Is Your Dog Speaking to You?
What sounds do you associate with your dog? Woof may be the most common while others may be ruff, arf and people often use bow-wow although that doesn't sound like something that would come out of your dogs mouth.
Although dogs are descended from the wolf, their barking is totally different from their parent species. Although wolves do bark (or more accurately, howl or bay), they do so only in specific situations. It is said that dogs bark in more of a rhythmic stanza while the adult wolf barks are briefer and isolated. Compared with wolves, dogs bark frequently and in many different situations.
It is suggested that the reason for the difference is because of dog's domestication by humans. They are similar to young wolves in many of their mannerisms and physical features, such as large heads, flat faces, large eyes, submissiveness and vocalizing, all of which are exhibited in wolf puppies.
Some believe that these characteristics were deliberately selected soon after domestication. There may have been a number of reasons for this like an overgrown puppy would have made an engaging companion and with an increased tendency to bark could have been useful to humans to provide an early warning system. Dogs may have been used to alert their owners that another unfamiliar band of humans or a predatory animal was in the area.
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. They may bark to attract attention, to communicate a message, or to express excitement. Barks are often accompanied by body movements. A warning bark will usually start out as a low, quiet, but ferociously noticeable growl before escalating into something of a howling bark. This type of reaction is most typically seen in domesticated animals in response to a perceived territorial intrusion. The dog may also
bare its teeth if it feels immediately threatened.
Dogs will alarm bark in response to an unusual event that they feel needs your attention, such as "Hey, a car pulled into the driveway!" or "The mail carrier is here!" or even "Hey, there's a cat on the window sill!" This kind of barking is known as 'alarm barking', and is common within a variety of breeds. It is a dog's attempt to be alert, attentive, and
informative to its human caretakers, as unusual events. It does not signify aggression, and (although often associated with unusual noises intruding on the dog's 'territory') is not the same as territoriality type barking. It may take the form of just one or a few barks, or it may be a sustained barking until the dog sees that some action has been taken.
Alarm barking is more likely to arise when a dog can hear, but not see the source of, some noise. Examples of sounds which commonly cause alarm barking include doorbells, cars, noises from adjacent dwellings, and the like. It is a behavior that tends to develop with age and maturity, and also can be related to whether there are others around who might need to be informed of such events, often an alarm barker will remain quiet if alone and there is nobody to 'tell'. A dog can be trained to bark when its owner gives a command, such as "Speak."
Some dogs will give a playful bark for a treat or when they are playing; it is not, however, always friendly. Many dogs will often give a need bark that serves as a sign that they need something. This is commonly done along with a form of action. Example, a dog may nudge its bowl and bark if it is hungry, or it may nudge its owner and bark if they want some form of attention such as petting.
Although dogs are descended from the wolf, their barking is totally different from their parent species. Although wolves do bark (or more accurately, howl or bay), they do so only in specific situations. It is said that dogs bark in more of a rhythmic stanza while the adult wolf barks are briefer and isolated. Compared with wolves, dogs bark frequently and in many different situations.
It is suggested that the reason for the difference is because of dog's domestication by humans. They are similar to young wolves in many of their mannerisms and physical features, such as large heads, flat faces, large eyes, submissiveness and vocalizing, all of which are exhibited in wolf puppies.
Some believe that these characteristics were deliberately selected soon after domestication. There may have been a number of reasons for this like an overgrown puppy would have made an engaging companion and with an increased tendency to bark could have been useful to humans to provide an early warning system. Dogs may have been used to alert their owners that another unfamiliar band of humans or a predatory animal was in the area.
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. They may bark to attract attention, to communicate a message, or to express excitement. Barks are often accompanied by body movements. A warning bark will usually start out as a low, quiet, but ferociously noticeable growl before escalating into something of a howling bark. This type of reaction is most typically seen in domesticated animals in response to a perceived territorial intrusion. The dog may also
bare its teeth if it feels immediately threatened.
Dogs will alarm bark in response to an unusual event that they feel needs your attention, such as "Hey, a car pulled into the driveway!" or "The mail carrier is here!" or even "Hey, there's a cat on the window sill!" This kind of barking is known as 'alarm barking', and is common within a variety of breeds. It is a dog's attempt to be alert, attentive, and
informative to its human caretakers, as unusual events. It does not signify aggression, and (although often associated with unusual noises intruding on the dog's 'territory') is not the same as territoriality type barking. It may take the form of just one or a few barks, or it may be a sustained barking until the dog sees that some action has been taken.
Alarm barking is more likely to arise when a dog can hear, but not see the source of, some noise. Examples of sounds which commonly cause alarm barking include doorbells, cars, noises from adjacent dwellings, and the like. It is a behavior that tends to develop with age and maturity, and also can be related to whether there are others around who might need to be informed of such events, often an alarm barker will remain quiet if alone and there is nobody to 'tell'. A dog can be trained to bark when its owner gives a command, such as "Speak."
Some dogs will give a playful bark for a treat or when they are playing; it is not, however, always friendly. Many dogs will often give a need bark that serves as a sign that they need something. This is commonly done along with a form of action. Example, a dog may nudge its bowl and bark if it is hungry, or it may nudge its owner and bark if they want some form of attention such as petting.
posted by Shaggy D at
3:56 PM
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