Dog Barking Sounds - How to Translate Your Dog's Bark

By Michael Lee

Dog barking sounds don't mean a lot to many people. For the most part,
they are simply acknowledged as a sort of vocal exercises done by
dogs, and those who aren't fond of these animals may even consider
barking dogs a loud disturbance. However, they are much more than
that. Dog barking sounds are actually a basic method of communication
for dogs.

Apart from that, there hasn't been a detailed explanation or better
understanding as to why dogs bark and how they have managed to grow so
different from their ancestor, the wolf. The latter also barks
occasionally, but wolves in general much prefer howling as a way to
communicate. This is a far cry from dogs, who appear to have a
fondness for barking as often and as loudly as possible!

Yet dogs share this fondness for barking with wolf cubs. This
fact—along with many other similar physical features they share with
dogs, as well as habits like the tendency to be submissive—has led
experts to theorize on neoteny. Neoteny is a condition wherein adults
retain juvenile traits. Therefore, it is said that dogs and wild cubs
share certain similar aspects of behavior.

Another possible explanation could be the phenomenon of domestication
itself. When humans and dogs first got together in a symbiotic
relationship of mutual benefit, the dog proved to be a most convenient
and effective alarm system.

The barking warned them and prepared them against impending danger
from predators, marauders, and other intruders. And so the barking was
encouraged, even highly prized, which is why some breeds—like hunting
dogs, for example—are significantly louder and more vocal than others.

When and why does a dog bark in the first place? This can include the
expression of an emotion (loneliness, elation, excitement, stress,
fear, etc.); when a dog is feeling hungry or neglected; when he hears
other dogs barking or sees strange dogs approaching; when he hears
strange sounds he is unaccustomed to; and sometimes, he barks just
because he wants to.

Your pet may bark when you leave him home alone, especially if he
suffers from separation anxiety, and he will bark his approval once he
senses you approaching the front door after you've been gone the whole
day.

Dogs generally practice two types of barking—the warning bark and the
alarm bark.

The warning bark starts out as a rumbling, low-pitched growl (dog
barking sounds that are playful in nature have a higher frequency),
which gradually increases in volume and intensity as a full-blown
howl, which is meant to show dominance and aggression. It is usually
employed when in the presence of a perceived threat and a dog may feel
the need to fight back and defend himself and his territory.

The second type, on the other hand, is not meant to be hostile. This
is merely a dog's way of calling his master's attention, such as a
ringing phone, a chiming doorbell, or a car pulling up in the
driveway. And the dog won't stop barking unless his master attends to
these events.

You may find that your dog's barking can grow increasingly annoying
for you and you will want him to learn how to bark only when the
situation calls for it. Give your puppy the proper training early on.
Petting the dog or soothing him doesn't help curb the barking; it may
only reinforce the behavior. Instead, give him a reward him once he's
settled down and praise him for this. This is reassurance to him that
he is doing the right thing by being quiet and will likely avoid
barking too much as he does not wish to displease you.

So the next time you're baffled about what your canine companion is
trying to say, listen a little closer, observe how it's behaving, and
remember all that you've learned about dog barking sounds. This will
help pave the way to a better relationship between you and your pet
pooch.

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