bite an adult but won't hesitate to bite a young child.

If your puppy is growling over items, it's no laughing matter. Call a professional dog trainer or applied animal behaviorist and get help addressing the problem now, before your puppy and her growls get any bigger.

There's another instance where puppy growling is a real concern. Some puppies growl at their tails, paws, or other parts of their own bodies. You may have even