Dog growling - and has bitten a friend

[pussinwellyboots]

We have a 5 and a half year old lab. He's very laid back and generally calm and well behaved, however he is a total stomach on legs and will eat everything if given the opportunity.

He will growl on the odd occasion - if told to go outside last thing at night he will sometimes growl at DH, but not at me as I use a firmer tone of voice.

A friend (experienced dog owner) walks him sometimes, when she told him to stop eating (probably poo) something last week (I have only just found out), he growled at her and bit her when told off. (Not a major bite but tooth did make a mark)

Where do I go from here? Is it normal for a dog to growl if told to do something that they don't want to do (to stop eating something or to go outside last things to move off the sofa?)

I honestly wasn't in the slightest worried 😂😂😂😂😂😂

HTH

But thanks for caring

Thank you all for your replies, there is quite a range of views being expressed.

I need to speak properly to my friend and find out more of the context and will also be getting some training advice and keeping a closer eye on things.

Lets hope your dog doesn't have any access to children!

There is some really dangerous advice on this thread.
If my dog was uncomfortable about something, whether it was being moved, or having something it valued, removed, I would want the growl to be part of it's communication repertoire. To be honest, my dogs would never get to the growl, as I would be able to change the situation well before then, as I am aware of the freeze, the whale eye, the stiffening, the ear position etc, etc, which all come before the growl. However, I would not want to tell my dog off for growling as it is a clear indication that the next stage is a bite and I would not want that to come out of seemingly nowhere, without the verbal warning (the growl) to tell me things are escalating.

So, to change the situations where the dog is uncomfortable (and in your case, growling), make getting off the sofa better than remaining on it. I bet if the dog knew some sausages were being dropped on the kitchen floor, he would get off the sofa.
Or if he had something high value, try swapping it for something even higher value, for my dog, that would be the chance to run after a ball...but all dogs are different and you have to find what is rewarding for your dog.

Please disregard the rubbish spouted about dominance and pack theory...it has all been debunked. The original study on which this theory was based, was flawed.

Thoroughly agree with @ALargeGinPlease. I've an anxious dog who would growl from a sleeping position and this is what our excellent behaviouralist taught us.