A Dog's Growl Is a Warning, Not an Attack
To growl is to make a low threatening sound. In dogs it is a communication signal that trainers advise against suppressing.
To growl is to make a low guttural sound of warning or anger. Behaviourists make a specific point about dogs: a growl is information, an early warning that the animal is uncomfortable, and punishing it teaches the dog to skip the warning rather than to stop feeling threatened. A dog trained out of growling is more dangerous, not less. The word is imitative, and a stomach can growl too.
- A low threatening sound. *The dog growled.*
- To speak gruffly. *He growled a reply.*
- A stomach rumble. *My stomach growled.*
- Growler — an iceberg, or a beer jug. *A small growler.*
- Snarl — the related sound with bared teeth. *A snarl.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | growl | It growled. |
| Past | growled | The dog growled. |
| Noun | growl | A low growl. |
| Adjective | growling | A growling engine. |
| Related | snarl | A snarl. |
- The dog growled at the stranger.Warning.
- He growled an answer.Gruff speech.
- Punishing a growl removes the warning.Behaviour.
Animal warning sounds
- Growl — low, from the chest, a warning
- Snarl — a growl with the teeth bared
- Hiss — cats and snakes, air forced out
- Bark — an alert, not necessarily a threat
- All of them communicate before any bite
Middle English *groulen*, of imitative origin, possibly from Old French *grouller*, to rumble.
Should a dog be punished for growling?
Trainers advise against it. A growl is a warning; suppressing it can produce a dog that bites without warning.
What is a growler?
A small iceberg that rides low in the water, and in North America also a jug for carrying draught beer.