Our dogs communicate with us; we just need to listen
I've always been interested in language and communication. Some people enjoy Soduku and solving calculus equations; give me a sentence to diagram. Grammar, syntax, morphology, phonemes, eye contact, body posture; the whole process of communication is fascinating. Recently, I've been reading about dognition and dogs understanding and using human vocabulary; communicating with us.
Our dogs communicate with us every day. My dog, Kasey, barks and stands by the door, signaling with his body he wants to "go out." He stands at the pantry door and "whines" with urgency when he wants a cookie. And by looking back and forth between me and the throw toy stored on the top shelf, Kasey signals me he wants to play.
According to Amy A. Free of Fetch Magazine, there has been a lot of research done on bark, whine and growl, the three basic building blocks of animal communication. A dog's bark establishes a connection between the dog and another being, rising and falling between high and low pitch. Barks are considered to be neutral introduction labels.
Sophia Yin, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist analyzed 5,000 dog barks recorded in three different situations. When a dog is in a disturbance situation, she used a doorbell, a dog's bark is lower in pitch and longer in duration. A dog separated from his owner barks higher in pitch and is tonal, like a musical key. The third situation analyzed was dogs at play; when playing, dogs bark at a higher pitch.
The second building block of animal communication is the whine. These are high in pitch and repeated without much pausing. The message of a whining dog is "I'm scared" or "Please be nice to me."
Free notes, "Whining noises often accompany behaviors that emphasize the sender's plea, pleeeeeeeeeease."
I agree. Kasey stands and whines at the pantry door for a cookie.
The growl is the third building block of animal communication. Growls are used to express aggression through lower pitched, harsh noises. Serious growls also include pauses. We all recognize a growl when we hear it.
Free also reports dog-laughing is a form of dog communication. As described by Patricia Simonet, animal behaviorist, this sound is a "forced, breathy exhalation from the mouth ... huh, huh, huh." Similar to a pant, which is also breathy, but a flat noise. Dog-laughter is usually heard during or after play.
For a more "high-tech" approach to analyzing your dog's communication noises, listen to the audio files at petalk.org to familiarize yourself with a "dog-bark." Or go to the free Bow Lingual Dog Translator App for iPhone. Although reviewed as less science-based and more fluff, it is fun. Your dog barks into your iPhone and a translated message appears on the screen.
We all know our dogs communicate with us. Kasey excitedly greets me at the door when I come home. He snuffles in my face when it's time for me to get up in the morning. He sits beside me, putting his head in my lap so I can pet him and scratch him behind his ears when it's been a long day. His message to me- unconditional love.
Upcoming
The Buddy Foundation will celebrate its 25th anniversary from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at Chandler's at the Schaumburg Golf Course, 401 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.
Join Buddy's "Cheers to 25 Years" for a donation of $40 in advance; $45 at the door, which includes a buffet dinner, cake and two drink tickets.
The evening will feature a raffle and auction, along with music and entertainment. Reserve your tickets by calling Buddy at (847) 290-5806 or sending a check to The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization with all funds directly assisting its animals. Call (847) 290-5806 or visit thebuddyfoundation.org.