Do You Know What Your Dog Is Saying?

If you have a dog, it’s likely that he knows a lot more about you than you know about him. He has been closely monitoring your daily habits.

If you disagree, please tell me how he knows that you are about to go out as soon as you grab your car keys and wallet.

Dogs can easily detect your emotions. They know when you are sad, cranky, or ready to play with them. They also learn the time and place for family meals and when it’s just about bed time.

In return for all of this, how much have you bothered to learn about your dog? Most likely not one-tenth as much as he has taught himself about you. Yet it is really quite easy to learn once you put your mind to it.

Dogs’ barking serves many different purposes. A bark can be used to repel others and another to attract. Some barking styles mean “get outta here!” while others might mean “Hey, I’m over here. Where the heck are you?”. All but the most inexperienced dog watchers will notice that dogs have a number of different types of barking ranging from a muted woof of appreciation, to the high-pitched yelp of alarm, to the loud string of angry barks that mean he’s prepared to fight.

Sir John Lubbock, a 19th century British behavioral scientist, noted that when a dog barks it is an attempt to mimic the sound of the human voice. He pointed out that wild dogs may howl but they do not bark. The same can be said about coyotes, wolves, and other members of the canine family that have not heard humans speak or the barking of a domestic dog.

The intent of a bark is completely different from that of a growl. When barking, a dog flings his head high, leaving his throat exposed and unprotected. Barking is definitely not a war cry. But when he growls he lowers his head so as to protect the vulnerable throat area, preparing for an impending fight.

So… when you’re walking up the path to a house and the family dog comes racing out barking loudly, you are most likely in no danger. However, if he advances toward you growling, with his head lowered and his tail rigid, then look out – there’s trouble brewing!

Very few barking dogs will actually bite if you just stand absolutely still with your hands on your chest and avoid eye contact. However, if you make wild gestures or if you turn and run, you’ll be in danger of an aggressive dog’s bite. Disregarding a strange dog’s growl is very risky business for anyone who values his skin.

By: Jim Navary

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