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New Member- Hi from Grand Rapids MI

779 Views 5 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Darkevs
Hi everyone....

I have a 14 week old female doberman named Britta. This is our first doberman. We have 2 other dogs...Cynder a 5 year old Weimariner and Trigger a 4 year old German Shorthair Pointer.

We had Britta's ears cropped 2 1/2 weeks ago and they are going great from what the vet tells us. He was tempted to not post them again and see how they do but wanted to give them another week.

So far Britta is like any other puppy but I do have a question...when she is playing or sleeping and she is picked up but doesn't want to be she throws a fit! Grumbling and growling like she is so mad. This seems odd to me for a puppy to do. She does this more to my husband then she does with me. I don't want it to get worse down the road. Any suggestions how to stop this? When she does this with me I tell her firmly "NO" and will hold her muzzle until she stops. My husband tells her no but she doesn't seem to listen to him as well.
Other then her throwing a fit she is great. She knows her place in the house and listens pretty good, as good as a puppy can. I am just worried she will become aggressive later if she is already getting mad about something like that. It just seems odd for a 14 week old puppy to do that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
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Welcome from Colorado!!

I'm afraid I can't offer any advice about about your puppy's grumbling habit--but here are a few questions that might clarify things?? Does she wiggle and squirm to get down when you pick her up, or does she just make noise? Does she bite or nip at you when you try to pick her up? Is she comfortable approaching you or do you have to "run her down" to catch her? Does she mostly act grumbly when you wake her from sleep or startle her, or does she complain most times when you try to pick her up? Is there any possibility she has a sore or tender spot that is bothering her?

It doesn't seem to me that you should actually be holding her muzzle shut to get her to stop--that might perpetuate the problem. But I really don't know. I hope other folks chime in with their opinions.
Bella is a grumbler, but she doesnt growl, or nip. If she doesnt want to be held (she is 7 months now so she is pretty big) she will squirm a bit and we let her get off the chair but she usually only does her little grumbling, which she does all the time even in her sleep.
Im not sure what your girls having a fit consists of but it could be she is uncomfortable with the way she is being lifted or held, or as suggested maybe a sore spot. Some dogs do not like being held in their back, that could be if you are turning her over, some it just startles them being so far off the ground.
Why don't you leave her sleep? I don't like to be bothered when I'm sleeping.

Please, stop the muzzle holding on a 14 week old puppy. What you do now and how you treat her will have a profound impact on her as she grows.


So far Britta is like any other puppy but I do have a question...when she is playing or sleeping and she is picked up but doesn't want to be she throws a fit! Grumbling and growling like she is so mad. This seems odd to me for a puppy to do. She does this more to my husband then she does with me. I don't want it to get worse down the road. Any suggestions how to stop this? When she does this with me I tell her firmly "NO" and will hold her muzzle until she stops. My husband tells her no but she doesn't seem to listen to him as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Hello and Welcome to Doberman Talk!

What does your pups breeder say about the grumbly, growly thing?

Hugz to Britta!
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