Reply To: Genetics and dog vocalization

[kristen johnson 2]

This is very fascinating. That makes so much sense! I am dog sitting my parent’s Newfoundland this week and she generally barks when she wants to go outside. However, I’ve discovered that at my house she does this “roar”……..(when she yawns noisily it sounds like a roar and my dad wanted to teach her to do that on command, so I have been working on that with her and exchanging ear rubs for roars.) I found it interesting that she does this at my house when she wants out because she has learned that this noise gets her things. Their other dog never makes any noise. He is a country dog and basically roams free when outside, which is whenever he wants. With your explanation above that makes total sense! All my dogs growing up were not barkers and we always lived in the country where the dogs were just free, so they rarely were in any conflicts when they’d need to bark. Interesting!