Springer spaniel growling

[suesimons]

I have a springer spaniel who is 4 years old, we have had him for about 3 months and he is very friendly with everyone exept my husband, he will growl if he tells him to do anything or even if he just comes and strokes him. This doesnt happen all the time but most of it, he will come up to my husband of his own free will for a stroke and will then start growling. He doesnt do it with anyone else, we have had lots of visitors and they all get a warm welcome. He is fine with my other dog who is a border collie aged 8and a half. It's just very disheartning for my husband he thinks the dog doesnt like him but i disagree as he does go up to him of his own free will and i dont think he would do that if he didnt like him. He also sometimes shakes when he growls. If anyone could give me any idea's as to why he is doing this it would be greatly appreciated.
B]suesimons[/B]

[nick_j007]

Hi. I would follow the approach offered in a similar post here:

nervous behaviour

HTH.

Nick

[suesimons]

Hi Nick, i read the post you directed me to but it seems a slightly different scenario, my dog Dylan doesnt run for cover and seems quite happy to share his space, but more often than not he will growl just at my husband. I have a suspicion Dylan was mistreated by his previous owner and i think he must of looked like my husband which is where the association is comming from. Only this morning my husband is not to well today and Dylan went up to him and sat on his knee and cuddled in to him and he didnt growl once like he knew there was something wrong. I think it's confusing us because his behaviour is so inconsistant, do you think the ignoring technique will still work or is there anything else you or anyone can suggest.

many thanks

suesimons

[turnerj]

This sounds very similar to the situation we had with our rescue dog, who is also part spaniel. He was totally fine myself and my children but whenever my husband came home from work he would stand there barking and growling at him. During the night if my husband got up to go to the toilet, when he came back in the room, the dog would growl and bark at him and we were concerned that he would lunge and attack. Whenever he did this my husband just told him to shut up and carried on doing what he was doing. This lasted about 5 months and we were concerned that we might have to take him back to the home. It did take a while, about 5 months, for the dog to relax totally around my husband and I think that it was just time that was needed for him to get used to his new situation and the people involved in it. As my husband was at work all day and sometimes working away from home, it took longer to bond with him than the rest of the family.

I would say that give it more time and things should settle down. We made sure that my husband would give him his food when he was home and he would take him for walks to bond with him. You will get there it will just take time, if my experience is anything to go by anyway!

Good luck and just be patient - hope this helps, even if it's just to show others have been there.

[nick_j007]

I think Turnej puts it well as above.

Give it time, don't impose on the dog (this is normally our desire to make friends rather than the dogs). Give the dog space and time.

Have you ever noticed how cats and dogs gravitate to those that ignore them? That's because they are showing a natural confidence, non confrontational, and a leadership bias.

Nick