# Are there any dogs which have been bred or trained to bite and not bark? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2019, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170 "2019-04-28T11:30:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/1 "2019-04-28T11:30:32Z")
There are dog breeds which have been bred/trained to only bark and not bite, others to bark & bite, others to neither bark nor bite. Have there been dog breeds or types of dog training which aim to get dogs to bite without barking? Perhaps they might be bred/trained to signal their annoyance with a different signal than barking. I’m not suggesting anyone attempt this. It would probably result in an unusually deserving Darwin award. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/2 "2019-04-29T07:07:29Z")
Basenji? [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basenji](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basenji) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/3 "2019-04-29T08:11:02Z")
I had a mean Dalmatian that was a stealth biter. You never knew it til it was over. Luckily we were able to contain her and she never bit any one. It was truly a scary situation. A Vet told me that Dals are often silent because they were bred to be around horses. Don’t if that’s really true. It fit our dog to a ‘T’. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/4 "2019-04-29T17:07:32Z")
Michael Crichton’s novel _The Andromeda Strain_ contained a memorable passage in which Doberman Pinschers used to guard a secure facility were “debarked,” i.e., had their vocal cords surgically cut, so that they would attack intruders without warning. I’ve always suspected that passage contributed to widespread public fear of Dobermans. As far as I know it was purely fiction from the author’s imagination. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/5 "2019-04-29T18:27:54Z")
A bark is not necessarily warning that a dog is going to bite; dogs often bark with no intention of biting. And there are other common warning signs. Snarling, growling, bared teeth, raised hackles are all likely to be better indications; and a dog exhibiting any or all of those may well not also be barking. A dog that’s attacking not out of fear or anger but because it’s after prey may not show any of those, of course – and it may well not bark either, at least unless it’s trying to drive the prey out of hiding or towards a pack member, or to attract pack members. Most dogs won’t be considering humans as possible dinner, of course. But I once had great difficulty getting across to a couple of people that their dog was indeed a danger to cats, because the dog wasn’t barking or snarling, but was instead wagging his tail while looking eagerly at the cat (the dog was on a leash, the cat was on my shoulder.) The dog was also licking his lips – he thought he was about to be fed a furry treat. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/6 "2019-04-29T18:33:05Z")
Pit Bulls are usually very quiet just before they attack and even kill people or other animals. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/7 "2019-04-29T18:44:05Z")
Most dogs are reasonably quiet before they actually attack, the barking happens before that. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/8 "2019-04-29T19:13:52Z")
That slow tail wag is a danger sign. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/9 "2019-04-29T19:26:18Z")
It was a normal happy tail wag, actually. The dog didn’t appear to be thinking of a fight at all. He was probably just thinking of eating the cat; which made him happy, as being offered anything else interesting to eat might make him happy. The cat, by the way, agreed with me. He was a very dog-friendly cat; but he clearly wanted nothing to do with that particular dog. ---
**Author:** ![bubba001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@bubba001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba001)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/10 "2019-04-29T20:09:12Z")
I got bit by a dog once. Not a sound beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/11 "2019-04-29T20:09:52Z")
What would be the advantage of training a dog to bite without barking? You want the bark to scare people off so the biting isn’t necessary, assuming a guard dog or similar. Barking is a social signal. The dog is saying to the pack “Hey everybody the prey is over there!” or to the pack leader “Someone is breaking into our den!” or to anyone/anything else “Don’t mess with me because I am the baddest badass in dogdom!” Or, in the case of Leet the Wonder Dog[sup]TM[/sup], “Look grandpa! The UPS guy, who every so often tries to break into our house but I bark at him and he runs away!” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/12 "2019-04-29T20:25:48Z")
Barking can also be just saying hello. My dog is really friendly and would like to be friends with every single dog she sees, and her way of announcing this is with a lot of barking. Other owners and dogs don’t necessarily see it that way, though. The dog that bit her on her over-friendly nose never barked. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/13 "2019-04-29T20:43:48Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > What would be the advantage of training a dog to bite without barking? You want the bark to scare people off so the biting isn’t necessary, assuming a guard dog or similar. Same reason the military likes the idea of a stealthy fighter or cruise missile that uses terrain masking. If you look at individual soldiers (not those using heavy crew-served weapons) with the most kills and the most psychological impact, it tends to be snipers, in part because you can go from being seemingly safe to being gravely wounded in the snap of a finger. Submarines and torpedoes are feared for the same reason. Also, the presence of a dog that’s been bred/trained to bite without barking could be constantly intimidating. Do you remember Digby from Trainspotting? This guy: [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/uyTJepP) Wasn’t he scarier for sometimes initiating violence with no warning? Again, I’m not suggesting anyone do this. That would be horrible and would likely result in the shithead attempting this getting his throat ripped out. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/14 "2019-04-29T20:54:50Z")
> [@bizzwire](#): > > Basenji? > > [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basenji](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basenji) Basenjis don’t exactly “bark” [but they’re far from silent.](https://youtu.be/GT1vN5BS3kY?t=51) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/15 "2019-04-29T21:00:29Z")
I’ve been bit several times at the shelter and once on my deck by a stray. I can’t remember any barking at all. The dog on my deck looked perfectly placid and friendly. I foolishly put my hand over his head to look at his collar, and wham, I was bitten several times. Never a sound, I don’t think. I’m more wary now when a stray comes up. Many noises or not. I did have a dog once, an Australian Shepherd. She was a friendly barker. Just barked and barked for the pure pleasure of it. People were often scared of her. She wouldn’t have hurt a fly, though. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/16 "2019-04-30T02:03:23Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > What would be the advantage of training a dog to bite without barking? You want the bark to scare people off so the biting isn’t necessary, assuming a guard dog or similar. You don’t understand the difference between a **guard** dog and an **attack** dog. In human terms, there’s a reason why military guards and commandos go about their respective jobs in very different fashions. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/17 "2019-04-30T05:19:20Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > I’ve always suspected that passage contributed to widespread public fear of Dobermans. Did it make it to the movie, I can’t recall? As a slight hijack, I think \*The Boys from Brazil \*did a lot more to harm the image of the Dobermann. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dogs-which-have-been-bred-or-trained-to-bite-and-not-bark/833170/18 "2019-04-30T12:20:17Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Basenjis don’t exactly “bark” [but they’re far from silent.](https://youtu.be/GT1vN5BS3kY?t=51) Yeah but with their yodel you’d be looking for an attacking banshee and not a dog.