Cog-Dog Radio Never Punish a Growl?
Dec 2, 2025
The discussion kicks off with a deep dive into the adage 'never punish a growl,' revealing its origins and Sarah's early experiences. She highlights the importance of understanding a dog's emotional state and the need for nuanced judgment in training. Listeners learn when it's appropriate to respect a growl as a valid warning and how to handle different types of growls. Sarah emphasizes the guardian's role in recognizing subtle cues and rewarding safer alternatives. The conversation concludes with a call for context-driven responses, challenging rigid training rules.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Black-And-White Rules Fail Dogs
- The blanket rule "never punish a growl" oversimplifies complex dog behavior and can mislead handlers.
- Nuance and context are essential to decide whether to correct, reward, or change the environment.
Kelso: Warning Signals Suppressed
- Sarah describes her first border collie, Kelso, who stopped warning because he was corrected for aggression.
- She contrasts correction-for-aggression training with later feeding-for-aggression trends she calls problematic.
Assess Why The Growl Happened
- Do assess the emotional and contextual reasons behind a growl before reacting with correction or treats.
- Change the environment or human behavior to prevent repeated invasions of the dog's space.