Friday, March 12, 2010

Dogs understand growls, even if we don't

By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News

One dog growl may sound like another to human ears, but a new study shows for the first time that dogs receive specific information in growls that conveys meanings like "get away from my bone" or "back off."

The study, accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior, presents the first experimental indication that domestic dogs rely on context-dependent signals when they growl at each other.

The findings add to the growing body of evidence that animal calls are far more complex than previously thought. For example, prior research suggests chimpanzees communicate information about food quality, while birds, prairie dogs, chickens, squirrels, primates and other animals likely share information about predator types.
Of all of these sounds, dog growls are particularly intense.

"A growl is a short-distance warning, not like a bark or howl, which you can hear over a large distance," co-author Peter Pongracz told Discovery News. "When a dog growls, the opponent is near, so he/she can hear clearly that the next few steps forward will not be greeted with a warm welcome."

"The other common usage of growls is during play," added Pongracz, a behavioral biologist at Eotvos Lorand University. "This can be explained by the fact that dogs very often play 'martially' — they wrestle, chase, play tug of war — so these actions and visual displays are accompanied with martial sounds too."

For the first part of the study, Pongracz and his colleagues recorded 20 adult dogs of various breeds growling during the following situations: when a threatening stranger approached, during a tug-of-war game and while guarding a large, meaty bone.

The scientists electronically analyzed the recorded sounds and found that play growls stand out from the other two types because they are, in part, shorter and higher pitched. The computer analysis didn't show any major differences between the other two growls, but dogs picked out the specific meanings immediately during the second part of the study.

For this experiment, 41 adult pet dogs of various breeds were recruited from the databases of the Clever Dog Lab in Vienna and the Family Dog Project in Budapest. The researchers placed a freshly cooked, meaty and juicy large calf bone in a bowl. All of the study dogs found the bone irresistible.

But as the test subject dogs approached the bone, the researchers played back the previously recorded growls through a hidden speaker. The hungry canines only jumped when the bone-guarding growl was played, even though the threatening stranger-associated growl sounded just as menacing to human ears.

While it remains unclear how dogs communicate such precise information, Pongracz said one possibility is that dogs are very sensitive to the emotions of other canines.

"One could argue that a dog faced with a threatening stranger is more 'afraid,' for example, while the dog that is defending his/her bone from another dog is more 'aggressive,'" Pongracz explained, but he hopes future analysis of dog growls will reveal more about how these sounds are structured.
Daniel Mills, a professor of veterinary behavioral medicine at the University of Lincoln, said the study adds to a "growing recognition of the greater complexity of vocalization by dogs."

"I believe that some of the unanswered questions about assessing how vocalization relates to the inner emotional states of dogs will be addressed and, with this knowledge, we will gain much greater insight into the inner lives of dogs and other species," Mills added. "Hopefully this will also lead to a greater appreciation of, and respect for, non-human animals in general."

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

快下班囉~來問個安,跟您打聲招呼 ........................................

parlance said...

Thanks for an interesting article. Makes me think of something that happened recently when I stupidly pretend-barked at a flyball match, trying to hype Penny up - really dumb, given that I've spent five years training her to be calm.

She heard my "bark", decided that there was something dangerous in the crowd of spectators and spent the next fifteen minutes barking danger warnings instead of running in the race.

Lesson for me - I don't speak dog! It's anyone's guess what I said when I pretended to bark.

Anonymous said...

Looking for [url=http://www.pharmashack.com]viagra[/url] ?Intersect Our Terrible Prices at www.Pharmashack.com, The Principal [b][url=http://www.pharmashack.com]Online Pill roller's [/url][/b] To [url=http://www.pharmashack.com]Buy Viagra[/url] Online ! You Can also Presage Capacious Deals When You [url=http://www.pharmashack.com/en/item/cialis.html]Buy Cialis[/url] and When You You [url=http://www.pharmashack.com/en/item/levitra.html]Buy Levitra[/url] Online. We Also Be subjected to a Mammoth Generic [url=http://www.pharmashack.com/en/item/phentermine.html]Phentermine[/url] On account of Your Regimen ! We Maintain out up Buying eminence superstar [url=http://www.pharmashack.com/en/item/viagra.html]Viagra[/url] and Also [url=http://www.pharmashack.com/en/item/generic_viagra.html]Generic Viagra[/url] !

Anonymous said...

Good fill someone in on and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you as your information.

Anonymous said...

Do You interesting of [b]Viagra 100mg dosage[/b]? You can find below...
[size=10]>>>[url=http://listita.info/go.php?sid=1][b]Viagra 100mg dosage[/b][/url]<<<[/size]

[URL=http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/link/buy%20viagra/1_valentine3.html][IMG]http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/img0/buy%20viagra/1_valentine3.png[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/link/buy%20viagra/3_headsex1.html][IMG]http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/img0/buy%20viagra/3_headsex1.png[/IMG][/URL]
[b]Bonus Policy[/b]
Order 3 or more products and get free Regular Airmail shipping!
Free Regular Airmail shipping for orders starting with $200.00!

Free insurance (guaranteed reshipment if delivery failed) for orders starting with $300.00!
[b]Description[/b]

Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate; brand names include: Aphrodil / Edegra / Erasmo / Penegra / Revatio / Supra / Zwagra) is an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction regardless of the cause or duration of the problem or the age of the patient.
Sildenafil Citrate is the active ingredient used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. It can help men who have erectile dysfunction get and sustain an erection when they are sexually excited.
Generic Viagra is manufactured in accordance with World Health Organization standards and guidelines (WHO-GMP). Also you can find on our sites.
Generic Viagra is made with thorough reverse engineering for the sildenafil citrate molecule - a totally different process of making sildenafil and its reaction. That is why it takes effect in 15 minutes compared to other drugs which take 30-40 minutes to take effect.
[b][/b]
Even in the most sexually liberated and self-satisfied of nations, many people still yearn to burn more, to feel ready for bedding no matter what the clock says and to desire their partner of 23 years as much as they did when their love was brand new.
The market is saturated with books on how to revive a flagging libido or spice up monotonous sex, and sex therapists say “lack of desire” is one of the most common complaints they hear from patients, particularly women.

christian music lyrics said...

This is great.. The dogs are amazingly created. There are many things that we don't know about dogs but they are marvelous!

erezatius said...

Levitra

Buy Levitra

levitra

levitra

Buy Levitra

Buy Levitra Online

Buy Levitra Online

Buy Levitra Online

Order Levitra Online

Buy Levitra Online

Buy Cheap Levitra Online

levitra

Levitra

Levitra

Tramadol

Tramadol
Tramadol

Buy Tramadol Online

Buy Tramadol Online

Buy Tramadol Online

Buy Tramadol without prescription

Tramadol

Tramadol

erezatius said...

Adipex

Buy Ativan

Buy Adipex Online

adipex

adipex

Buy propecia Online

Adipex

Adipex

Cheap Adipex

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex Online no perscription

Buy Adipex no perscription

Cheap Adipex

purchase adipex

Order Adipex

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex no perscription

Buy Adipex without perscription

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex Online

Buy Adipex

purchase adipex


Adipex

Adipex

Adipex

Adipex

Adipex

erez said...

Buy Ambien

Buy Ambien

Buy Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Buy Ambien Online

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Buy Ambien No Prescription

Buy Ambien without Prescription

Buy Ambien without Prescription

Buy Ambien No Prescription

Cheap Ambien

Purchase Ambien

Cheap Ambien

Buy Ambien No Prescription

Buy Ambien No Prescription

Buy Ambien Without Prescription

Buy Ambien Without Prescription

Purchase Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien

erez said...

Buy Propecia Online

Propecia

Buy Propecia Online

Buy Propecia Online

Buy Propecia Online

Buy Propecia Online

Buy Propecia Online

Buy Propecia Online

Buy Propecia Online

percocet

percocet

Propecia


Propecia

Propecia

Propecia

Propecia

Propecia

erez said...

Buy Xenical

Buy Xenical Online

Buy Xenical Online

Buy Soma

Buy Soma Online

Buy Meridia

Buy Meridia

Meridia

Meridia

Meridia

Meridias

Meridia

Meridia

erezatius said...

Buy Ativan Online

Buy Ativan Onlin

Buy Ativan Onlin

Buy Colnazepan Online

Buy Ativan Onlin

Ativan

Ativan

Ativan

Ativan

Ativan

Buy Ativan Without Prescriptsion

Buy Ativan Without Prescriptsion

Buy ativan online

Buy Ativan

Buy Ativan Online

buy Ativan No prescription

buy Ativan No prescription

buy Ativan Without prescription

Buy Ativan Online

Buy Ativan Online


Ativan

Ativan

Ativan Online

Ativan Online

Buy Ativan

Buy Ativan

Ativan

Klonopin


Buy Klonopin

Klonopin

Buy Klonopin Online

Buy Klonopin Online

Buy clonazepam Online

Buy Klonopin Online

Klonopin
Klonopin

Klonopin

Klonopin

Buy Klonopin Online

Buy Klonopin Online
Accutane

Accutane

Accutane

accutane


erezatius said...


Buy Oxycontin Without Prescription
Buy Oxycontin Without Prescription
Buy Oxycontin Without Prescription
Buy Oxycontin No Prescription
Buy Oxycontin Online
Buy Oxycontin Online
Buy Oxycontin Online
Buy Oxycontin Online
Buy percocet online
percocet
Buy percocet online
Buy percocet online
Buy percocet online
Buy percocet No prescription
Buy Percocet Online
Percocet
Buy percocet Without prescription
Buy Percocet Online
Buy Percocet Buy oxycodone without prescription
Buy oxycodone without prescription
Buy oxycodone without prescription
Buy oxycodone No prescription
Buy oxycodone No prescription
Buy oxycodone No prescription
Buy oxycodone Online
Buy oxycodone Online
Buy oxycodone Online
Buy oxycodone Online
buy oxycodone without prescription

doron said...

Buy alprazolam Without Prescription

Buy alprazolam Without Prescription

Buy alprazolam Online

Buy alprazolam Without Prescription

Buy alprazolam No Prescription



Buy Alprazolam Online

Buy Alprazolam Online

Buy Alprazolam Online

Buy Alprazolam Online
Alprazolam

Alprazolam

Alprazolam

Alprazolams

Alprazolams


Alprazolam

Alprazolam

Alprazolam

Alprazolam Online

Buy Alprazolam

Buy Alprazolam

Alprazolam


Buy Acomplia Online

Acomplia

Acomplia

Acomplia


Acomplias
Buy Zolpidem Online

zolpidem

Zolpidem

Zolpidem

Buy Zolpidem Online

Buy Zolpidem No prescription

Buy Zolpidem without prescription

Buying zolpidem

Buy Zolpidem Online

Buy Zolpidem Online

doron said...

Codeine

Codeine

Codeine

Buy Codeine Online

Buy Codeine Online

Buy Codeine Online

Codeine

Codeine

Codeine

buy Codeine without prescription

buy Codeine No prescription

Buy Codeine Online

Buy Codeine Online

Buy Codeine Online

Buy codeine online

buy Codeine No prescription

buy Codeine Without prescription

buy Codeine No prescription




Buy Adderall Without Prescription Online

Buy Adderall No Prescription Online

Buy Adderall No Prescription Online

Buy Adderall Online

Buy Adderall Online

Buy Adderall Online

Buy Adderall Online

Adderall

Adderall

adderall

Adderall

Buy Adderall Online

Buy Adderall Online

Buy Adderall Online

Buy Adderall Online





Clonazepam

Clonazepam

Clonazepam

Buy Clonazepam

Buy Clonazepam Online

Buy Clonazepam Online

Buy Clonazepam Online

Viagra

Viagra

Anonymous said...

ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale
ugg boots sale