"Dogs can distinguish between different types of growls, say researchers who recorded dogs growling while playing, in fear of a stranger, and guarding food."
All auditory no visual cues..........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJI9QkNlLrc&feature=fvw

I can't watch the vid now since the rest of the house is sleeping.

I'm constantly amazed at what little input dogs need for their senses. There is probably no way we could grasp all the subtle sounds, smells, and sights that speak volumes to them.

Just the other night, i'm letting Turbo have a little off leash time before we head in for the night. Watching him in the flash light about 40 yards ahead of me, I can see his body language shift to "CRITTER!!!". Another 50 yards in front of him and 50 yards off the road is a big ole doe.

It was 20 degrees out, on asphalt, with no wind to speak of, and there was enough scent there to make him go nuts.

What I would give to spend a day in their world? Just to smell, hear, and see what they do.:smile:

That would be neat....they are just amazing.

The video is interesting.
They taped dogs growling....3 kinds of growls...stranger approaching, food guarding, and playing.
Then they put a speaker under a table with a cloth over it, and put a bowl with a meaty bone in front of the speaker.
There were 40 or so different dogs taped and 40 or so dogs tested on the growls.
The dogs had no hesitations going to the bowl and getting the bone with the play growl and the stranger growl, but the food guarding growl they would not go near the bone.

Very interesting, like Michael said what it would be like to spend a day in their world, bet we could learn alot!!

Great video. Dogs are so subtle and interesting. Years ago I took a dog-to-dog communication class to better understand one of my rescue dogs who had aggression issues.

The trainer who conducted the class had studied canine communication/body language for years. Her approach to understanding dogs really opened my eyes and got me interested in just watching my pack interact freely without my interference. It was really cool. I learned so much about them just by letting them be and quietly observing their play, their conflict resolution, their reactions to different things in the environment, etc.

None of my observation involved things like food or toys because some of these guys would have happily killed each other over these things, but it was interesting just the same.

It was also pretty enlightening: to dogs with all of their subtlety, it must seem as though we are constantly shouting and erratic. I agree that it would be very helpful to live in their world for a day.

 Quote: Kristel Smart

to dogs with all of their subtlety, it must seem as though we are constantly shouting and erratic. I agree that it would be very helpful to live in their world for a day.

Love this!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stealing it!!!!!!

I love this. Mine growl at each other and often scare the onlooker but man, those growls are different. I'm really going to have to pay attention and see how many I notice. right now I definatley see the three they are talking about, but I do believe there are more. The cat even get's his own growl from my female.

 Quote: Willie Tilton

 Quote: Kristel Smart

to dogs with all of their subtlety, it must seem as though we are constantly shouting and erratic. I agree that it would be very helpful to live in their world for a day.

Love this!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stealing it!!!!!!

Go for it

 Quote: Michael_Wise

What I would give to spend a day in their world? Just to smell, hear, and see what they do.:smile:

You'd just have to be very, very careful when meeting new people...

 Quote: Kristel Smart

with all of their subtlety, it must seem as though we are constantly shouting and erratic.

Bob and I learned a long time ago that we don't argue in front of the dogs. It's just not worth it watching them shut down in confusion.

Interesting video. My boys can be really vocal during play, I love this growling and get into it once in a while with them too. Garrett does have this “stay away from me” grumble with the boys though. I don’t call it a growl because I think it’s more the look behind it. His head doesn’t even leave the pillow and it’s generally directed towards Echo, being his big, goofy self. If he gets too close when Garrett’s just had his medication or is not feeling that well, he wants nothing to do with him and as subtle as it is, he sure does respect it.

None of my boys have ever gotten to the point of food or toy aggression but I’m sure familiar with an uncomfortable territorial/fear growl. That’s a scary one and I’m sure glad it’s built in. It allows me the warning and forethought to quickly alter the situation.

Growls are interesting, a great insight into how they’re feeling and an incredible communication system. Much easier than learning English, and the studying is just so much more interesting. I can watch my boys for hours.