The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [19]
Although dogs communicate primarily with nonverbal body language, they are capable of a wide range of sounds. There is always a purpose for their barks, even if the reason is sheer boredom. These sounds have consistent meanings, based on the pitch, pace, and overall tones. Here is a list of some common dog sounds.
HIGH-PITCHED, LONG BARK. “I’m worried or lonely and need assurance.”
RAPID, HIGH-PITCHED, REPETITIVE BARKS. “Let’s play! Chase me! At least throw my ball!”
LOW, REPETITIVE BARKS. “Stay away from my family! Keep off my property!”
A SINGLE BARK OR TWO. “Hey! I’m here! What are you doing?”
GROWLING WITH TEETH EXPOSED AND TENSE BODY LEANING FORWARD. “I’m warning you — back off and leave me alone.”
GROWLING WITH BODY CROUCHED LOW. “You’re making me nervous. If you come too close, I might snap at you.”
SINGSONG HOWLING. “Hey, calling all canines! Who’s out there? What’s going on?”
SQUEAKY, REPETITIVE YAPS OR WHINES. “I’m hurt or scared or feeling stressed. I need attention!”
Okay to Growl in Play?
Q When I play fetch with my two-year-old golden retriever, she sometimes lets out a little growl when I reach for the ball. She looks at me sideways, seems to have an open-mouth grin, puts her butt high in the air, and stretches her front paws out. Even though she is growling, is she being playful? Or challenging?
A From the body postures you describe, your dog is thoroughly happy to be playing with you. She is showing you the “play bow” position (front legs splayed out, head lowered, rear end elevated). Her alert expression and throaty noise are friendly invites for you to continue trying to grab the ball from her and tossing it. She regards you as a valued playmate.
Playtime with your dog provides a golden opportunity to improve your communication and practice good manners. When your dog is in a playful mood, use the chance to reinforce some basic behaviors, such as sit, wait, and leave it. Have her heed these cues before getting a reward, in this case, the tennis ball. Finally, you decide when the game is over, not your dog. This reinforces your position as leader.
THE NAME GAME
Stumped by what to call your new dog? You can go with the majority by dubbing her Molly or him Max — two of the most popular canine monikers. If you want to be more original, here are some recommendations.
Stick with a two-syllable name ending in a vowel, like Buddy or Gracie.
Select a name you enjoy saying out loud — not an embarrassing one like Poopsie.
Consider names associated with something you enjoy, like Chipper or Lily.
Avoid names that sound too much like no such as Joe or Flo.
Link the name to your dog’s personality: Happy, Frisky, or Speedy.
Make sure your dog associates his name with positive experiences. Use it when you play, feed, and cuddle with your new dog. Resist saying his name when you need to stop a behavior like digging or barking.
Strictly Dog to Dog
Q Whenever my husky mix, Jessie, meets a new dog, she goes through a whole ritual of posturing. Usually, the hair on her spine goes up. She marches up to the newcomer at our dog park in silence. She sniffs the dog’s rear end and often places her head over the other dog’s back. Sometimes she will make some quick growling noises, but within a few minutes, the two are playing chase and then sharing a water bowl. I know my dog is not aggressive, but I find myself always having to explain to other dog owners that this is just how Jessie meets other dogs. Is this normal dog behavior?
A Jessie behaves a lot like Chipper does. Dominant dogs, especially female ones, like to know right away who the boss is. Sometimes, after their initial introduction, the other dog dominates Chipper, who accepts being first mate rather than the captain of the canine dog park. Other times, Chipper is in charge.
Dogs have only elementary verbal language but very sophisticated body language. Their body language involves every part of their body from nose to tip of tail, and every dog knows how to read it. Just as we put words together to form a meaningful message,