Growels or Grumbles....

[AMoJoLover]

OK.... a little background....

MoJo is a 3 year old Rott we got from a breeder who didn't want to use MoJo as their breeding bitch, cause she was too small (85-90lbs) Anyway, they did show her a few times, and she did earn a few ribbons. We got her in 11/04. It was in the agreement that we get her fixed, so, we did in 01/05.

After she came home from the vet's she would do this growling thing, which I never cared much for, but then again, i've never had a dog, so this was a little scary for me. We tried to do some reaseach on this, and everyone we have talked to say that some dogs do the equevielent of "purring" like cats, but it's so loud!! She only does it when we are loving on her, and petting, snuggling whatever.
She does tend to stop when I Shhhhhhhh....quietly/gently in her ears.
Does anyone else's dog do this?
Can anyone give me some insight???

Also, she has just recently started to attack passing cars, when we are in the car for a ride. What the heck... ? Does she get bored?

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally Posted by AMoJoLover

OK.... a little background....

MoJo is a 3 year old Rott we got from a breeder who didn't want to use MoJo as their breeding bitch, cause she was too small (85-90lbs) Anyway, they did show her a few times, and she did earn a few ribbons. We got her in 11/04. It was in the agreement that we get her fixed, so, we did in 01/05.

After she came home from the vet's she would do this growling thing, which I never cared much for, but then again, i've never had a dog, so this was a little scary for me. We tried to do some reaseach on this, and everyone we have talked to say that some dogs do the equevielent of "purring" like cats, but it's so loud!! She only does it when we are loving on her, and petting, snuggling whatever.
She does tend to stop when I Shhhhhhhh....quietly/gently in her ears.
Does anyone else's dog do this?
Can anyone give me some insight???

Also, she has just recently started to attack passing cars, when we are in the car for a ride. What the heck... ? Does she get bored?

Well I can't help you with the attacking of the passing cars. I'm sure someone else will chime in with help on that. Although, is she in training classes currently?!?

Julius will grumble/growl when we rub his bottom. It has to be done JUST right & he'll start. It doesn't bother me because Julius' father did it as well. Like father, like son. If you don't like it, tell her to knock it off...but otherwise, I would assume that it's okay. Now if he would do it when I patted him on the head, I would kick that behavior in the butt. I wouldn't want someone to come up to say hello to Julius & get a grumble in return. But since no one really rubs Julius butt, but Ryan or I ...we don't mind.


Brooke

[Judi W]

well, I know its been said before, but I'll repeat it. Dogs do not purr.

You have an adult dog that you don't know very well, and you are definitely getting way into her space and she is telling you she does not like it. I think it would be very wise to pay attention to her communication.

You need to sign up for an obedience class where you will both learn about each other and she will learn manners and to listen to your instructions. Now, learning manners does not mean she is going to turn into a surrogate teddy bear to be hugged on and snuggled. Save that for your human companions who might be more understanding of it. Many dogs do not welcome being smothered with physical closeness and express that. A nice pat and a scratch behind the ears and a "good dog" as a reward for being a good dog is quite sufficient to them. Good relationships with our dogs require mutual respect. Add some training to that and you should be just fine. Remember that while cats might be content to be petted on endlessly (although I've known more than a few who when they've had enough think nothing of turing and giving a bite or scratch), many dogs do not like it. That is not faulty, it is just a dog with its own sense of dignity and space.

[Judi W]

Brooke,
You raised Julius from a small pup and he will accept things from you that he might not otherwise. This is an adult bitch.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally Posted by Judi W

Brooke,
You raised Julius from a small pup and he will accept things from you that he might not otherwise. This is an adult bitch.

Very true, Judi. That is something I didn't take into account. Forgot that the OP got this dog when it was older.

[RottiMomCT]

Originally Posted by AMoJoLover

Also, she has just recently started to attack passing cars, when we are in the car for a ride. What the heck... ? Does she get bored?

What do you mean 'attack passing cars when we are out for a ride'? Does she stare and bark/lunge/growl as they pass or approach? Is she loose in the car? Crated?? In a seat belt type of restraint?

Have you attended training classes with her?? Any training she had prior to joining your home means nothing to YOUR relationship with this dog as a member of YOUR family...

[AMoJoLover]

Originally Posted by Judi W

well, I know its been said before, but I'll repeat it. Dogs do not purr.

You have an adult dog that you don't know very well, and you are definitely getting way into her space and she is telling you she does not like it. I think it would be very wise to pay attention to her communication.

You need to sign up for an obedience class where you will both learn about each other and she will learn manners and to listen to your instructions. Now, learning manners does not mean she is going to turn into a surrogate teddy bear to be hugged on and snuggled. Save that for your human companions who might be more understanding of it. Many dogs do not welcome being smothered with physical closeness and express that. A nice pat and a scratch behind the ears and a "good dog" as a reward for being a good dog is quite sufficient to them. Good relationships with our dogs require mutual respect. Add some training to that and you should be just fine. Remember that while cats might be content to be petted on endlessly (although I've known more than a few who when they've had enough think nothing of turing and giving a bite or scratch), many dogs do not like it. That is not faulty, it is just a dog with its own sense of dignity and space.

[/quote]

Judi W.--
I think that this may not be true, because when I am petting her, or whatever, when she does growel, she seems to lean, and she does this thing with her front leg. She will always put it up on my arm, kinda like a shake, so it doesn't seem like she is getting agressive at all.

[AMoJoLover]

Judi W.--- This was the quote I was going for on that last reply

"you are definitely getting way into her space and she is telling you she does not like it. I think it would be very wise to pay attention to her communication."

[VANCOUVERISLANDROT]

Judi W.--
I think that this may not be true, because when I am petting her, or whatever, when she does growel, she seems to lean, and she does this thing with her front leg. She will always put it up on my arm, kinda like a shake, so it doesn't seem like she is getting agressive at all.[/quote]

Well if she's pawing you then it sounds to me like she's just enjoying it. Dogs might not "purr" but mine sure makes a whole lot of LOUD "happy grumbles" all the time. He always does it when he rolls on his back, I rub his tummy, massage him etc = he grumbles up a storm. You can sooooooo tell the difference between a happy grumble and a back-off grumble imo.

Do you feel confident enough in your relationship with your dog to be able to read her body language and know she's enjoying it versus giving you a warning?

[AMoJoLover]

Vancouver-

The more and more I play with her, and get to know what her signs are, I am starting to feel more comfortable with her. "happy grumbles" she doesn't show teeth, agressive ones, SHE DOES!!
But we don't see those very often, hardly at all!!!

[Judi W]

So this was really one of those "yes, but" subjects. Well, I don't know much. I would however suggest that putting a paw on you and grumbling is not a deferrential sign as far as the relationship is concerned and would recommend that you not be putting your face in hers remembering that this is not a dog that you have raised. Most bites delivered to family members occur to the face.

[AMoJoLover]

rottimom--
I have a truck, I am not going to put her in the bed of the truck, (by herself or with her crate), the crate doesn't fit in the cab of the truck, which does have an extended cab, which is where she sits.
She waits for a car to start coming from the other direction,(as she is looking over our shoulder thru the front window) and once its right next to the car, she jumps/lunges at the window. It's not agressive, I think it just sounds like it is cause she is so big,
but it concerns me cause I don't think she knows how big she really is, and i'm afraid she is going to hurt herself.
We have started enforcing "leave it!" as a command to this, which is helping.

But its weird, I don't know if its just her being goofy, or what. Thats my take on it. That or she gets bored.

[VANCOUVERISLANDROT]

For your safety and hers...get her a doggy seatbelt seeing as you can't fit a carrier in your vehicle. Oscar just started using his belt and he didn't freak out of anything. It will just restrain her from lunging forward at other cars. And if you ever get in an accident you won't have an adult Rotti flying past you out the windshield.

[AMoJoLover]

I don't know that I have ever heard of one of those.
I will definitly look into it.

[VANCOUVERISLANDROT]

It's a sort of body harness and it has a tether wiht the male end of a seatbelt that actually clicks into the female end in your vehicle . Mine can be fastened that way and it has another slot for putting one of those over the shoulder seatbelts through. It wasn't very expensive...like $17 cdn. for Oscar's. I also learned from these forums to make sure the clasps are metal as the plastic ones will break. It still allows him to sit up, lay down etc, just doesn't allow him to "lunge" and he's alot safer in the car now.