A Dog's Bark Speaks Volume

There is no doubt that a dog barking can be something which irritates the neighbors, stops you sleeping at night and causes other annoyances, but this is not all there is to a dog barking. There is a lot that you can tell from a dog’s bark, and as long as it is not excessive it can be something quite charming and entertaining. Just as humans have voices of their own and use them to make themselves identifiable, a dog uses its bark in order to get messages across in its own special way. It may even be communicating with another dog that is barking.

The many noises that a dog can make will be familiar to any long-term dog owner. From the quizzical whine when it’s not sure what is going on, to the short, sharp little yelp that shows it’s excited, your dog will always tell you how it's feeling. A dog will also growl if there is a threat present, and if it is about to strike in any way . When a dog is growling this is when you really need to pay attention to what is going on around you and your dog so if needed, you can take evasive or preventative action. 

There are other people who will insist that their dog replies when they speak to it – and evidence suggests that there is some truth in that.  You may ask your dog how it is feeling and it may respond with a whiny tone to let you know it is trying to answer you.  It can be fun to talk to your pet and see how it responds to your questions.  It is also a good way to learn your dog's emotions so in the future you can be atune to it's needs
if you hear the same sound.

A dog will see you, as the leader of the pack and is to be obeyed. To it, your words will simply be like a modified bark, and your tone of voice will carry the message. So when it barks back, it is responding to you just like it would do with another dog.

So take some time and listen to your dog, you'll be surprised how much it has to say.

To learn more on your dog's reactions read my article Reading Dog's Reactions.

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