Sandstorm has a non-threatening growl-just talking"

[KarenCurtis]

Gosh my dogs play growl all the time. Its just another part of their vocabulary. If they wanted to scare a person or alert me they would bark - loudly, they are shelties after all. Quieter barks, or high pitched barks are also usually playful or being silly, rapid barking is an alert signal, groaning usually means impatience and howling at 5am means mum get out of bed (lol). All this is easy for me to decipher - actually most of the dog people I know can decipher their language, but it can be a little hard for a non-dog person. You are probably the best judge of whether its a play growl or not.

Thankyou- I think we are too. We have had dogs in the past who were threatening- our GSD who recently died was- she would bark menacingly (no growl) if someone came on the property, off the property she was ver predictable. However, we got a reputation, unfortunately, as the people with "that awful dog"- family included. So if I try to convince them otherwise, who knows what they will think. My mother even liked Sandstorm when she met him!! She is NOT a dog person, none of my family is.
Karen

 

[Justicemom]

It is very hard to form an opinion without observation.
Karen

Absolutely right. Relaxed posture posture was the missing fact.

 

[KarenCurtis]

Absolutely right. Relaxed posture posture was the missing fact.

But sometimes Sandstorm has his tail straight up, I think this may be a territorial thing. I also wasn't there when he barked/growled at my sister, husband was. He said that my sister seemed to just appear out of nowhere- this is what startled the dog. I still would like to correct the growling- people just don't like being growled at.
Thanks for any replies.
Karen

 

[LaddieKatieMom]

Katie - the "Growlspeak" Master

Katie is a master at "growlspeak". She low growls and grunts, particularly when getting rubs and kisses. Totally non-threatening just talking.
Laddie just barks - especially when I come home and when it's walk time. He sounds like he's hooting or honking - so his nickname is Hooterhonker.

 

[Strider]

I just don't want my family to think I have another problem dog!! They are ignorant though. Sandstorm likes to talk, and bark, and make noises, and burp and sneeze. He doesn't fart though.
Karen

Darby farts. Who would have thought that so much odor could come from such a tiny dog.. O M G!..

He has cleared our home on more than one occasion and in fact one time there was a snow storm.. we prefered the cold.. And the funiest part.. his are SBDs!! Yep, not even a toot to anounce the onslaught.. and before anyone out there thinks to try and blame Deja.. Uhm.. no, she would never..

 

[OntarioSheltie]

Ginny is now 9 months old and very vocal when she's playing. She LOVES to growl and bark, I guess to make up for her small size (13.5"). Her favorite game is big vicious puppy attacking little hand animal created with Mom's fingers.

She's generally pretty gentle, she loves to growl and make noise and then jumps on my hand.

Some people have been taken aback when she growls in her playful way, but she's so little and funny that no one takes her seriously. Good thing she's just playful or I'd have to really watch out!

 

[KarenCurtis]

I think with Sandstorm, since he is a big sheltie, people may take it more seriously when he growls. He is also very vocal, and barks/growls also. He talks, whines, sings and cries- sneezes and burps.
He responds best to a VERY firm NO. We tried ignoring, but when he is lunging at cars and barking, or lunging at the living room mirror and barking, it is a very firm no. When he growls with his tail straight up, also a firm no.
Thanks for the feedback,
Karen

 

[Caro]

I think you're right about size. When Deska charges after cyclists or skateboards I've only had one kid be scared - most of the time people want to pat the lassie dog, if they can stop him spinning and barking! Even Tully can growl and bark at little kids in fear and their parents will still want their child to pat the little dog! Shelties arent common here, and neither are rough collies, so my dogs can get away with an awful lot because they are small and pretty.

 

[Baileysmom]

I think that "vocal" and "Sheltie" are pretty much synonymous! Bailey is a panter as in, "ha ha ha ha I'm so happy to see you!" and a growler, as in "grrrr, grrr, grrr, those butt rubbs feel gooooooood"! It's just their nature! He also likes to walk up behind you and poke his skinny nose between your legs and pop his head through so you'll bend over and give him chest scratches. Shelties are the BEST!!

Does your sister ever pet your guy to see that he's a lover, not a fighter?

 

[Emmasmom]

I He also likes to walk up behind you and poke his skinny nose between your legs and pop his head through so you'll bend over and give him chest scratches. Shelties are the BEST!!

Noah was similar, only he came to the front of the legs to go through because he liked getting his haunches rubbed. He would stand just grinning like everything and I had to give him a gentle slap on each side to let him know he was done.