Hi,
I have a 14 week old Cavachon. She's super friendly and loves everyone and every dog she meets. Recently she's become big enough that she can jump on our couch. We've decided we don't mind this as she is a lapdog.
However she sometimes does get scared jumping off the couch and when she clearly tries to get off and we try to help her by picking her up she growls and sometimes even bites (very soft bites, no pressure behind it but teeth to skin contact). We don't think that's ok at all and I'm wondering how to get her to stop doing that.
Even the gesture of going in with my hands before I pick her up will sometimes get a growl out. I'm not sure if this is frustration, that's she scared to jump of herself or a sign of aggression. She's not aggressive at all otherwise, but we want to stop this behavior before it becomes a problem.
If I pick her off the couch when she does not suspect it or when she's tired she does not growl.
So far I've tried going very slowly in steps first touching her and if she doesn't growl treat her and then work from that while praising her a lot when I've picked her up and she didn't growl.
Hopefully a more experienced dog owner has any advice! Thanks!
