My dogs have never growled at me. Oggy did once when a pup at Carole, and I told her to get up him and growl back louder and harder, act angry etc. Which she did, and Oggy has never done it since. We have always been able to take food from there mouths, and touch them anywhere on there body. You really have to have that in place when a pup, you just never know when you have to put your hand down your dogs mouth.