Expert: Kim Wingate - 10/8/2009

Question
My toy poodle gave birth two weeks ago and she has started barking and growling at everyone.  She gets up and leaves her puppies, walks around, and then starts up for no reason.

Answer
Hello Frances,
Your dog is taking possession of these puppies and letting everyone know that they are her puppies and no one elses.  You need to dominate her and let her know that YOU can come around the puppies and that they are YOUR property.  You can do this by telling her NO! in a loud voice and holding her down on her side and making her submit to you when she does growl.  You can stare at her and make her look away.  After she submits to you (stops fighting you and looks away from you) you can turn and walk away from her without looking at her.  Let her get up on her own.  Anytime that she growls at you, you need to do this, until she will lay down when she is doing something you don't want her to do and submit.  

Do this with her, then have other people in the house do this also so that she learns that she has to submit to everyone and can't just growl at all of you.  

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim