Understanding Dog Sounds
Dogs can make many different sounds besides just barking or growling sounds. Certain dog breeds will grunt, yelp, yep, yodel, rumble and howl, and some of these dog sounds are downright hilarious. What’s even more interesting is pet owners can identify their dog’s vocalizations even when intermingled with other dogs barking in the same area. Once, while showing our Rottweiler at a dog show with more than 200 other Rotties, I could hear his whine, signaling he needed to potty. Plus, we can all identify with picking up our dogs at the vet clinic (or grooming salons or kennel) and distinguishing our dog’s sounds from the other dogs in the facility.
Just remember: it’s important to interpret your dog’s body language while he is making dog sounds to make sure you understand exactly what your dog is saying.
Rapidly Repeating, High-Pitched Sound
Sounds like: “YELP, YELP, YELP, YELP!”
What your dog is saying: “I’m Scared,” “Don’t Hurt Me,” “Stop Hurting Me”
For the most part, pet owners are pretty good at interpreting loud, rapidly repeating and high-pitched yelps that signal a dog is in distress. Some dogs may growl while others yelp continuously, but in both cases they’re begging someone or something to stop hurting them. Once you’ve heard this dog sound, especially when a dog is in pain, it will haunt you.
Long Strings of Loud, Forceful Barking
Sounds like: “Booo, wooo, wooo, wooo!” Pause (dog looks around). “Wooof, woof, woof.”
What your dog is saying: “Mom! Someone is at the Door!”
Dogs alert their owners when someone is at the door with rapid and long strings of loud and forceful barking. When dogs get really excited seeing someone approach the driveway, their first bark will be loud, long and exaggerated with their front feet stomping. It almost sounds like “BOOOOOroooooo, bark, bark, bark.” Some dogs will pause and look for their pet owners and then continue barking while others will continue barking for several minutes; it depends on the dog and past experiences.
Growling
Sounds like: “Grrr, grrr.” Pause. “Grrr.”
What your dog is saying: “I’m Warning You, Stop Now!”
Growling means your dog is begging you or someone (or something) else to stop whatever is happening in that moment. Never ever punish a dog for growling. That would basically turn the safety off of a gun.
When your dog growls, stop, listen, interpret and react to your dog’s growling by stopping whatever is happening. It’s important to understand you’re not rewarding a dog for growling when you stop a situation from happening; you’re preventing aggression from escalating. If your dog is growling at an object, never force him toward the object because that will only make it worse. Check out these tips on growling.
Rumble Sounds
Sounds like: Boat motor
What your dog is saying: “I’m Friendly” or “I’m Warning You”
Some dogs will rumble, which resembles a growl. When a dog rumbles, it sounds more like a boat motor (even pitch sounds, almost monotone) than a deep throaty, fluctuating warning growl. Some dog experts claim dog rumbling is equivalent to a cat purring and I agree, depending on certain situations.
As a dog trainer for 24 years, I’ve witnessed friendly rumbling about five times. Every other time, the dog was politely asking his pet owners to stop kissing his face and hence a warning growl. When it comes to dog sounds, distinguishing between a friendly rumble and a warning growl is very tricky; it’s vital to closely watch a dog’s body language while the sound is being made. If you’re not sure whether your dog is growling or friendly rumbling, ask a professional dog trainer to watch interactions that produce this dog sound.
Short Sounds With Pauses and Wagging
Sounds like: “Woo, woo, woo.” Pause with lots of dancing and wagging. “Woo, woo, woo.”
What your dog is saying: “I’m Happy You’re Home!”
Most happy dog barks and sounds are short with lots of pauses in between vocalizations and accompanied by lots of wagging, dancing and forward movement. Happy dog sounds can vary; it all depends on your dog’s size, breed and personality. Our Miniature Bull Terrier will yodel when we arrive home, which is a short sound with lots of paw dancing (i.e. dog moves all four feet up and down while standing in place).
Sharp Whistle Sounds
Sounds like: “Meee, meee, meeep”
What your dog is saying: “I’m Worried” or “I’m Hurting”
When dogs whine, it sounds like sharp whistle sounds. Whining is one of the trickier dog sounds because it can mean a variety of things. Dogs will whine when they’re uncomfortable or in pain, such as an upset stomach or painful arthritis. Another reason dogs will whine is fear or distress from events, such as loud thunderstorms, banging firework displays or loneliness. Never dismiss whining because there’s always a cause. If you’re not sure, record your dog whining and play it for your veterinarian and professional dog trainer for their expert opinions.
Howling
Sounds like: “WOOOooooo”
What your dog is saying: “Mom’s Home,” “Company is at the Door,” or “I’m Bored”
Howling sounds like one extremely long note held for a period of time. Many pet owners often misinterpret howling and, honestly, it’s tripped me up a few times too. Some dog breeds, such as hounds (Beagles, Bloodhounds, Foxhounds), were bred to yodel loudly, which signals to the hunter that game has been cornered. With hounds, yodeling can mean, “Mom’s home,” “company is at the door” or “I’m bored.” Sometimes, howling can mean a dog’s in pain, bored and lonely. Again, you need to watch your dog’s body language when he’s howling to correctly interpret the meaning.