Deanimator
Member
As long as they stay on your property or under your control, it doesn't matter if they growl, bark or sing the lead to "Turandot".A dog's intents can't all be explained over a forum, most of these are judgement calls made on a case-by-case basis. My dogs growl when there are strangers around, but they will not attack.
A growling, barking or yodeling dog behind a fence or on a leash isn't a threat. An unsupervised dog running free can be a threat regardless of whether or how it vocalizes.
Of course around here, given the calls I've heard lately and the profusion of coyote tracks I've seen in my parking lot, if your dog runs loose, he may end up running right down the digestive tract of a pack of REAL wild animals.