Skip to main content
Newsletter

Why Some Dogs Become Protective of Their Owners

From a dog's perspective, they are protecting their owner.

From a dog's perspective, they are protecting their owner.

Is Your Dog Dangerously Overprotective?

When somebody attempts to say hello or give you a hug, and your dog inserts himself in between, growling and snarling in the most threatening way, this can be a real problem. A protective stance can be a blessing in an emergency situation, but it surely isn't when the dog attempts to protect its owner from people who are not doing anything wrong.

Excessive protectiveness is a dangerous situation. Some dogs resort to aggressive behaviors in order to prevent strangers or even family members from getting too close to their owners. These dogs are a big liability because they may even feel compelled to bite. Worse of all, these dogs attack unprovoked. In other words, these dogs will attack without good reason (from a human perspective, that is).

But why does a dog feel compelled to attack in such a vicious way? And why does it overreact to something benign, like a hug or handshake? There can be a variety of reasons why dogs resort to behaving this way.

Signs Your Dog Is Protective Over You

  • Your dog growls at strangers.
  • Your dog snarls and shows his teeth to strangers.
  • Your dog acts aggressively around strangers or family members.
  • Your dog will attack unprovoked.
Why is my dog so protective of me?

Why is my dog so protective of me?

Reasons Why Dogs May Become Over-Protective of Their Owner

Sometimes owners train their dogs to become protective without realizing it. They only notice the gravity of the problem but fail to notice how they contribute.

They Become Defensive Due to a Lack of Guidance

Dogs who have developed a strong bond with their owners will likely live their lives in comfort and happiness. These dogs know that the owner will protect them from harm and ensure their well-being because a history of trust has established that fact. These dogs will trust their owner, looking up to him/her for guidance and direction.

However, if the owner fails to provide a certain level of guidance and that safety net of reassurance is never formed, some dogs may feel compelled to take a defensive stance. The underlying causes for what we perceive as "protectiveness" may stem from fear and insecurity.

The Owner Rewards the Behavior

At first, the owner may think it is funny or even reward it. A stranger comes near the owner to talk, and the dog will growl. The stranger will stop in his tracks and leave. The growling has been rewarded by the stranger leaving. So a week later, another stranger approaches the owner, and the dog starts growling again.

This stranger is not intimidated by the growl and continues getting close, and the dog becomes more aggressive to send him away. He growls, lifting his teeth and showing his pearly whites. The stranger goes away. The dog has now learned that he must act more aggressively to send strangers away, and a new behavior has been learned. This soon becomes a bad habit and the owner has given up and decided that it is just a ''trait.''

Some owners actually tell others, with pride, ''my dog is very protective of me.'' They feel that because their dog protects them, it proves that the dog loves them. However, they are missing something crucial: Their dog is insecure and unpredictable and will react negatively when people don't expect it.

Dogs Need to Be Socialized

All dogs need to be socialized from an early age and must learn to accept strangers on their property and near their owners. Allowing them to be over-protective may turn them into a big liability.

  • Often, dogs may also become protective of children. While this trait may not really appear as a defect, it becomes so if the dog becomes protective when it's not necessary. These dogs may resort to growling and biting even when people with good intentions come close.
  • At times, dogs become protective when owners are sick or frail.
  • I have seen some dogs become suddenly protective when the owner got pregnant. These dogs will stick near their pregnant owner and even block people from coming too close.

Whichever the scenario is, a dog should not be encouraged to become over-protective of its owner, as this may translate into aggression and even biting. Even dogs sent to protection training are taught to clearly understand the difference between a real threat and something that is not harmful. These well-trained dogs will not aggress if a friend comes over and hugs you.

Protection dogs trained by pros are often excellent with kids. Indeed, protection dogs must have a sound temperament in order to excel. Training a weak-nerved dog to be protective is an accident waiting to happen.

More About Dog Behavior

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Comments

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on September 13, 2020:

Hi David Johnson, you may see redirected aggression, your dogs get so riled up, they redirect on each other. It's important to lower their arousal when they see an intruder.

Scroll to Continue

Kaiti Bentley on September 01, 2020:

My dog will become aggressive and lunge when there are kids around and people .she will stay close to me she duse not get aggressive with my boyfriend . I have socialized her at a young age with kids and people. I do know i had her at young age .i know the time that i got her she was not supposed to be away from her mom yet . And there was a little girl that did not treet her right when she was a baby .

David Johnson on August 24, 2020:

Why does my female dog bite my Male dog when they see an intruder

Riley on August 18, 2020:

I have a 3 year old pitbull that will not allow other dogs, or people close to me without him watching their every move. People he tends to jump in between, dogs on the other hand he loses it. He jumps up to growl at every little noise around when we try to sleep at night. He will also sit silent as others sit on my couch/bed and stare until he jumps in between or forces them off. He had been in dog fights before I got him however this aggression and the exacerbated levels of it has come after spending the months working from home this year. Wondering if I should be worried about the behaviors or thinking this is just a protective thing. I have owned German shepherd chow mixes, pure breeds and hunting dogs however I have never seen a dog jump to occasion, split up people in my house or even begging to growl at the slightest noise in my life

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on July 25, 2020:

Hi there,

I understand your concerns about your German shepherd who is acting protective of you. Because this dog is 11, I would firstly consider a vet check to make sure your dog is doing well considering that as dogs age, sadly they get aches and pains, their senses may decline and sometimes their hormones get out of whack which cause behavior changes. Not to mention, as dogs get older they can be less tolerant and have a lower threshold for stress.

Once the vet gives you the all clear, I would consider enlisting the help of a dog behavior professional using force-free behavior modification. I feel that your dog may need a good level of management to lower his stress (keep away from the kids if they stress him out) along with possible desensitization and counterconditioning if feasible. This is for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification.

chelabellah on July 22, 2020:

Hi. I am in need to help. I have an 11 year old German Shepard which I've had since he was 6 months old. His previous owners used to beat him and so when we first got him and attempted to get him trained, everything failed. Within the last year/year and a half he has become extremely protective of me.

I work from home and most days it was he and I at home until everyone else came home from work or school. However, with COVID, everyone is home now most of the day. My dog now gets in between me and any of my family members who live with me and most recently has started trying to bite these same people if they attempt get near me/go into my room when I am there.

I have children ages 5, 7 and 10 at home and I am concerned that he is going to end up biting one since he has also gotten in their way when they try to get near me and even taken nibs at them. I am at a loss as to what to do. I love my dog but I am concerned he will hurt one of my kids so I am looking for options of what I can do to deter this behavior. I don't want to get rid of him but I also don't think that at his age he can be trained. Any recommendations are welcomed.

Misty Hodnett on July 20, 2020:

My Dog had puppies in she did not care for the to much at all after they were gone she became overprotected of me and my mom can I get angry at somebody she growls at them

Nick on July 07, 2020:

I have a lab about three, he’s a big baby. He’s starting to nip at people but only when I’m not around. He’s done it about three time only when my girlfriend has him.

Elise on June 15, 2020:

Our anxious dog is definitely a little fearful of dogs on walks but never ever reacts by barking or lunging, she rather hides or just stares and then sniffs the air after they passed by. She rarely ever barks in general. BUT the second my butt hits a bench, or like picnic blanket she snarls lunges and attacks every dog or human that comes even remotely close.. whether its a huge bullymix, a tiny senior chihuahua or a dog she knows and likes. As you can imagine this is incredibly frustrating since it's not a situation we can always avoid.

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on June 15, 2020:

Yes, many dogs start acting protective when their owner is pregnant.

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on June 15, 2020:

Hi Elrina, is your dog spayed or intact? If intact, it could be she is going through a false pregnancy and trying to protect what she may think are her babies/ her den.

Courtney on May 22, 2020:

Almost hit a dog brought her in while trying to find her owner and within a matter of minutes she became very protective and had to keep me in her sights at all time. I’m 5 months pregnant does that have a role to play is a dog becoming protective over a stranger.

Elrina on May 22, 2020:

Good afternoon. I've got a question about my dog. She is the most loving dog I know she always lies next to me on our bed. But all of the sudden she started acting strange she got milk coming out of her titties. And now she's aggressive towards anyone who comes in my room she wants to bite my mother always what can be the cause off this?

Bhawna on May 12, 2020:

My dog normally don't bark at any dog and any human ( outside the house) but when the come to my house he become aggressive and run after them while barking and try to bite them what should i do?

Carol Lincoln on May 10, 2020:

My 3 year old lab has recently become very protective of my elderly mother he lays his head on her the arm of her chair or stands up seemingly to sit on her lap Why is he doing this?

Kayli Rodine on May 09, 2020:

I have a collie mix who is 5 months she has recently been barking at children a lot. No growling is involved but she also gets very protective of me when other dogs come near if I am sitting on the floor even though shes social in general which I thought was very strange. It seems easy enough to just not sit on the floor but there also has to be a way to train this behavior out of her. Thoughts?

Kimberly nees on April 05, 2020:

I need help. Our dog, who was supposed to belong to our adult son, has bonded to our children & become aggressive when my son approaches them

Krysten on April 03, 2020:

Hi,

Ive had my rescue pup for about 7 months now and he is super sweet and gets along with everyone. Ive noticed that at time when my boyfriend tries to hug me or get close to me my dog immediately tries to put himself between the two of us. Hes not aggressive, more so territorial and stands in between us all time time. How do I fix this behavior?

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on March 28, 2020:

Hi Dana, there are many possible causes for the behavior you are seeing. Depending on your dog's age, he may be going through a fear period, or maybe he's reached social maturity which is a time of changes. You must also consider whether something might have stressed him lately or maybe he isn't feeling too well. Behavior changes should also be reported to the vet to make sure there's nothing medically going on. I wished it was easier finding out what may be happening, but there are many possibilities.

Dana on March 23, 2020:

My dog has suddenly started to act really weird. Yesterday me and my two teenaged girl went on a walk with my dog and he usually is very friendly around other dos and people but he just barked at them. We kept yelling at my dog but after a few dogs passed by he would not stop. Now tonight he had a fit about something going on outside when there was nothing happening outside. Please help!

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on March 11, 2020:

Hi Alisha, there are various forms of aggression in dogs and identifying the exact type may require an in-person assessment by a behavior professional, it could be your dog is fearful/aggressive, protective of somebody or something, or maybe somethings just trigger him such as being touched in a certain way, loomed over or approached in a certain way.

Alisha on March 11, 2020:

I have a lhasa

He is ready to attack anyone he bit my mom .. and my smaller bro and he played with my frnd who he met only once before he licked him and all played with him the whole day but next day he slept and my frnd approached him he went to attack him he would have hurt him but luckily he was on leash. Cause i knew i couldnt leave just like that with a stranger ... Whats is this aggression i cant understand cause he played woth him the whole day

Bret on March 03, 2020:

Hello,

I have a 2 year old lab who has begun aggressively lunging, body checking, and snapping at seemingly random dogs if they get too close to me on walks. If we encounter multiple dogs together or a large dog on a walk, she is very submissive and nervous. She only does this with other dogs. I would really like to understand something of what is happening here. I’m at a bit of a loss as to what actions to take in order to change this behavior. Any help is appreciated.

Frenchie mama on February 15, 2020:

My dog barks aggressively at my husband when he tries to hug Or touch me but in the midst of it she nips at me. Why does she nip at me if she’s trying to protect me?

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on January 31, 2020:

Usually, in dogs this young, the barking can be due to fear/lack of confidence and therefore under-socialization or barrier frustration. Yes, dogs can act protective too, but there's still an element of fear at play. You can read more about this here:

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/How-to-Walk-a-Dog-Who-...

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-BehaviorUnderstand...

You will need a professional to determine what is causing exactly the pulling and barking and determine the most appropriate course of action. Please look for one using gentle, force-free behavior modification.

Charleneprice on January 15, 2020:

Hey .. My 19 week old German has started to pull towards and bark at strangers on walks and she also now hates dogs. I have no idea what's changed. She also pulls extremely bad when she knows we are going home, this has always been a problem and isn't getting any better. When she pulls I stand still untill she stops and is relax but then soon as we start alking again pulls.. I treat her when she isn't pulling or just been good by not barking.. She also seems to be more protective over me foe some reason. I own Trinity with my Auntie and Uncle. Any advice please?

Charlene on January 14, 2020:

Hey.. My 19 week old German has started pulling towards strangers on walks and barking at them also other dogs. I'm not sure what's changed. She does it the other 2 who walk her but she worse with me. Also if I'm in the house she'll bark at the door but if I'm not and the others are she won't. Me my auntie, uncle own her together. Any advice please?

Louise on January 03, 2020:

I have recently adopted a chihuahua and he was fine to start but now has become very protective of me and growls nasty at my partner and has gone for him a couple of time what should I do ??

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on December 23, 2019:

Paula, I think you have a highly stressed dog who is in dire need to learn to relax. He's over threshold all the time and lives very likely on edge. Trigger stacking of stressful stimuli can cause a dog to be almost always in a hyper vigilant state. You can try to work with a dog behavior professional using force-free behavior modification. An evaluation by a veterinary behaviorist (DACVB) or CAAB can turn helpful.

Paula Hudak on December 22, 2019:

Please Help, I need to decide if I should euthinise my dog.

I was given a shitzu/pug fixed 3yr.old male.

He is very loyal to me... however he is EXTREMELY agressive to EVERYONE ALL THE TIME... if he sees a person or car, out the window, he lunges at the window, groweling, snarling, and desiring to chew your head off.

When outside if anyone, approaches he lunges at them,growling, snarling, agressive like if he was a german shepphard about to attack an intruder.

It doesnt matter if he knows the guest or not. He will act this way to you, if you come over, walk in the bathroom and come out, he acts like he never saw you before... even a next door neighbor that he sees everyday.

My one neighbor he is so aggressive too, that my neighbor screams at him, thank God, he is a small dog, and my neighbor has a big boot if he decides to bite.

I say that seriously . He has bit 5 people already and last night bit my son twice, for the first time, he was on his bed on the floor, my son playing with a paper plain on the couch and two times the dog, growled and lunged at him and bit him in the arm... no blood drawn, more like a pinch...

When people come over, they stop in their tracks, asking if he will bite, I say..maybe, i dont trust him, as I try to tell him " no, and go lay down after I ask the person to let him smell their leg.

When outside, if a car goes by or he sees a neighbor, off he goes, hair on end and charging like he will rip your head off. He totally ignores my calls to "come"... only to come after he thorally showed his aggression. Again, it doesnt matter how many times you have come over or met you, or you sat in my living room... not one person is "not " greeted in this mannor.

On a possitive note, he only goes outside 3xs a day..yes, I know, a leash... but he seems to stress with a leash and wont go to the bathroom, because he is trying to get off the leash.... if no one is around, he listens to me perfectly and clings to my side, except when he sees someone, then off he goes....

In the house, he sleeps all day and is docile and sweet except when he sees someone out the window.. we live in the country, this happens 5 or xs a day...

What are your thoughts? Do I have a bomb and serious liability on my hands? Is there any hope?

Sara on December 11, 2019:

I have a corgi that was rehomed 4 times before I took over. In he begging we were fine and he was social. But soon after he changed and became more agressive towards both people and other dogs. At the time I was diagnosed with a neurological illness, and he witnessed me sick for few months. I had a procedure and had to temporarily sen him to my friend who has 3 other dogs. Never a single issue around kids, others, cats or dogs.. but as soon as I pick him and take him to doggy part, the second he touches nose with other dogs, he goes for a bite.. Not sure if he is sensing my sickness or something else.. I fixed him a month ago, and he is still at my friends place. But I'm concerned about our future walks and doggy parks.. Any advice?

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on November 20, 2019:

Will, not sure may be he's getting startled/spooked if he growls at people coming from behind? He may be acting protective though if it also happens when other dogs and people approach you when you are together.

Bobbie on November 20, 2019:

My 4 year old staffy yesterday growled and lunged at another dog (doberman) in the dog park. I was sitting down on low bench and that other dog came up into my face and growled at me (that dog was growling at all the humans - odd). I told my dog 'NO!' and gave him a sharp tap on the nose. Now I feel bad because I think that was a legitimate case of him protecting me. Also, it's the first time I've ever seen him growl and I've had him since he was 8 weeks old!!

Will on November 16, 2019:

I have a 8 month old goldendoodle ive had him 4 months he is fixed. In the last week he has staryed to gruff at people vmcoming up behind me or as other dogs are playing they head towards us he gruffs or issues a small light growl but if i approach dogs peoplw he is fine. Is he just being alert of finding his place?

Irene adorno on November 09, 2019:

I rescued a female Maltese mix who never bit and was always happy around other dogs but now that she lives with me she has become overprotective for some reason she won't let no one hug me or come near me near the home near the grass front yard anywhere near the house anywhere near me or my husband she bites like I said she never bit before

Linda harvey on October 30, 2019:

Why is my 7 year old lab so aggressive when anyone comes to the door , or even in our yard?

Leanne on October 10, 2019:

I actually have a bit of a weird question I have a seven month old border collie cross and she is great with all of the dogs great with kids but the one thing that I’m not sure to what to do he’s when we go out on the street walk if someone talks to me that’s fine but won’t stay talk to her and give her eye contact she gets very uncomfortable and starts protective barking how do I stop her from doing this as she wants to greet themBut once they look at her to give her the attention she gets scared

Corey on October 08, 2019:

My 2 year old shitzu terrier mix has always been drawn to my side, hes ok with people , but if my wife and i argue he becomes very aggressive toward her. Even if its my fault. Now if she gets up too fast he starts to get in an aggressive stance. And if i try to correct him he becomes agressive toward me.

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on July 29, 2019:

The country environment may cause "suburban dog syndrome" in some dogs. This read may be helpful to you: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Help-My-Dog-Barks-When...

Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST (author) from USA on July 29, 2019:

Trouc, moving can be highly stressful to dogs and that may have lowered her aggression threshold. Even perfectly housetrained dogs tend to have accidents when they move, just to give an idea. Hopefully, she'll soon get used to her new place, but please prevent her from barking/snapping as this can become a new habit. Provide her with a quiet place to retreat and don't force the interactions. Your dog may need some desensitization and counterconditioning with the help of a professional.

Truoc on July 20, 2019:

I have a 10 month old jack Russel who is really really good and normally likes people alot. I just moved into a mates for a while who has kids and evertime they go up to her she barks, snaps and growls. Where i used to live she loved the kids there and even on walks she'd let kids or other people go up to her. Why could my dog be acting like this.

May on July 13, 2019:

My one year old Cavoodle is becoming very protective of me. She is okay with strangers but if my 14 yo son comes to hug and kiss me, she growls and lay on me and sometimes bites. What can I do?

atleanv09 on July 09, 2019:

So i have my dog Allie. she is 1 and a half and i have had her since April last year. When we are home in my apartment she will bark when someone comes through the door and once she realized who they are she will get quiet. However, a week ago, i took her with me to my boyfriends house. Its more quiet, and country-ish. She gets along great with his dog and she will bark if someone comes into the yard which i understand its a new place and she doesn't know these people. She also barks at my boyfriend when he comes home from work. He can be outside coming in, or inside going out and she will start barking at him again like she is on alert with him. This past weekend we all went camping and she didn't bark at him at all. Then as soon as we got back to his house and stepped foot in the gate, she started barking and howling at him again. I've never had a dog do this before so i honestly don't know what to do.

Renee' on July 02, 2019:

Good article expect it was about being aggressive towards people only. Below the Read More titles, there are more questions but unanswered. A couple are exactly like mine & was about 6months ago. I hate repeating and unlike the majority, I have to Rehome our 2 yr old. Owner surrendered Goldendoodle. She was the sweetest when she 1st came home. Still is, to us and our 15 lb. brother. 2-3weeks ago she began lunging @ dogs she previously met & played with. She (Issey) was to be trained as a mobility dog. I've fallen over her 3x already and when she lunges it takes all my strength to hold her back. Breaks my heart to have to do this as I'd rather keep Issey but The service dog trainer won't train her now. HELP!

Kelly Snyder on June 29, 2019:

My dog is fine with hugs and affection toward me fron husband and son until they get verbally aggressive. What do I do?

Kasey on June 26, 2019:

I have a 7yo fixed female black lab. My ex pulled a gun on me and her, she knocked the gun from his hand and knocked him down. She accapted my boyfriend of 4yrs but suddenly she wants to bite him everytime he stands up or tries to kiss me. How do we assure her we are safe.

Talia on March 26, 2019:

My 11 month old German Shepherd doesn’t like anyone hugging me. It doesn’t matter if I am standing or sitting he starts whining at first then he starts baby pinching or nipping at them. He’ll also “hit” them with his hands. I don’t know why or where it started but he’s been around people since I got him at 8 weeks old. I care for him 100% except when I’m working (part time). When I first got him I didn’t work, and I waited until he was 4 months old to work so I could completely potty train and form a strong bond with him.

He is my absolute best friend. The thought of anything happening to him because I’m lacking somewhere kills me. Any advice would be amazing.

MONET on March 17, 2019:

We have a rescue chichuchua my daughter picked out Initially you could not approach him if shebwas holding him.He has now turned all his attention to me.I cant leave a room without him.Nor can anyone sit by me or even come close to me.He has a cage with a bed and toys.At night if I dont sleep on the couch .Which is near his cage he cries most of the night.And If I do sleep in my bed upstairs he will cry at the door.My husband will lock it at night which in turn he will cry if Im not downstairs. I dont know what has changed his behavior. But I love him to death.But Im worried about this behavior

Jackie on January 29, 2019:

My boyfriend and I recently moved and my dog's handling it beautifully so far. He and my boyfriend's cat don't bother each other much but when my dog is next to me and the cat walks by, he'll growl and lunge at him in a treatening way. Looking back, I remember he did the same thing to my sister's cat but again, it's while he's next to me.

How can I stop this behavior?

Lorri Rowan on January 15, 2019:

Why would my 10 yr old dog try to bite me while socializing with a friend in my house. I thought he was being protective but he tried to bite me and not the friend (stranger).

Kristine on December 28, 2018:

My dog has started biting my roommate multiple times a week since moving homes; the roommate has lived with us consistently for 3 to 4 years now . He only does this when the roommate and i are home alone, once my boyfriend gets home hes fine . The roommate to our knowledge has never harmed our dog and treats him as his own beloved pet . None of us want him euthinised but were afraid it may be to that point . Any advice is appreciated .

Sherri on December 15, 2018:

I am a pet sitter and go to peoples homes to take care of their pets. Lately when i come home , my dog smells me and then is mad at me. He will even growl at me when i try to love on him. I have been pet sitting for almost 2 years now and he just started doing this. I dont know what to do.

Greg on December 07, 2018:

My mini Aussie was a total love bug when we brought him home from the pound. He loved meeting new people and dogs and ran up to meet the world. One day, for no reason, that changed and he barks at everyone outside of the family. I work from home and am with him all day and take him for walks every day. What changed and how do I stop him from barking at everyone?

Rebecca Vogel on December 07, 2018:

We have had our American Bulldog since he was 8 weeks. He is now 5 years old. He is a wonderful dog and is great with my kids. However recently, anytime I am around and my husband comes near me to give me a kiss or a hug he comes between us and growls at him. Extremely protective of me. How do I change that? Why all of the sudden a change in his behavior towards my husband?

Mia Doherty on October 01, 2018:

My 4 year old golden retriever is the biggest sweetheart you'd ever meet. All of a sudden he began to act aggressively towards strangers, biting, barking, growling etc. He is still the most placid dog around my family, but if he gets a whiff of a stranger he won't hesitate biting them.

Jennifer on September 13, 2018:

My two year old German Shepherd is suddenly attacking my cousin when she is sitting down and gets up to leave the room or when she walks into the room, he has done this to other family members but has since stopped and now focus is on my cousin I don’t know what to do please help:

Michelle Cortez G on August 27, 2018:

When I'm laying on the couch and my dog is near. If he sees a family member get near me to give me something. He will come right by and start growling. I don't know why he does this. But he also doesn't like when we hug so we stopped hugging each other.