I have a 15 wk old springer who has started growling at me. This happens when she is laying on her back and we are nowhere near her. It is a kind of growl-bark-growl. I don't know if she is asking me to play or being nasty, and if so how to deal with this.
Can you please help?
Jenny Stirling

Is she wriggling about on her back while she does it and does she also make the same noises when she does a play bow front end down bum up tail wagging. My Beardie at 17 months still rolls about on his back half growling half barking and I always took it as play. I think it is unlikely to be aggression as you are nowhere near her, I would wait a second or two then call her to you for a game just so you are controlling things and she is not telling you what to do. What do others think?
Anne

Sounds like she's inviting your attention for something....petting, playing, whatever.
It just depends on the tones and her whole body language which is difficult to figure out over the internet.

Samma always 'talks' to me for various reasons. Sometimes other people think she's growling, when it's just a polite rumbled request to be picked up.

Can't say too much since there's just not enough information to make a solid determination on my part. Hope there's someone else on here that can puzzle it out a bit better.
good luck,
toodles

Nellie talks to me to, sometimes I can hear her barking and growling to her self and I go in the room and she is wiggling about on the floor she usually does this when she first wakes up.
I think you get used to the noises they make as they get older. Nellie is in no way a dominant dog and sometimes she barks at me and I just stare at her and she looks away and lies down. Now she has worked out a grumble as if to say look I want some attention but dont take it in a threatening way.
I think you will soon get used to her noises and learn to read them. The eyes are always the best way to tell what your dog is thinking.