If you do those things mentioned in NILIF....that's what will stop her from growling after she turns around from thinking she has a right to growl at you. First off, take away the privilege of sitting on your lap on furniture...no more furniture privileges or lap privileges for some time until things are changed and changed for good. Don't leave toys around for her 24/7. YOU decide when she will get a toy and she will earn it first by sitting or some other obedience skill. Practice obedience skills every day a few times, using motivation and reward methods. Make it fun and rewarding and short for her. But you're telling her to perform some skill for you BEFORE she gets ANYTHING she likes...from going outside (opening the door) to getting a toy, treat, dinner, a pat, an affectionate word....anything. Get her respect back on you and the rules. Be consistant. That's #1. Get your attitude into one of confidence and stand tall. Be assertive and firm, but not harsh. Follow through with any command you give her. In other words, never ever give a command and let her get away with blowing you off. Make sure you enforce every single, eensy teensy command and rule.
In fact, when you feed her her dinner (I assume a high value thing to her) have her sit. Hand feed her a few bites. (even if she's not food guarding aggressive) This shows her that if she wants to live, she better look up to you. In between bites, move around and have her lie down on command or come and then again, feed her some bites. Do this for about a week every meal.
Obedience training really solidifies the relationship between leader and student. LOL. Who runs things? She needs to know her place. Use extra special, yummy, but tiny treats and praise when rewarding for compliance. When you do an obedience "session" do it when she's hungry. And practice skills here and there during the day. Make her want to obey and look up to you in the worst way. Make these treats/reward of very high value.
Don't dish out a bunch of affection for nothing. I know that seems harsh and unnatural and you won't have to do this forever, but for a week or two even, ration that out for times when she deserves a reward for compliance with an obedience trick. Give her the cold shoulder at other times. Not mean, just uninterested. And when you need her to get off the furniture (because she needs to lose this luxury for a while) coax her off by getting her interested in a toy or something, say, "OFF" at the same time and praise her for getting off. If she does not get off, it's time to put a harness and leash on her and pull her off. Don't leave the leash on her unsupervised, however. (dangerous) But when you're around to keep an eye on her.
One last thought.....if she is not growling at you about anything else, but when you pick her up to take her off your lap, is it possible that she has some ouchie somewhere?
Keep us posted. If you do things right, she should show a turn around in a couple of weeks.
