I have often wondered if she is growling or purring. It sounds exactly like a growl. I have found myself saying "Awwwww" in a real low voice when I hug her and it sounds a lot like a growl. So I wonder if I have trained her to growl when hugged.

Today she rolled over to be pet and began the growl the second that I started to pet her. I yelled "NO" slapped her on the snout and stomped away. She continued to lay there on the back with a really rejected look on her face.

Like I said, it's strange behavior. I wish that I knew what she was trying to communicate.

What makes me think it IS a problem is that if I correct her by holding her muzzle or if I hug her tighter, she growls louder and that is DEFINITELY not friendly.

I'm certain that it's not a respect issue. My wife will sometimes give her a command and the dog will just stand there as if my wife never said a word. If I ever step in to give the dog a command, she does it. There is an obvious difference. We are also working on getting this dog to not jump when she greets people. There is one person she does NOT jump up on: me, but she always comes running up with a tail wagging and a tongue licking.

What a strange conicidence... My parent's dog has been doing the same thing- but i am states away and unable to help or diagnose corectly- but it sounds just like what your dog is doing. He is a nuetered great dane and is excellent in his obedience but moans/growls and tightens his lips sometimes when laying on his pillow. Never in any other place but just the pillow. They correct harshly too but he continues. And he does the sad face, pet me thing after the growl and scold. I think it's dominance but why this isolated situation since he is very compliant and sumbissive in all other incidents?

Michael, first of all, I would STOP all that smacking & yelling <:-( Then I would run your poor dog through Ed Frawley's 2 week Groundwork program & live according to it in future...

That old saying, "let sleeping (resting) dogs lie", didn't become an old saying for nothing -- IMHO, your bitch either has dominance issues, phobic issues, or is actually conflicted between the 2 extremes (both alpha dogs AND nervous dogs often resent OR fear unsolicited intimacy)...

Bullying & manhandling are NOT a good way to proceed with your dog's training -- Much better to order the "Basic Obedience" & "Dealing with Dominant or Aggressive Dogs" videos from Leerburg instead, because it's so important to establish everyone in the home as a FAIR pack leader for your confused canine <:-)

Ok we have a dog that does this on and off, also when she is on your lap and moved or when she is in her crate, the difference is she weighs 2 kg, yes it is that one min-pin of ours that also dislikes kids. We have, had to go back to NILIF with her she got spoilt, son and hubby are as guilty as two monkeys with hands in the pumpkin, so re-education of family also had to be done,she is we discovered very terratorial who would have figured, a 2 kg
nightmare, anyway we never ignored it, we started back with ground rules, no beds, no furniture, no running through doorways first.Sitting and waiting for food and she was fed last.
Sounds funny well it all starts somewhere, first they do the growling nonsense, you ignore hoping it will go away or over correct and reinforce,then they start guarding toys, there beds etc, So I would go back and read Ed's ground work, it honestly worked for us, and it doesn't get cured overnight, a larger dog, a larger problem, so I would get those ground rules in place.She may somehow have elevated herself in your pack, things happen changes around the house who knows, maybe hormones at work season time can make a nice regularly female dog, act super schitzy, whatever the reason Go back to NILIF
Nothing in life for FREE and read Ed's ground work and start the programe ASAP.
Good luck.

If the dog is growling then she will also be tense & snarling - look at her expression, there is no doubt! As others have said, she could be groaning in pleasure. If the dog is growling waste no time in "experimenting" & study the stuff on this board about dominant dogs & get yourself a good trainer, as this is not something an inexperienced person should handle on your own.

Nor an internet board. Becoming a good leader is alot harder than slapping submission into your subjects. Some people have leadership qualities and some don't. I have been training pet owners and their pets for quite some time, this is a classic example of a bad leader. When you think of leadership, you should think of things that you would like your leader to be like and then you emulate those thoughts to your followers. If my dogs are growling at me when I try to pet them, then something went wrong in my establishment of leadership qualities. Fair leaders get good and happy followers. Try to smack one of your employees around and see where that gets you. Then take that knowledge and apply it to your dogs. Just be thankful that dogs can't sue.

The pup is doing a lot better. Whenever she growls we'd walk away suddenly while yelling "NO" and taking her toy if she had one. She hasn't stopped entirely, but I'm only seeing it every 3 days or so instead of 3x per day. The big change began when my wife became more consistent about addressing the problem. I was noticing that she'd tell the dog to stop, but continue petting it.

The dog was never really being smacked, but just swiped accross the nose enough to get her to pay attention...usually with only 2 fingers. I'm not in to beating dogs, but I appreciate the concern.

There is obviously a respect issue here. If your wife will give a command and the dog ignores it yet when you give it, the dog obeys, hoo boy is there ever a respect issue! It seems the dog believes the rank order is you, dog, wife, and the dog may be planning on a coup to take over the #1 spot. If this weren't a respect issue, your dog would plant its butt down on the ground regardless of whether your wife or you said "sit."

I think you need to go back to square one and enforce leadership. No bed, no furniture, all humans walk through doors and hallways and staircases first, eat before the dog does and do a down or sit/wait/release before allowing the dog to eat, and don't pet the dog if it comes to you; if you want to pet the dog, call it to you, pet it, then when you're done, stop petting and if the dog pesters you, shoo him off. Likewise if the dog comes to you for petting, shoo him off or ignore him. Also, when you're walking around the house and the dog is laying down in your path, make him move. Followers move for leaders, not the other way around. Yes, you could easily step over him, but don't. If he's sleeping, wake him up and still make him move.

Check out Ed's groundwork articles as well as his E-books regarding the matter. A good complement is Jan Fennell's book, "The Dog Listener." The book describes lifestyle changes to gain and maintain leadership without battles or confrontations and it's an excellent fit with Leerburg's methods as well as Cesar Millan's. Once you establish leadership by lifestyle rather than the occasional confrontation, the growling should cease. It's all about fixing the cause, not the symptom!