My 2-month puppy growls and bites. Is this aggression or normal play?

Question

lately, my 2m old puppy been growling when we pick her up and constantly biting us. we don't take her out because she hasn't gotten her rabies shot yet, but we're scared if we don't start socializing her soon she will become aggressive. today, my friends dog came over (same litter) and they starting barking, growling, fighting, and pouncing on each other. i'm not sure if this is early signs of aggression or play fighting. I'm scared once she gets her shots it'll be too late to prevent aggression. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | unspayed | 2 months and 12 days old | 4 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Oh dear! Growling when you pick her up is a major red flag for future problems in a puppy this age - this is not normal, and needs more help than just socialization. From your description, it's hard to say if her behavior with the other puppy is normal play or aggression. I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a plan to work on these issues - it's best to do this as soon as possible, since early intervention gives you a much better chance of being able to change this behavior before she grows up. I'm not sure what part of Canada you're in, but your regular veterinarian should be able to help you find out where your nearest board-certified veterinary behaviorist is so that you can make an appointment. In the meantime, I would try and avoid doing anything that tends to make her growl - instead of picking her up, for example, use treats to encourage her to come to you. I would also not recommend any kind of punishment for this behavior, as this has a high risk of making things worse over time. The behaviorist can help you identify what kinds of situations tend to trigger the growling, and will put together a training plan to work on this issue.

My 2-month puppy growls and bites. Is this aggression or normal play?

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