[1987meghan]

I have a 3 1/2 year old Pitbull/Rotweiler mix. He is growling or groaning at me and I'm not sure why. He make the noise and wants my attention he licks me or rubs his head on me for attention. It's not aggressive behaviour at all. He is very much my husbands dog and doesn't pay much attention to me. He does it usually when my husband is right there or in view mostly. Is he just trying to show me he's dominant and prefers my husband?

 

[timber]

It will be hard to get accurate opinions without seeing/hearing it. Would you be able to make a video?

I have a couple of pretty vocal dogs and they make all sorts of noises with an interesting array of pitches, groans, and different barks.

 

[Pax]

Pax moans at me all the time when he wants attention or wants me to interact with him. It could be perceived as a growl if you did not know him bit I know it is just him whining!

 

[cookieface]

As Timber said, it's hard to really offer an opinion without seeing and hearing what's happening. A video would be helpful.

What is your relationship with your dog like? Do you do any training or general care (e.g., walks, feeding)?

My younger dog is vocal; he groans, sighs, and moos when he lies down. It's nothing that sounds like a growl, but different dogs have different vocalizations. Since the sound is accompanied by attention-seeking behavior, it's possible that it's just his way of getting you to notice him.

The odds of it being "dominance" are very slim: Dominance in dogs

Most of the time, my answer to "why do dogs do that?" is "dogs are weird."

 

[dibbythedog]

I have a 3 1/2 year old Pitbull/Rotweiler mix. He is growling or groaning at me and I'm not sure why. He make the noise and wants my attention he licks me or rubs his head on me for attention. It's not aggressive behaviour at all. He is very much my husbands dog and doesn't pay much attention to me. He does it usually when my husband is right there or in view mostly. Is he just trying to show me he's dominant and prefers my husband?

I dont know about pitbulls but the terriers I've had make/made all sorts of growly/ groany noises and its like they're trying to talk to you. It's friendly communication but it sounds strange to us humans.

Dogs can control other dogs by body blocking or growling to protect their resources for example. Licking and rubbing his head against you is a strange way of showing "domination " Dogs aren't that complicated, he probably does want your attention and wants a fuss.

How do you respond to him when he does this?

 

[Rain]

If he's making the noise, then rubbing his head on you or licking you, he's just trying to get you to notice him.

If he was upset with you the growl would be accompanied by other body language like a hard stare, hackles raised, stiffened body, laid back ears, and lip lift. Even if he ever did that it would not be about dominance, but him being upset about something that happened.

 

[1987meghan]

It will be hard to get accurate opinions without seeing/hearing it. Would you be able to make a video?

I have a couple of pretty vocal dogs and they make all sorts of noises with an interesting array of pitches, groans, and different barks.

I have a video but it won't allow me to upload videos that I can see on here only photos
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[1987meghan]

See if you can view it from this link I've added it to my dropbox. Let me know what you think

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mwqj0j5ip502s6l/2015-08-24 20.14.34.mov?dl=0
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Rain]

See if you can view it from this link I've added it to my dropbox. Let me know what you think

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mwqj0j5ip502s6l/2015-08-24 20.14.34.mov?dl=0
Posted via Mobile Device

That sounds like moaning to me. I had a terrier who would do that when I rubbed his ears, the whole time he was making the noise he was pushing his head into my hand.

I don't see anything that indicates he's upset and actually growling, or that he's play growling.

 

[dibbythedog]

He looks relaxed there and enjoying being stroked, it sounds like a groan, its not aggressive.

A bit OT : some dogs like Golden retrievers raise their lips in a smile rather than in aggression . My JRT lifts his lips before he snogs you , it does look odd but its not aggression.