My pack is very vocal, and growls in various flavors are part of their language. Scares people, even when it means nothing. Most of mine growl on command, very very useful.
You have to understand when they are being threatening they can growl both while breathing IN and OUT. It's non stop and I know **** is about to get real. I can't command them to that level of aggression, it's earned.
Once you hear one go to the serious stage you will not forget that sound.
Our shepherd rarely growls. So far there have only been two people in 8 years shes geowled at. And then she sounded like one of satans hell hounds.
She even made me clench
Barks on occasion. Usually when a door bell rings on TV
If another dog comes at us being aggressive, she doesn't make a sound. She just waits patiently for them to get close enough and then she pounces, snatching them by the throat
My wife had to have a very frank discussion with a neighbor the other day since they absolutely refuse to leash their small pit bull. Even though the city has very strict leash laws.
The pit kept running up to them with the hackles raised. Close enough where my wife thumped it back with her leg a couple times.
The owner swore up and down that it wouldn't hurt anyone. My wife said that wasn't the point. Our shepherd doesn't like other dogs that she perceives as a threat. Your dog is off leash across the street going after usm. If our dog injures your dog, it's on you. If your dog injures ours, that is also on you since there are leash laws. Your dog is across the street, off your property, and running loose.
Later on that night, I was out walking and encountered the same idiots. They had their front door wide open and the dog running in and out. The dog was two houses down barking at some neighbors in their garage.
At one point, it came after us again.
When I saw the owners, I let them have it. I explained that they are absolutely stupid and being exceptionally ignorant. Explained that they need to look up the county and city dog ordinances. Explained the fines for allowing their dog to run loose and harass other people. That their dog was down barking and growling at an elderly couple two houses down in their own garage. And that if an officer saw it, they would be looking at a $1000 fine for their first offense. I finished it off by saying that I hoped they had deep pockets since their ignorance is gonna start costing them a pretty penny plus the possibility of getting the evicted from their rental.
