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For someone not skilled at speaking English, they sure do have a lot to say. But have you ever wondered what they’re trying to tell you?
Well, it’s time to uncover the real meaning behind those barks. Brace yourself for the truth!
It’s true! Barks really do have meaning. They’re not just a one size fits all approach to canine communication. They’re actually an expression of their true feelings that you might have noticed is very hard to ignore!
So here goes.
As a general rule, the pitch indicates their mood while the number of barks indicates their level of excitement or stress. Got it? Ok let me explain...
This is how it works.
Lower Pitch:
Single bark:
Translation: 'Who’s out there?’ 😔
This is the standard bark of the dog left home alone. They’ll send out this bark almost as a ‘check-in’ with the other dogs in the neighbourhood to see who responds…
Multiple barks:
Translation: ’I heard something…you better not come in here!’ 😤
This is a classic threat response from dogs looking to protect their home…and you. By using a deeper pitch, they make themselves seem bigger and more menacing than they actually are. It’s designed to intimidate whoever is out there. Even if it’s just a possum. This is the classic reactive bark…
High Pitch:
Single bark:
Translation: ’Notice me! And then play with me!’ 😜
You’ll hear this in the park around other dogs or even just at home when they want to play or exercise. The higher pitch indicates their excitement and higher energy
Multiple barks:
Translation: ‘I’m not coping’ 🥺
This is a furry family member with a lot of feelings! They’re really struggling and the stress of being alone and without anything to soothe them means they tend to spiral into this higher pitched repetitive bark as an outlet. This is the typical separation anxiety bark that can be helped with some soothing techniques and some Calm + Collected treats around an hour before you leave them at home.
And then there's this...
The talk ‘Rarrooraarowww’ (or something like that!)
This is always a funny one. Yes, it’s basically their attempt full human communication. And because we love it and do it back, it only becomes more of a thing.
Translation: ‘I'm fun. And you really should hang with me a little longer...' 😉
So hopefully you can see that barking isn't useless noise. It's a conversation starter. And often their way of getting a message across that all too often comes straight from the heart ❤️
