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Hi everyone - I have an 11 week old springer spaniel. Her training is coming along fairly well and shes doing great, but there's a habit she's developing which is starting to concern me a little.
If she doesn't get her own way, she starts to growl and sometimes even snap. I understand that puppies will growl in a playful way, but this feels quite agressive. For example, if shes trying to get some where, say another room but the door is closed, I might try to distract her by playing with her or picking her up. Sometimes when I pick her up, she'll stare at me (which she does a lot and it can be a little intimidating!) and start growling, and a couple of times she has snapped at my face. Luckily I've got quick reflexes!
I'm not quite sure how to stop this behaviour and would appreciate any thoughts you have. My first thought is to put her down immediately, but then I don't want her to learn that she's getting what she wants by growling. She's very well exercised, gets the right amount of sleep, is fed the right amount and has a lot of stimulation. I'm getting very worried that she will start developing some aggressive habits.
If she doesn't get her own way, she starts to growl and sometimes even snap. I understand that puppies will growl in a playful way, but this feels quite agressive. For example, if shes trying to get some where, say another room but the door is closed, I might try to distract her by playing with her or picking her up. Sometimes when I pick her up, she'll stare at me (which she does a lot and it can be a little intimidating!) and start growling, and a couple of times she has snapped at my face. Luckily I've got quick reflexes!
I'm not quite sure how to stop this behaviour and would appreciate any thoughts you have. My first thought is to put her down immediately, but then I don't want her to learn that she's getting what she wants by growling. She's very well exercised, gets the right amount of sleep, is fed the right amount and has a lot of stimulation. I'm getting very worried that she will start developing some aggressive habits.