DH and I were discussing this on the weekend - we have honestly never seen Harley angry/aggressive/snarl and I know that it is often discussed on the forum. Is it an uncommon behaviour for grown labs? When Harley sees someone or something she doesn't know in her space, like the yard, for instance she will bark but she usually has a frown on her face and the moment she sees it is a person she is belting towards them to say hello. My question is, is this most likely what she will be like as a grown dog too? The most I have heard is when her and DH rough house and chase each other around the house - she makes a growly sound, but then so does he but if he stops, she immediately stops and sits. Even when she is very unsure of something I have never heard her growl, she just moves closer to us. This is something I love about her and I hope it never changes.
Some puppies stay the same whilst others change as they mature. You may find Harley does change as she becomes more confident and maybe starts to show an assertive side to her character. You will have to wait and see
Like @charlie said, they are all different and only time will tell. Quinn is now almost 17 months and we have never heard her growl or snap, even at another dog. She rarely barks...that could change still I'm sure!
As I have been reading your replies I realised that she actually does do a growl when I play tug with her, or if she wants to play tug she will drop the tug toy on my lap with a little throaty growl. But I really don't see that as any sign of aggression, I think she is being rather clever by telling me what type of game she wants with that toy. We encourage Harley to use her words but she is also a quiet pup. She is learning to be more vocal but compared to the cats she is basically silent. She does sigh very well when she wants something and doesn't get it.
And just to clarify, I completely understand that a number of labs become nervous or/reactive for many reasons and can become defensive. I don't want my question to offend anyone. I am asking more from a general place of dogginess. Our two cats are incredibly vocal, including growling, and we are always having to educate people about the breed and why they are vocal and how it is different to being aggressive or defensive.
Pongo growls a lot in his dreams. He gets really quite worked up. But in waking life I don't think I've ever heard him snarl. Pongo believes the world is his friend. I am sure that the time will come when he finds an exception to that rule, but so far he is an innocent....
Same with my lab...doesn't happen often but occasionally he'll have one with the works - muffled barking, growling, hackles up, feet twitching...then he'll suddenly wake up and start wagging his tail at me. I have to wonder what he's dreaming about!
Doug was a lovely boy never mean always patient not particularly barky with a lovely rumbly play growl.But when a man tried to mug me he was furious. He was a mild calm dog with a wonderful chilled out attitude, but that day I saw his protective side. The thing about Doug was he had so much gravitas he was able to go through life smiling and being every ones friend
Sam is the same , he hasn't got a growl in him , if challenged he will just come to me or roll over on his back . The only time he barks is if he sees something out of place, like a carrier bag blowing around in the wind . Thankfully, for a very small dog , Nell rarely barks and hasn't growled either . I think its lovely to have good natured dogs , ones who don't cause worries whilst out and about x
I thought Stanley didn't have it in him to be aggressive but one night there was just me and him in the house. He obviously heard something up the stairs and was barking up them - I looked up and couldn't see anything but he was really snarling and barking. I've never ever seen him like that before. He then came and sat on my knee - very alert making little grumpy noises as if he was protecting me. It made me feel quite safe if I'm honest. I've never seen him show any aggression to people or dogs though. He just wants to be everyone's friend. A cocker spaniel went for him and he hid behind me and cried.. little softy
Cooper will do a "play" growl when we are playing ... but he sometimes will growl softly when I am watching TV and he is looking down the hall at SOMETHING!!! I always wonder what he sees! He will also bark if he hears something outside....like someone slamming a car door. And sometimes he will bark at the little green light on our generator outside!!! Go figure! But I, too, feel safe with him. He loves every dog and every person but I hope he would do what Doug did for you, SwampDonkey!!!!
My vet just commented today that it's the Lab personality to be friendly and goofy and all waggily. I'll take her word for it given that she sees such a variety of dogs! I have met an aggressive Lab. But I think he was a serious case of a family who couldn't deal with his boisterousness as a puppy so he stayed behind the garden gate mostly and got to meet other dogs very infrequently. When he did, he was so in their face that the other dogs put him in his place - and he responded similarly, drawing blood on one occasion with an equally rude Dalmatian. Snowie is so friendly to all. It is such a relief to have a dog that most people immediately view as friendly, and who I can trust to never be aggressive. I do often wonder if he'd protect me, although of course I don't want to ever have to be in that situation! Anyway I'm always worried about his safety before my own!! You should see me protect him against dogs who are aggressive - I have shocked myself!!!
Homer growls at puppies to 'put them in their place' if they are too boisterous. There have been a few occasions when another dog has jumped on his back in an agressive manner and tried to start a fight, Homer has never turned on them aggressively, he will give a growl and a snarl 'Oi, you gettttt Orrrfff! ' but has never attacked back. He'll bound up to the front door with big loud barks then wiggle around wagging his tail as soon as the door is opened.
Remember that Labs were bred to be retrievers, which means that they need to get along with other dogs and people they have never met, and they were selectively bred to do that. Ginger and Tilly were pretty good watch dogs, but not guard dogs at all. Ginger and Cooper would/will defend themselves if another dog is very aggressive towards them, though I don't think either has ever drawn any blood. Tilly would just retreat or roll over. Tilly and Cooper still play fight, but it is completely non threatening to either dog, and either one can stop it. Cooper will do the same thing with other dogs that are close to her size and want to play. The play will be a lot rougher with dogs close to her age and size, but it is definitely play, not aggressive behavior. Our neighbor just re-homed a Year old, 70# Labradoodle (Lucy) that is a perfect match for Cooper. They chase each other and also box. Our other friends(2) Samoyeds kind of gang up on Cooper and Lucy and try to herd them, but both Cooper and Lucy are bigger and faster.
I think dogs can get angry. Charlie is a very confident, laid back boy. But time to time Betsy can make him angry. He is very unreactive and if another dog annoys him, he just leaves. You can see him almost shrug his shoulders and think 'you are SUCH a bore' at barky, reactive dogs. But he lives with a bouncy, pretty annoying puppy. He tolerates her, and tolerates her, and then - just sometimes - sort of 'snaps' and gives her a big telling off. He did this today when she was a complete pain running off to another dog, when we wanted to continue our walk, then galloped back all excited and crashed into Charlie. He chased her round and barked at her - I can count on the fingers of one hand the times Charlie has ever barked in four years. I swear he was angry at her altogether outrageous behaviour! http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/why-dont-dogs-get-angry-more-often
Harley does get 'angry' occasionally and tolerates a lot from other dogs. Before she was attacked for the 3rd time, she had never snarled/growled/barked at another dog. Unfortunately she did become a bit reactive after the last attack, but has never bitten another dog or drawn blood. I have done a lot of work with her on not reacting and will always pop her on lead if I see any signs that she's unsure/not happy - stiff body, tail up straight and still, low growl. She will tell a dog off if they try mounting her or constantly barking in her face or getting aggressive towards her. She will ignore most dogs on our walks unless we know them.
Shadow never got the memo. He's afraid of people he doesn't know and will bark at them if they get too close too quickly (like approaching him in the street and going to pat his head - why do people do that?!). He doesn't like unfamiliar entire male dogs. I wouldn't say he gets "angry", but he certainly doesn't act like the archetypal happy-go-lucky Labrador. Willow generally ignores strange dogs but will tell off any that are rude in their greetings. No contact, just a snarl and/or snap. She doesn't suffer fools and I'm more than happy about that. It's not aggression or anything close, but she won't tolerate a dog she doesn't know pushing their luck. Anger, sure, probably. Willow growls in play and sounds ferocious, but it's just for fun. Oh, and she will growl and sometimes bark at the other two if they stare at her when she's got a kong - she alway takes longest to finish.
