All this growl-talk has made me notice my doggies' growls more...
Bibi only play-growl, I have not once heard her giving a warning growl. We have never done anything to 'take her growl away'. Is this normal?
When we just got Bibi she used to jump on top of Striker when he was sleeping, he would growl, after 2 or 3 times she learned to leave Striker alone when he's sleeping. Which is all good, she learned doggy language. Striker really likes to lay under the blankies, covered from head to toe, also extremely close to either me or OH (Striker is a real cuddler), which means that sometimes you can't tell where he's laying (you can't see him as he is completely covered and laying so close to us you can't see his silhouette (not sure it this it the correct word). Anyway, so Bibi will sometimes ACCIDENTILY step on him if she want to move to another spot, or get off the bed, or whatever. He then leaves a small growl, she realises she's stepping on him, she moves away quickly. This is the only time he ever growls. From my understanding this is all good and healthy communication.
When I touch Striker...for example it happens quite a lot that I turn around in my sleep, end up laying almost on top of Striker, and wakes up when he gets out from under me
or when I'm still awake I sometimes touch him (not deliberately, but say I want to move a little, or whatever),...he never ever will growl at me (or OH). He once growled at me, but I think he thought it was Bibi, b/c as soon as he saw it was me he stopped and went back to sleep. We do respect his growls, so I don't have any problems with him growling...and I informed OH what it means too, so we're happy to have a 'growling dog'. Just to add - Striker's growls are all very soft, and he barely lift his head, there's also no "air snapping"...It's more like, okay you are on top of me, so please get off, and NOT a GET OFF ME!!!!
Also, Striker & Bibi get along well, and I have to feed them in different rooms, NOT because they will fight, but because they WILL stop eating out of their own bowls and start eating out of one bowl together, then move on to the next bowl together and eat out of that one toghether. So I have to let them eat seperately, or else I can't monitor how much who is eating, and Striker is on a diet
Anyway, so my question is - why is it that he is so much more tolerant of me or OH touching him when he's sleeping, but not with Bibi?
(Again, we don't touch him deliberately, and neither does Bibi.) Also, we DON'T want to change this, I am honestly just curious as to why it seems he's more tolerant to us than to Bibi with this...I guess I'm just trying to understand my doggies better.
I really am paranoid!!