We have great appreciation for the powerful bond between humans and our animal companions here at RAWZ. In fact, like most pet parents I suspect, it’s not uncommon to find ourselves in deep conversation with our four-legged family whether on a walk or lounging around the house. Clooney, my own 12 year old Silver Fox (a Georgian black lab with significantly grey hair just like his old man) can attest to my constant ramblings. I even admit to asking Cloon’s advice on occasion and sometimes even wishing he could talk…well be careful what you wish for! Don’t worry, this post is not a fictional work about Clooney gaining speaking abilities (although he did commandeer my laptop to write his own post on the More Than a Speed Bump blog), but rather a look at the meaning of the canine communication mode: Their bark.
Understanding Canine Communication
Fortunately for me, and you dear reader, much has been written on the subject so my information isn’t merely derived from my long discussions with Clooney. In his well-researched book, How to Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication, Dr. Stanley Coren deeply examines the complexity of all things dogspeak (bark!). Dr. Coren is a Psychology professor who shifted from research and publication on human neuropsychology to the relationship between dogs and humans with a particular focus on canine behavior. Along with How to Speak Dog, Dr. Coren has written for many pet related magazines and even a children’s book called Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?
In her article for the American Kennel Club, certified dog trainer and MSc in Animal Behavior Stephanie Gibeault explores the complexity of dogspeak (barking). While in general we tend to think of barking as classic aggression or signaling a coming attack, in truth a bark from a dog can communicate a range of emotions like fear, lonesomeness, surprise, or irritation.
To complicate matters even more, a dog will vary the pitch of their barks depending on mood. For instance, a higher pitched bark tends to be playful while a deeper bark can be used to alert someone to an unwelcome guest or give a warning to a rough playmate. Of course, most dog parents are familiar with the yelp, that sad almost whine that communicates discomfort, pain, or even fear. Another common bark often heard from canines that is similar to the yelp is a higher pitched, howl-like bark often used to request companionship.
FAQs
Can my dog understand the words that I’m saying?
While many dog parents speak glowingly about how their pup “really gets what I’m saying,” research done at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary has found remarkably similar language processing between humans and canines. In their findings, researchers discovered that dogs process speech with both hemispheres of the brain just as humans do. Specifically, canines process language with the left hemisphere of the brain and process intonation with the right hemisphere. Lead researcher and neuroscientist Attila Andics commented, "Dogs' brains care both about what we say and how we say it."
How many words can dogs understand?
While it seems most dogs understand commands like sit, down, come, and maybe even paw; you may be wondering, “How many words does my pooch really know?” Fortunately, much research has been done surrounding canine word comprehension and finds that the average trained dog comprehends a similar amount of words as most toddlers, about 165.
Just like us, their biped companions, auditory sounds only represent one of many modes of communication, with body language and scent also frequently used to communicate by canines. While proper nutrition is vital to the health and happiness of any dog, RAWZ can’t guarantee that feeding our minimally processed recipes will make your canine a four-legged master orator (barker!)…however, to find out how you can improve the lives of people and pets by joining the RAWZ family, locate an authorized RAWZ retail partner here!
