We were sitting in the pub, talking over the week’s ups and downs, when there was a quiet woof. It was Peggie, a very nice French bulldog, saying hello. She’s a sweet girl, but with her barely reaching knee height, we had overlooked her.
As we patted her, it struck me that the low-voiced woof was a perfectly polite indoor voice for saying hello. It was pitched low, didn’t startle, and was so quiet that the next table didn’t hear it. It was a perfectly crafted communication.
Interestingly, while wild dog species also bark, yip and yelp, domestic dogs are much more vocal. Scientists think our pets have developed their dog talk because they live with us.
Given we humans are not skilled at interpreting scents or body language and we lack tails too, our pet dog ancestors decided they had better learn to work with our strengths: Conversation. Therefore, Man’s Best Friend learned to use their voices.
Dogs make a variety of sounds, and you don’t need to know them personally to understand the major barks.
For loyal guard dogs, there is the repeated fog-horn energetic barking that signals an emergency, such as the invasion of armed robbers, the postman or a delivery van.
There is the shrill yelping bark that signals hurt or panic, such as cutting your paw but also being on the wrong side of a door.
And finally, the delightful loud crying, irregular bark with a puppy-like whine, that means a long-lost friend has just turned up. It’s joyful always, that sound, even if it’s just family coming back from a long day at the office.
Curiously, while pet dogs talk a lot more than their wild cousins, some dogs have a reputation as quiet souls. This includes the Chow Chow, a dog breed originally from Northern China that is famous for its thick furry coat, squashy face and black tongue. These handsome pets look very much like little bears but they are typically super friendly.
Michelle Chin, a project planner originally from Sungai Petani, Kedah, and now living in Belfast, Northern Ireland, grew up with lots of dogs, including a German Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, Spitz, and a Great Dane.
Today she lives with Milo, a five-year-old Chow Chow with an impressive 10-generation ancestry pedigree that includes World Champion show dogs.
“Chow Chows, in general, are not noisy dogs,” Chin points out. “They don’t stand in the kitchen and bark for food and they don’t just make noises for attention. If a Chow Chow wants something, they come over to you and give you a look.”
This does not mean that the dogs are silent.
“When Milo was a pup, we socialised him by inviting friends and family over,” Chin explains. “So Milo likes visitors.
“When a friend visits, he will bark once to say hello. Then he stops and there are cuddles.”
Interestingly, Milo has a special bark for people he hasn’t met before.
“When Milo meets a newcomer, he wags his tail and holds his head up, locking eyes with you. Then he woofs with a quiet, happy, lower tone bark.”
Chow Chows are not shouters by nature but Chin believes they have developed a language all of their own.
“They yip, thrill and moan, sounding like doggy dolphins,” Chin giggles. “I’ve heard Chow Chows use it with each other, talking just like we do.
“We had a Chow Chow when I was a teen, Mr Big, who chatted all the time. Milo isn’t as talkative but if he comes over and I don’t get what he wants, he will talk to explain.”
While Chow Chows are civilised companions who enjoy having visitors, they are also well-known for being excellent and dedicated guard dogs.
“When dogs walk past the window, Milo runs from window to window, following them and making sure they keep moving,” Chin explains. “When Milo was a pup, he barked once to get attention but we said no and that was it. Now he just runs and watches quietly.
“However, the postman is an exception. Milo is convinced we need protection,” Chin giggles. “When the postman is there, Milo stiffens. His tail is always up and curled, but when he’s on guard duty, that tail is stiff and unmoving.
“He watches and when the man comes close to the house, Milo will bark. It’s his loud bark, his fierce bark, and he will sound the alarm for a minute or maybe even two minutes. It’s his way of letting everyone know that this house is guarded.”
Aside from being brave and caring for their family, Chow Chows are also like cats in that they are very brave about pain.
“Milo had a ligament tear last year,” Chin shares. “I was in another room when I heard him yip quietly a few times. The funny thing is that he wouldn’t do it in front of me. When I was in the same room, he would disguise his pain.”
While dog friends learn to understand their furry friends, it’s by no means a universal skill. That may soon change, if Kenny Zhu, a professor of computer science and engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, in the United States, has his way.
Dr Zhu just received a US National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates grant of US$483,804 (about RM2mil) over three years that will hopefully see him adapt machine learning to translate dogs sounds into human words.
If it works, maybe we’ll find breed-specific sub-languages like Chow Chow, too!
Adopt Me
Mochi is about six weeks old and healthy. This little lady has had her first vaccination, is dewormed, and she is set to be spayed when she is a little bit more mature. As she has not been spayed yet, there is an adoption fee of RM350 that will cover this.
Mochi is a mini bundle of playful joy. She is curious and keen to explore the world. This little pup is looking for a kind forever home.
Interested adopters please contact Carol (012-396 0977) to view in Shah Alam or Kalumpang, Selangor.
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