Why does my dog growl at my bf in the mornings?

Hey everyone… so my dog, Toby (he’s a miniature dachshund), has started growling at my boyfriend when he wakes him up for walks in the morning. It’s kinda weird because Toby sleeps next to me and never growls at me. We’ve had this routine since Toby was a pup, and now he’s about 1.4 years old. I’m definitely not pregnant, so no worries there, lol. My boyfriend is super nice to him, and I feel like I discipline Toby more. Any ideas on why he’s acting this way? Is Toby just not a morning dog? He’s always been a bit of a sleepyhead in the mornings. Also, do you think we should stop letting him sleep in bed with us? Would love your thoughts.

That sounds frustrating. Dogs can be so quirky. Maybe Toby just wants to stay cozy and isn’t ready to wake up yet?

TrainYourTail said:
That sounds frustrating. Dogs can be so quirky. Maybe Toby just wants to stay cozy and isn’t ready to wake up yet?

Exactly. My dog does the same. They just love their sleep, lol.

TrainYourTail said:
That sounds frustrating. Dogs can be so quirky. Maybe Toby just wants to stay cozy and isn’t ready to wake up yet?

Right? Maybe try waking Toby a bit earlier so he can adjust? Just a thought.

That’s interesting. My pup used to growl in the mornings too. It turned out he was just grumpy waking up, haha.

Ann said:
That’s interesting. My pup used to growl in the mornings too. It turned out he was just grumpy waking up, haha.

Lol, grumpy dogs are a real thing. Did your pup get better over time?

Ann said:
That’s interesting. My pup used to growl in the mornings too. It turned out he was just grumpy waking up, haha.

Yeah, mine got used to the routine. Maybe give it some time?

Could be that Toby feels more secure with you around. Have you tried letting your bf give him treats in the morning?

Elonshepherd said:
Could be that Toby feels more secure with you around. Have you tried letting your bf give him treats in the morning?

Good idea. That might help him associate your bf with good stuff.

Elonshepherd said:
Could be that Toby feels more secure with you around. Have you tried letting your bf give him treats in the morning?

Yeah, definitely. Positive reinforcement can work wonders.

Maybe he just hates mornings, lol. Some dogs are just like that, you know?

PackTalkers3 said:
Maybe he just hates mornings, lol. Some dogs are just like that, you know?

For sure. My dog is a total night owl. Mornings are not his thing.

What about the crate situation? Maybe he feels safer there in the mornings?

GalacticGlider said:
What about the crate situation? Maybe he feels safer there in the mornings?

That’s a thought. If he’s crate trained and feels secure there, it might help.