What do you do when your dog growls at you for trying to massage his leg?

[Melony]

My boyfriend was going to rub my dogs leg and he growled at him, well he spanked him because he tried to attack him. It scared the crap out of me but then afterwards i just cried because he hit him hard. He was just trying to teach him not to growl at him. Now he doesn't want the dog, he doesn't want to have to spank him again for growling. The dog has done this in the past and it was because i went to put food in his bowl or something when he was eating. I don't know why he acts like this, he was trying to rub his leg to help him because he was limping. I had taken him on a long walk earlier today and he overexerted himself. I don't know why he acts like that. He has everything, we spoil him, he goes everywhere, the park, walks, vacations with us, has his own bed a lot of toys and we give him a lot of love and look what he does....We don't know what to do if we don't get some good answers we might have to get rid of him.....
kingsley your really overreacting. this dog has growled at me several times in the past and we do not abuse him u ignorant bit7h. He tried to attack my boyfriend what are we suppose to do, let him eat my boyfriend. wtf. I didn't understand that it was a warning but now i do the same mistake wont have been repeated twice. I had put the dog outside to punish him and at the same time i thought i was having a heart attack because i freaked out so much. I love him so much and i don't want to give up my dog but i don't want him to kill me either. I don't believe in hitting animals either. What are some ways to know when your dog is wanting to attack you and smart allecks that think they know it all, what should you do when you think the dog is attacking you?

 

[Worldemperor]

What would you do if a random guy walked by and started massaging your legs?

 

[SPAY YOUR MUTT!]

Your dog probably growled because that may have HURT to have his leg massaged. Dogs dont necessarily enjoy massage and your BF may have been too rough. If he was limping the leg may be injured and it probably REALLY hurt to have it massaged.

I would not correct my dog for growling over something like that. This dog should not have been corrected, he issued a growl to warn your BF to stop.

Hitting your dog does NOT resolve aggression issues either. It makes them worse, or may even make the dog fearful.

As for growling over food, that is a dominant behavoir. I suggest you and your BF google NILIF (nothing in life is free).. learn this method of training, and USE it. It helps you to understand pack mentality, and learn how to act like a pack leader and take charge.

 

[K9MuttRescuerツ]

Don't rub his leg???
Take him to a vet???

Hmm..what to do what to do...

Edit : I read more of the description. I have a better answer, do us all the favor ( you, your bf and the dog ) and give it up to a no Kill shelter. Then, turn your self in to an SPCA and get arrested for animal abuse.

Edit : Hmm, if a dog was attacking me? First of all, is it a small breed or big breed? It's YOUR dog YOU should be responsible for the training of the dog and/or the way he acts. If a dog was attacking me I wouldn't hit him. Hitting doesn't do anything but make the dog scared. By all means, bring the dog to a no kill shelter! He needs better owners.

 

[Sarah]

He is in pain.

That's why he growled at you. He may have sprained or broken his leg and when your boyfriend touched it, it hurt! Take him to the vet so they can evaluate and help him heal.

While that has nothing to do with his food aggression, that should not be tolerated. Find a behaviorist to help you sort out his food aggression before someone gets badly hurt.

PS. Don't ever hit a dog.

 

[kingsley]

don't rub the dogs legs....if you do this then you wouldn't have to give up the dog and why would you let a little thing like this make you want to give up a dog? ppl like u make me sick, NEVER ABUSE ANIMALS!

 

[Schnauzer Mom 00]

"he was trying to rub his leg to help him because he was limping"

Obviously his leg was hurting and your boyfriend was making it hurt worse, and the only way the dog could say "Stop doing that, it hurts" was to growl... at which point your boyfriend hit the dog.

Find a new home for the dog, because it's obvious your idiot boyfriend doesn't have a clue. You don't teach a dog "not to growl" by hitting him.