Snarl/Growl on Command?

How would you go about teaching a dog to snarl on command? I've always wondered this. Especially a nice dog who you could never catch doing it to be able to make it into a trick with clicking. I've always thought this might be a good idea for security reasons such as a stranger coming up to you while your walking your dog at night or something or someone threatening you in some way. You could tell the dog to snarl (using some kind of command) and the person would most likely get scared off. A snarl is very intimidating and so is a growl and could be used to that advantage. And the growl would probably be necessary at night because the person may not be able to see the dog snarling. How would you teach them to snarl? And what about teaching them to growl on command while snarling?

I would say teaching a dog to snarl or growl is not a good idea.
You could be teaching your dog to become aggresive or dangerous...Espesh if you dont know what your doing!
I believe that things like that should be left to the professional to be honest.
A person in a "public place" only has to be in fear of there safety or believe that they MAY be attacked by a dog, for your dog to of broken the law...
"A dog being dangerously out of control in a public place".
Also if you train a dog to snarl and growl it may believe that is exceptable behaviour, after all you did train it to...what if it snarled at a kid or older person??
Its not exceptable for a dog to snarl or growl at people....
I think trainning a dog to do that is asking for trouble.

There are places about were you can take your dog to be trainned PROPERLY in protection work...Schutzhund eg
but these are serious things and NOT for most dog owners!
All this is just my opin....Im sure others have diff ones.

Also alot of dogs will protect there masters if they are attacked...and most will warn or bark a strangers that seem to be up to no good, they dont have to be trainned.
Why would you want it to snarl?
Have you tought your dog to speak....bark?
Doesnt have to be aggressivally and is easy to teach.

I agree with Hades, I would never want to train a dog of mine (as a family pet) to be aggressive.
I do think most dogs would sense and protect their owner but teaching a bark or talk could be a good deterrent.

I suggest you leave it to your dog! He'll know when something isn't quite right with somebody who approaches you whilst out in the dark, and certainly if they appear on your property and you don't give out good vibes! Dogs are very clever you know, some are very protective, even the sweetest natured ones sometimes, IF their beloved owner is at risk, you've got no worries! I've seen it with my own eyes on many occassions, so don't worry, you won't have to teach your dog any of this.

Agree with the above. I don't know what my dogs would do if I were attacked. However I would actually prefer them to do nothing, as there would be a lesser chance of someone then hurting my dogs because they feel threatened by them. I would actually prefer them to sit there and do nothing. In any situation I would feel I have to protect my dogs, not for them to be there to protect me.

Not a "trick" I'd want to teach my dog.

Heidi

Ok, thanks everyone. I agree, that is very true. A bark would be much better. How do you teach a dog to bark if they are not barkers and you can't find anything that makes them bark to put a command to that behavior?

I notice you have a dalmatian... if you excite him/her enough do they ever grin? Dalmatians have an amazing smile and it's all out of excitement and nothing aggressive about it even though it looks very fierce.

If you can get a grin out of your dog (I can if I work them up when I come home and they've been alone) then click and reward when they do it, followed by adding a cue word.

If not, I'd rather teach a bark than a snarl for the reasons above. In my experience it's a case of finding something that makes them bark and reinforcing it, playing with them on the floor and barking at them yourself usually helps

Here's a dalmatian smiling: http://hometown.aol.com/luccimia/ima...ngel_smile.bmp
and another: http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...%3Den%26sa%3DG
Of course you're always going to get the wagging back end with it too

Afraid i agree with Hades. My dogs are taught to speak on command - however i have to say my leo girlie thought something was a bit wrong when i had her out a couple months ago. She stopped, growled and put herself sideways in front of me. Seconds later a drunk guy appeared from behind a bin and was quick to move on. I was quite pleased as everyone knows leos are just big cuddle monsters so don't worry - i'm sure if needs be - your dogs will naturally protect you.

Maddy grins! She does it at the front door window pane when she sees you coming down the path and also when she has been bad, lol!