Why Is my dog growling at nothing?

Why do dogs growl? 

First of let's start off with an explanation as to why dogs growl. 

 

As dog parents it's critical we understand our dogs behavior so that we can identify if there is anything wrong with the situation or if they have a health issue.

 

When a dog is growling it's a dogs way of communicate with other dogs or people. The reasons behind why they growl can be quite varied but all of them serve the same purpose; to communicate something that the dog is feeling about the situation whether that is negative or positive.  

 

Growling should not be viewed as inherently bad as it’s simply a means of them communicating with the wider world. If dogs didn’t growl it wouldn’t allow us to be able to understand them as well. 

 

Most people think that when a dog growls it's only a sign of aggression or to communicate to back off however, did you know that some breeds growl as a sign of affection? We cover this later in the article and it’s good to be aware that this is also possible before jumping to conclusions as a dog owner.

 

Some dogs do play growling when playing tug of war (my friends bulldog does this everytime) however, this is different to a when a dog growls at nothing because the trigger that caused the growl is obvious; playing a game of tug of war.

 

For the most part, if a dog growls at nothing then it as a way communicating with other dogs/people and is them saying that whatever's going on they don't like it and want to stop it.  

 

Growling is simply a warning sign that lets us know something is not right. 

 

Behavioural Reasons for growling

 

There are 5 main behavioural reasons that your dog barks or growls when it there aren't any obvious triggers that have been detailed below. 

 

When trying to determine which one might be the reason behind your dog growling it will come down to understanding your dog's behavior and observing if anything has changed in the environment to trigger the strange behavior.

 

For example, if every time you get too close to your dogs food then you know that this is the trigger that is causing the growl and you have a resource guarding issue on your hands.

 

Remember a dog is a fairly simple creature compared to humans, 95% of the time you can locate the triggers which make your dog growl at seemingly nothing and then identify the reason behind it. 

 

Behavioural reason 1: Your dog can hear something you can't.

 

Dog's ears are incredibly powerful. Their ears can hear almost twice the frequencies that humans can and more than four times the distance! 

 

This means that if you're sitting peacefully on the couch and you hear your dog growling they might be hearing something in the garden or near the property that is disturbing them and causing the behaviour.

 

It could be a dog barking in the distance or a fox scurrying about which your ears cant pick up.

 

What to look for: This is fairly easy to identify by reading your dog's body language. their ears might start pricking up or your dog might start tilting their head to listen better. This is generally a sign that your dog can hear something that is unsettling them.

 

Side Story: My dog used to growl randomly and we couldn’t figure out why but we did see that his ears were pricking up and he was tilting his head to listen better. A few weeks later we noticed mouse poo droppings behind the washing machine and it seemed he could hear the mice scurrying underneath the floorboards! Once we got rid of the mice this never happened again. 

 

If this is the reason they are growling then they have just effectively communicated with you that something is wrong on the property or outside. It might be a fox, cat, mouse or could be a home intruder. 

 

Either way, it’s best to trust your dog's instincts and have a quick inspection to make sure everything is safe. 

 

Behavioural reason 2: Your dog can smell something you can’t. 

Similar to hearing your dog's sense of smell is WAY better than yours. It’s estimated that dogs can smell between 1000 to 10,000 times better than human beings! 

 

Can you imagine how a dog must perceive the world with that strong sense of smell?

 

Based on this it’s very possible that your dog might be growling or barking if they can smell another animal or person outside that has triggered them to behave like this. 

 

What to look for: A telltale sign of this is their nose twitching or them doing deep sniffs to pick up more of the scent. 

 

Behavioural reason 3: Resource Guarding

Although it might seem that your dog growls at nothing, does it happen anywhere near his food, favourite toys or place on the sofa? 

When you hear your dog growl does it sound like aggressive growling?

 

If the answer to any of these is yes then it’s potentially a resource-guarding behavioral issue. 

 

The good news is that with proper training and lots of positive reinforcement this problem can be solved.

 

Resource guarding is a natural behaviour and in most cases it involves food but sometimes they want to protect their bed or favourite toys. Your dog might feel threatened that his/her food will be taken away.

 

This is similar to how children sometimes throw a tantrum if they have to share their toys.

 

It’s a dogs way of communicating to it's surroundings to BACK OFF - this is my food, blanket or toy!

 

What to look for: Resource guarding is easy to spot. If you move near their food/toy/bed etc. does your dog start growling? If so then this is resource guarding. MOst professional dog trainers can help if you need extra support

 

Resource guarding can potentially turn into a serious problem like a bite if left unaddressed so it’s best to try to resolve this as soon as the behaviour is displayed. 

 

Luckily resource guarding can be trained out of a dog via methods like hand feeding. For a more in-depth article on how to prevent this, you can click HERE.

 

Behavioural reason 4: They are showing affection (Uncommon Reason!)

I’ve left this reason till last as it seems contradictory to all the other points mentioned above and is generally not the most common reason that dogs growl at nothing.

 

Saying that some breeds like Rottweilers are known to growl as a sign of affection with their owners. 

 

You might have seen the youtube or Tik Tok videos of the Rottweiler called Bear (see video below) that growls as a sign of affection when playing or getting petted by its owner. 

 

 

Although this looks aggressive to outsiders, to the owners it’s completely harmless and his special way of communicating affection! 

 

What to look for: If you have raised your dog from a puppy you will know the difference between an aggressive growl and a play growl like Bears’. 

 

If they have been doing this their whole life whilst being perfectly behaved then it might just be their way of communicating affection.

 

It’s when they suddenly display this behaviour that it’s more likely to be for one of the other reasons I have listed. 

 

Medical Reasons for Growling

 

Below is a list of 4 medical reasons that could cause your dog to growl or bark at nothing. 

 

If none of the behavioural reasons listed above seems like the cause then please continue reading as it might be something that requires veterinarian assistance. 

 

As with anything if you are unsure as to why the behaviour is persisting it’s always best to speak to a qualified veterinarian to try to get to the bottom of it if behavioural reasons have been ruled out. 

 

If they can't find anything medically wrong then it is more likely it will be a behavioural reason. Let’s dive in. 

 

Medical Reason 1: Seizures 

Sometimes partial or focal seizures can cause dogs to have hallucinations and as result cause the dog to behave in a strange way like suddenly barking or growling at nothing. 

 

Partial or focal seizures are quite difficult to recognise unless you’re a trained veterinarian and can develop into generalized seizures if not treated properly. 

 

What to look for: If the growling does persist and none of the other reasons makes sense then please seek advice from your local vet so they can run some checks on your dog.

 

Medical Reason 2: Eye Issues 

 

Another reason your dog could be growling into thin air could be because they have something wrong with their eyes. 

 

Have you ever had those little white dots appear in your eyes when you are looking at something bright or white for too long? 

 

Dogs can get something similar, however, unlike us humans they don't understand that it’s in their eyes and instead think something is in the room with them causing them to growl or bark as a warning sound.  

 

What to look for: As with all the medical reasons listed, it’s best to see a vet to do a proper diagnosis. 

 

Medical Reason 3: Infections or Tumors

 

If your dog has previously had no signs of bad health and hasn’t growled randomly for any of the other reasons we’ve listed under medicinal or behavioural then it could be a sign that they have an infection or a tumour and this is the cause of this behaviour.

 

Basically, anything that could affect your dog's central nervous system can cause your dog to start behaving strangely. 

 

What to look for: Take your dog to your veterinarian to get further checks as this can not be diagnosed at home. 

 

Medical Reason 4: Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome

 

More common in senior dogs this is basically like Alzheimer's or the equivalent of canine dementia.

 

It’s not strictly behavioural or medical however if your dog is an old dog and it starts growling randomly, barking into the air and acting overall confused then it could be related to that. 

 

What to look for: Does your dog appear confused and uneasy? Is it suddenly acting skittish when 2 minutes before it was calm? If none of the other tips are relevant then always seek professional help from a vetirinarian

 

Medical Reason 5: Pain

 

If you noticed that your dog starts growling when you stroke or pet them in a specific area of their body they might be experiencing pain. 

 

Remember, for most dogs a growl is to communicate that something is happening that they do not like. 

 

What to look for: If you are stroking your dogs belly area and they start growling it could be a sign that it has a sore stomach, broken rib or something else causing it pain. 

 

Conclusion

Hearing your furry friend growl can be unnerving especially if it is out of the blue. As detailed above there are several reasons that your dog might be growling at nothing ranging from behavioural to medical reasons. 

 

The behavioural reasons are the easiest to identify and can all be fixed with proper training or as is the case with point 4 are simply your dogs' way of showing affection.

 

Once you have identified the reason behind it you can then take appropriate action to stop it from happening again.  A dog behaviorist can also be consulted to stop growling.

 

The medical reasons are more challenging as most of them require a trip to the vet to get them properly diagnosed. 

 

If the behavioural ones don't seem to be the triggers then visiting the vet is the best thing to do.