Think most of my dogs I've had over the years growled at me if I tried to take juicy bones off them - they are just telling me to get lost really. Only Pearly, our first grey, is about 95 per cent perfect in releasing things.

If you want to be able to take things off him them maybe try the "leave it" command. Tempt him with a tasty treat and eventually he might start to drop the bone for the treat. Tell him "leave it" at the same time as he does this. If you keep on being successful then I start telling him "leave it" and he grudgingly drops the bone for the treat. Saying that, once he has the treat he goes for the bone again so I have to take it away quick! He knows now to give it up but in return he gets a treat - a trade off really. The above worked for Harry although he's not a dog you can walk up to and take a bone off him without care. He has no graces when it comes to grabbing things - if my fingers get in the way then I pay the price.

On growling in general - difficult to say really withouth knowing all the things that go on in the house - if it becomes a prob then best seek professional help. I'm not an expert - just tried things along the way with different dogs.

If a dog is getting above his station so to speak I tend to ignore them a lot for a while and make them work for every bit of attention/treats and certainly make them last in everything. And I let them away with NOTHING! Hard to do but it works. If one of my pooches growled at me for walking past them I'd swiftly eject it from its bed, grab its collar and sent it outside for 5 mins on its own.

Note though that this is my way of doing things with my dogs - might not be the right way.