What reasons for constant growling

aonb

This is NOT a problem, I am just wondering what others thoughts might be on this behaviour from one of my dogs.

I have 3 dogs. A 15 yr old JRT, a 2 yr old JRT and an ancient (rescue) collie.
They are super dogs, the love of our lives, all live happily together, home cooked food, 2 daily walks, sofa - life is good.

The 2 yrs old JRT is a bit anxious, a territorial, clingy, nervous type. He is not very intelligent :rolleyes: He hates to be shouted at (dont they all) and if hes done something naughty he really cowers (though we've *never* hit them) after whatever trivial thing hes done. Anyway, thats a small picture of his personality. The thing is, he is ALWAYS growling/grumbling (in fact his nickname is Grumble!) - not in a scary way, but really loud - just now I was playing with him, nicked his nose with my nail, and started to make a fuss of him - he immediately started really loud growling, low in his tummy. The more fuss I made of him, the more growling. He adores having his tummy scratched, flips upside down every time you pass him, and when you scratch his tummy, he growls. If my teen daughter picks him up he growls - constantly, until she puts him down. If I dry him off after a walk, he growls.
He is not being aggressive when he growls - could it be simply a reaction from being nervous/worried?!? Odd when he does it if you scratch his tummy (growling when blissed out??) Hes very loving - sits on our laps, jumps into the bed for a cuddle every morning :rolleyes: and is such a happy little dog. Is he just 'talking' to us when he does this, are some dogs more vocal than others?? Any thoughts?

fathead82

Maybe its just a little quirk that he has.We have a dog who lifts up her lip & shows her teeth when shes happy.to anyone who does not know her it looks like shes about to bite.
Whats his body language & eyes like when he does it? Is he stiff & staring or relaxed & eyes closed?

aonb

fathead82 wrote: »

Maybe its just a little quirk that he has.We have a dog who lifts up her lip & shows her teeth when shes happy.to anyone who does not know her it looks like shes about to bite.
Whats his body language & eyes like when he does it? Is he stiff & staring or relaxed & eyes closed?

scratching tummy + growling = closed eyes, ears flat to head
All other instances of growling = relaxed body but eyes open, ears pricked, tail up or down (varies)
Could be just a quirk as you suggest...

Pretzill

my BC male has this low rumble satisfied grumble when he gets tummy rubs - couldn't call it a growl though he likes to speak a lot when he's excited, yap and bark but not a bit agressively maybe you just have a vocal dog or could he be hurting where you rub him? The youngest of my lot does that thing where it looks as though she thinks she's going to be hit - I can't understand that one as I never had nor would and we've had her since a pup.

DBB

I have a little one here who growls too, but like yours, there's no substance to it, no malice.
I've tried for years to figure it out, and I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. But my best guess is that it stems from a mild conflict going on in the dog.. they enjoy the tummy rubs and contact on one level, but on another level feel slightly vulnerable about this close contact on a vulnerable part of their body.
At this stage, my dog is 12ish years old, and I don't feel she feels conflicted any longer, she has just learned over the years to use growling as part of her repertoire. It has become a habit. Indeed, now there's never any sign of her body language suggesting she's feeling vulnerable, if anything the growling has become her version of laughing, if that doesn't sound ridiculous Whilst she's growling, she's initiating as close contact as she can get!

Outkast_IRE

My collie does a lot of low grumbling noises when shes happy and relaxing and rolling around the place.

I tell people its her moaning about something (shes a female dog)

NeonCookies

I think some dogs are just noisier than others.. one of mine "grunts" when she's happy (like rubbing her tummy etc. as you mentioned for your dog!) She also as the quirk fathead82 mentioned - lifting up her lip so it looks like she's snarling, as she goes to lick your face. I still haven't gotten used to it, and often flinch when she does it out of pure instinct! As long as the rest of his body language is relaxed, then I guess he's just being overly vocal haha.

muddypaws

I have a sibe cross thats exactly the same, he's growling away, but no teeth shown, and when I stop rubbing him he paws me to start again! Interesting DBB on the conflict thing, hadn't really thought of that, but I can understand it in his case, he's a pretty insecure little dog.

aonb

This dog growls ALL the time - not just when being scratched/rubbed. It is as some of you have suggested, just a habit now I think. There is no aggression in his body language at all. Hes a joy and a pleasure to have around.

Unfortunately once he comes into contact with ANY strange dog at all, the growling kicks in immediately and constantly - VERY offputting to watch for people who dont know him - I wonder would the other dog recognise that its a non-aggressive growling or is growling growling full stop? (We have given up on trying to socialize him and avoid walking in dog-walkers areas (we live rural so thats fine))