Growling
 

My little girl is a year old and she is the sweetest tiny thing. But lately she has been growling at me when I come near her bed. I always check around but all she has is her bunny there. This just started about a week ago. she only 3 pounds so when she growls it really cute. But for the first time she bit my boyfriend not hard but it was a first. What can it be ?

First, a few questions, if you don't mind.

What was your boyfriend doing when she bit him?
How do you respond to her growling?
Which do you think she is protecting - her bed or her bunny?

You have to discourage the growling. YES it's cute, but growling usually comes before biting which is NOT cute. Since Loki turned 1 we've had similar issues, and we are ignoring it or not allowing it (consequence: time outs). We also have a professional trainer guiding us. Your baby could simply be testing you, which is common at this age, and that makes it IMPERATIVE that you do not allow it. If at ALL possible please contact a professional positive trainer. I say this because there are so many things you can do wrong in this situation and I hesitate to give you advice because I don't have all the facts and even if I did this is best left to professionals. Please treat this as a serious problem and get professional help. I'm not saying there is something wrong with your baby! The behavior is bad, not the dog. You need to find out the proper way to handle the behavior so that you can make it stop.

ETA: Until you get in touch with a trainer, get this book. "The Other End of the Leash" by Pat McConnell. It won't tell you how to fix the problem, but it will help you understand your dog and why you need someone who has studied Animal Behavior to help you fix it!

Do not let her do that. Correct her by saying NO NO! It seems to me that with her age, MAYBE she thinks the bunny is her baby?????? Is she in heat? Is she spayed? Do not let her get territorial. Cowboy wants to be territorial with me...and as cute as it sounds, I correct him for it and continue to pet the other Yorkie that has jumped up on my lap. They could care less that this little fart growled at them, but I know that I have to correct it.