Growling at 3 years old

Question
Hi~ My 3 year old male rottie, Loki; started growling at my husband about two weeks ago. Its not a teeth bearing growl, its a weird sounding growl. its not high pitched but kinda sounds like it is in his gut. He growls whenever my husband asks him to do something. Such as get off the bed, get on the bed, go into another room. Even if my husband just asks him to come over to him so he can pet him or if my husband goes over to him. Loki tried this with me and I told him "no" in a very stern voice and he hasn't done it since then. My husband tried this and he still does it. I am around Loki more often as my husband works 10 to 12 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week. Loki will  growl as he licks my husbands face, growl as he is doing what my husband asks of him. Loki is obedient to whatever you ask, he just growls every time and the entire time my husbands requests something of him. What should we do about this? My husband is getting quite upset with this behavior. We have asked the vet and I don't much care for her suggestion. I am not up to hitting my dog and neither is my husband.


Answer
Rachel,

No! Hitting Loki is not something I would suggest. It seems to me that he is somehow testing his place with your husband, the more your husband gets upset with his behavior the more he will test. I would have your husband take Loki and go back to doing some obedience work, to gain some control, this will not happen over night but it will show him that your husband is in control.

Good luck

Lorie