Turid Rugaas - Barking, the Sound of a Language

Barking
The Sound of a Language
Turid Rugaas

Dogwise Publishing
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2008 Turid Rugaas

Graphic Design: Nathan Woodward & Lindsay Peternell

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Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty:
The author and publisher shall not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance, or use of the instructions and suggestions contained in this book.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rugaas, Turid.
Barking : the sound of a language / by Turid Rugaas.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-1-929242-51-1 (alk. paper)
1. Dogs--Barking. I. Title.
SF433.R84 2008
636.70887--dc22

2007051580

Printed in the U.S.A.

Contents

When the topic of barking comes up, people often first think that:

A dog is showing aggressive behaviorThe dog is dominantDogs do it to irritate usIt is bad behavior on the part of the dogIt is a cause of complaint from neighbors

On a superficial basis, these reactions make sense. Nothing is more irritating to people than barking. It makes many people very angry and gets on their nerves and neighbors often complain. People often respond to barking by becoming irritable, angry, nervous, and unsure about what the dog is doing.

Such reactions are based on a lack of knowledge about why dogs barkand people tend to over-react to what they do not understand. Typical responses include yelling and wanting to punish the dogall of which usually have the opposite effect from what was intended. Instead of quieting the dog, it often results in just more barking. If it does succeed in quieting the dog, there are usually negative side effects. The dog will likely become afraid of the owner (or neighbor), more afraid of being alone, or develop eating or health problems. A whole range of symptoms due to chronic stress may develop in the dog.

These types of reactions to barking are the result of not understanding what is really going on when a dog barks. Knowledge provides understanding, and understanding gives us a little more insight and patience. When we are not stressed ourselves, we become able to keep a cool head, and self-control lets us handle problems better. We become better observers and can find smarter and more efficient solutions to the problems we face. In other words, analyzing the situation and calmly finding the reasons for what is happening is the best way to find a lasting and good solution without scaring or mentally destroying the dog.

Barking as Communication

Barking and the use of body language are important means by which dogs communicate. Vocal sounds and body language are used by all sorts of animals and people to express a wide variety of needs and emotions. Communication is necessary to be able to live together in a relationship with minimal conflicts and to be able to understand each other well. The key to understanding how to interact with a barking dog is learning how to interpret what a dog is trying to communicate.

This concept applies to humans as well as to dogs. In books and articles about family therapy it is often stated that most of the problems families struggle with arise due to a lack of ability to communicateto talk with each other. They talk past each other, and accuse each other of not listening to what I say. You never listen to me is a common accusation, often yelled at the top of the voice, and the yelling becomes louder and louder the more people do not feel they are being listened to.

It is exactly the same with dogs. When we think a dog is not listening, we yell louder and more angrily. Dogs also get frustrated about not being heard. They start yelling also especially when no matter how much they bark, they fail to make us understand what they are trying to communicate.

It is important for us to teach ourselves to listen to what our dogs try to tell us. Ideally we can recognize their attempts to communicatethe calming signals, the small signs of stressso we can solve problems before there is a real conflict. We need to pick up on the communication as early as possible. Or, if conflict has occurred, and we already feel we have a problem, to start listening more intently to what the dog is actually telling us. It is only then we can find the right.

Most mammals use a variety of sounds
and body language to communicate.

So How Do Dogs Try To Communicate?

Dogs have many different ways of expressing themselves beyond barking. Most (but not all) dogs communicate in a similar manner and these expressions can usually be easily recognized by other dogs. Some forms of communication are easy for people to understand, but some unique expressions are harder for people to comprehend without taking the time to learn about them. Dogs communicate in many ways including:

Distance creating signals used to keep someone away or increase the distance from another individual. Examples are showing teeth, lunging forward, snapping, biting, growling, and barking.Calming signals used to express politeness, solve conflicts, or to show friendliness.Body language that express fear or defense. Examples are tail between the legs, crouching, backing up or taking flight, and of course the stress symptoms like peeing, scratching, and shaking.Signs of joy. Examples are a wagging tail, licking, jumping, wiggling the whole body, and showing a happy face.

And then there are all the sounds that dogs make including:

BarkingWhiningGrowlingHowling

All of these are a natural part of what we can call the language of dogs. They are intended to communicate something to the world around them, and to express the feelings the dog has at that moment. Gaining a better understanding of what a dog is trying to communicate and why he may be trying to communicate when he barks will be the focus of the remainder of this book.

Barking is a natural way for dogs to express themselvesit is a part of their language. Nobody would ever dream about training away or punishing away a cat that meows or a horse that whinnies. But many people believe that dogs should not be allowed to bark or growl.

First and foremost you must understand and accept that dogs actually have a language, and that a part of that language is to make sounds. It is as simple as that. But given that, it must be admitted that vocal expressions in dogs can have formidable dimensions, and can be a problem for their surroundings including the people nearby.

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