Sammi mouth has been getting a little sore and she's been chewing anything and everything. So I decided to get a raw bone for her to exercise her jaw on and hopefully give her some comfort.(as well as strengthen the ears muscles - yes it can/does work!) But as I went out into the garden to check on her Isla followed me out, Sammi growled as Isla approached her as she lay chewing her bone. I though, "I wonder if she's growl at me" and walked over. She did. Instinct took over and I shook her ... as I hoped her mum would do in a similar situation! I took the bone off her and waited a few seconds before giving it back to her. I tried a second time and she growled again .... so I repeated the process, the third time she gave me the bone. I gave it back to her and went back into the house for 10 mins or so before repeating the process again numerous times. No problems, she released the bone into my hand. This evening I have also spent a little time holding the bone and allowing her to chew it on my terms. Had I walked away and ignored the growl I would definitely have made a rod for my own back. Sammi is a bright little thing and would have quickly realised she'd won the battle, instead she has hopefully learnt their are consequences to her actions!
She is not the first pup to grumble at me in this way ... Seffe and Kiri both did it over a "prize" at this age. It was dealt with in the same way with both, neither ever growled at me again. Hopefully therefore this war is now over.
