How do I get my dog to stop growling at me?

That's the problem. He is so comfortable with you that he feels like the alpha. I understand that you love your dog and he loves you but he could bite you. I do not say this to scare you or badmouth your dog only that you need to be the one to change this. Dogs live in packs and if you let them they will run the place. Make him lay on his back and show you both his neck and his belly, with submission. That means no fighting,struggling,snapping,growling,head back and no eye contact on the dogs part. Eye contact is a form of aggression to dogs so he needs to lay there while you look him in the eye and he looks away. Too much of any emotion to a dog excites and confuses them. They don't know what you want them to do. This is especially hard for an abused dog to decipher. When the abuse was happening It could have been with too much of either emotion. After you have made your friend understand that you are in charge if he has this behavior again put him in a crate. NOT as a punishment but as a time out for both of you. He needs to understand that his behavior is unacceptable. Also when you adopt an abused animal there might be some things that you cannot do and showing to much emotion might be this dogs fear. I applaud you for adopting him and I hope you and your friend can work this out. Good Luck

Think of a wolf pack. The dominant wolf shows dominance. You HAVE to make sure this dog knows you are the boss. Don't hurt the dog, but you have to take control. Look him directly in the eyes when interacting with him. Do not kneel down to him. Show dominance in your voice (not yelling, but a strong demanding voice), body language and most of all, your attitude. A great show is "The Dog Whisperer". Not sure what network. Small dogs usually have problems like this. For some reason, they think they are boss, and you are the pet. Turn this situation around immediately. The sooner the better. Act now!

Totally ignore him, show the dog that you are the boss and if he growls at you you don't want to know him. When the dog gets nasty turn your back on him. If he's been abused he's not used to kindness, you wouldn't ask an abused little girl to "come and sit on Daddy's lap," it's the same with animals. Let the kindness build up, for gods sake don't shout at him, he doesn't understand what you're saying; it's just a loud of angry loud noises (you don't understand his barks do you?)

My dog was found wondering the streets and we think he was hit with a broom or a walking stick (he was terrified of them) we made a game of sweeping up and now he thinks of the broom as his personal toy. What I'm saying is - is there something about you or something that you wear that might frighten him? Dogs are so smart and never forget what's been done to them. If someone who always wore a baseball cap abused him he's going to look at anyone with a cap on and think "God I'm in for a kicking."

Just be firm but don't shout - would you like it if you were terrified and all you got was loud noises that you didn't understand? If he's nasty, time out. He might look like a mean dog but inside he's a frightened little baby.

(You've got me crying now lol.)

Hugs Vicky x

i doubt that this will help you, but thought of a terribly abused dog we rescued. She was a bout 5 or 6 when we got her. The animal control said they had been trying to catch her for weeks, and she was just too wary and fast. She had been living out of garbage cans, and everyone in the neighborhood had been throwing rocks at her, as she scattered the trash.

Well, she would lay in the floor, and growl or snap at every movement our family made. ( my son nicknamed her 'Gator")

After a couple of weeks, my college aged son said he was gonna fix this. He sat on the couch with a light fishing rod, and would gently poke her. When she came up snapping, there was nothing there. Then he would toss her a treat.

I told him over and over to leave the poor dog alone! but, he was just persistent.

Ya know..in just a couple of weeks, she began ignoring the taps, and relaxed. She was rarely snappy after that, and grew to love our family, and soon accepted visitors as well.

I don't know how this might help you, but thought it might inspire a an idea of how to treat the grumpy ol guy. I sure would have never thought it would work, but it did.

Often when we got a grumpy rescue we fed them ALL food by hand, a couple of kibbles at a time. This usually calmed them down, and they became reliant on us, and were soon trainable.

I wish you the very best of luck with your dog. He deserves the best, and so do you.

This could be pent up anger from the abuse. I would be careful when he does it. He could end up having a flash back and may end up hurting you. Just be careful around him or take him to some one who deals with animal behavior.

two things to try, praise with treats whenever he's not responding to you with a growl. also WHEN HE DOES GROWL roll a news paper and smack your own hand making a big noise while saying NO!!. THIS DETERS MY DOGS FROM ALL UNWANTED BEHAVIOR. IMPORTANT TO PRAISE GOOD STUFF OVERLY AND ALOT. :)

That sounds like you need to be careful. I think he could end up biting your face off.

Leave him alone!

you can tell it no or tap it's noise and tell it no more.