Many stories are known about the friendship of man and dog. It so happened that dogs and people found a contact with each other, despite the fact that some bark, the others talk.
Moreover, a person (not counting dog handlers who understand dogs by virtue of their profession) does not pay much attention to differences in the "speech" of the animal, which manifest themselves under certain conditions.
The reasons for barking
Dog barking is not just the creation of noise, it is a way of communication between animals both among themselves and with people, which is used along with other communication tools: vision, scent, postures and movements.
Dogs bark when they want to attract attention in cases:
- fear
- anxiety
- Boredom
- desire to play.
Where did the habit of barking come from?
During the experiments, scientists came to the conclusion that barking is inherent in predominantly domesticated dogs, and their wild relatives occasionally use this method of communication. Animals who reside under the strong guardianship of the owner (“sofa pets”) often resort to barking. For example, people take their pets in their arms, protecting them from danger. Although the dog is not in danger, she does not refuse to bark: instincts make themselves felt. Wild animals, dogs of medium and large breeds use other communication tools, so there is no urgent need for voice expression of emotions.
Scientific studies have shown that dogs use barking more often to convey information to a person than to communicate with each other.
If we take for example wolves, which are closest to dogs in physiology, then adults are not keen on barking, but cubs are not at all averse. On this basis, the theory is proposed that modern dogs are teenage wolves that have stopped in development. Hence the rationale for why pets bark.
Differences in Sounds
As mentioned above, a person usually does not pay attention to the nature of the dog barking. But at the same time, if you listen carefully, it is possible to easily determine the emotional state of the animal, even without the special skills of a dog handler. Thus, the opinion is confirmed that dogs bark to convey information.
How to understand what the pet wants to “say”? The nature of the sounds produced is affected by the emotional state of the animal. A long, barking bark resembling a screech indicates that the dog is very scared. Rough, low-pitched sounds are an indicator of aggressive mood. A joyful playful state is determined by the interval between individual sounds: these intervals are long. More often, “woof” began to sound - the animal senses danger and prepared to defend itself, that is, it is in an aggressive state.
By barking, you can also determine the health status of the dog. A sick pet makes more side noise.
The relationship between talkativeness and breed
The widespread belief that small-sized dogs bark longer, bayier and louder, in practice finds confirmation.
However, the barking of dogs is more affected not by the size and tendency to “talkativeness”, but by the acoustic properties used by the breeders. Pointing dogs are silent, as they silently approach their prey.In contrast to the barking dogs, the hunting breeds drive barking game, so they develop an instinct for barking. Guard dogs, making barking sounds, inform the owner of imminent danger or the approach of strangers. These are just examples. Other breeds have other reasons for increased talkativeness or silence. In addition, the dog, especially at an early age, can be weaned from the bark using special commands.
With all of the above, the exact facts about what the cause of the dog bark is not established. We can only assume that the barking habit developed under the influence of evolutionary processes and, as a result, became a means of communication with a person. For kinsman dogs, barking is not a big deal.
