# Dog Bark Translators: Do They Work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417 "2012-08-23T21:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/1 "2012-08-23T21:33:59Z")
A few years back, a Japanese inventor announced a new gadget-it was a “Dog Bark Translator”. As I recall, it was a collar, which had a LCD display screen. When the dog emitted a bark, the gadget would decide what it meant, and display a message on the screen-like “woof”- (translation-“I need to take a dump”). The device seems to have disappeared-does anyone know if they are still made? And-are they accurate? ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/2 "2012-08-23T21:45:54Z")
Seriously? Of course not. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/3 "2012-08-23T21:47:47Z")
They work just fine. They just aren’t [terribly informative](http://pupster.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/dog-translator.jpg?w=460). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/4 "2012-08-23T21:52:43Z")
Dammit, **kenobi** … ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/5 "2012-08-23T22:54:04Z")
Seriously? Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/6 "2012-08-23T22:58:46Z")
Beaten to it… ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/7 "2012-08-23T23:06:44Z")
I can’t believe there would be a market for this (if it was hypothetically possible) It is so easy to translate a dogs bark anyway. Dog 1’s bark is either “OMG there’s a cow across the road”, “Someone pulled up at our gate” or “AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! A leaf just landed on me while I was snoozing”. All I need to do is glance at the gate, and across the road to determine what the bark means Dog 2’s bark always means “Dog 1 is barking! Dog 1 is barking! Dog 1 is BARKING!” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/8 "2012-08-24T00:17:01Z")
If dogs could talk, they would have just [one thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOL6C8JoS1g) on their minds, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/9 "2012-08-24T00:18:27Z")
A working device like that would be the cat’s meow. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/10 "2012-08-24T03:06:32Z")
only in the movie Up ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/11 "2012-08-24T03:12:04Z")
Grrrrrr! Woof woof! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/12 "2012-08-24T05:48:04Z")
kudos on the far side call out. taking the op more serious, tho, [NOVA did a really cool episode](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/assets/swf/1/meaning-dog-barks/meaning-dog-barks.swf) on dog/human interactions. in one segment, they took different dogs and exited them in various ways, recording the bark. some barked because an interloper encroached on the gate. some barked because they REALLY wanted you to THROW THE BALL! some barked because they were happy their human finally came home from work. they took the recordings and had random people listen to only the sound of the barking, and then asked the person to determine the mood of the dog and the message it was trying to convey. nearly all (if not 100% all) nailed it exactly. dogs have evolved a unique interaction with humans, and dog vocalization [is particularly evolve for communication with humans](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-decoded.html) (wolves [don’t bark](http://www.thedogfiles.com/2011/07/06/dog-barks-guided-by-the-evolution-of-humans/)). i think they are pretty much already translated. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/13 "2012-08-24T09:12:22Z")
Thanks for that post, dontbesojumpy. One of the most interesting things I’ve read in years. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/14 "2012-08-24T13:59:16Z")
What’s that, Lassie? You say Timmy is stuck in a well 2 1/2 miles northwest of town and you need me to bring a 25 foot rope to haul him out? I’m on my way. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/15 "2012-08-24T15:16:30Z")
Not also that different dogs have different degrees of communication. My first dog would come up to you while you were sitting at the table, and say very clearly (in doggish) “I want! I want! I want!”. If you then asked him “What do you want, Bear?”, he would lead you to the back door, or to his empty food or water dish, or bring you one of his toys to play with, or otherwise let you know just what it was he wanted. My mom’s current dog, by comparison, will also come up to you and say “I want! I want! I want!”, but if you ask him “What do you want, Bowser?”, he’ll tell you “I want! I want! I want!”. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/16 "2012-08-24T17:23:45Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > kudos on the far side call out. > > taking the op more serious, tho, [NOVA did a really cool episode](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/assets/swf/1/meaning-dog-barks/meaning-dog-barks.swf) on dog/human interactions. in one segment, they took different dogs and exited them in various ways, recording the bark. some barked because an interloper encroached on the gate. some barked because they REALLY wanted you to THROW THE BALL! some barked because they were happy their human finally came home from work. > > they took the recordings and had random people listen to only the sound of the barking, and then asked the person to determine the mood of the dog and the message it was trying to convey. > > nearly all (if not 100% all) nailed it exactly. > > dogs have evolved a unique interaction with humans, and dog vocalization [is particularly evolve for communication with humans](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-decoded.html) (wolves [don’t bark](http://www.thedogfiles.com/2011/07/06/dog-barks-guided-by-the-evolution-of-humans/)). > > i think they are pretty much already translated. I saw that show and was amazed at how easy it is to “translate” dog talk. If you have a dog, you’re going to be much better at translating its vocalizations than some Japanese device is. You’ll also understand a lot of non-vocal communication. My dog adores my neighbor. When she phones, he recognizes her voice, and he heads straight for the door. The clear message is “I want to see Jill”. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/17 "2012-08-24T17:30:31Z")
They are still made. The company is Takara, and the device is a [Bow-lingual dog translator](http://www.bowlingual-dog-translator.com/). Do they work? Well, Takara is a \*toy \*manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/18 "2012-08-24T21:27:51Z")
Apparently, around here, \*\*all \*\* dog barking means, **"You’re sleeping too late!! Wake up! WAKE UP!!!"** ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/19 "2012-08-24T22:27:48Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > They work just fine. They just aren’t [terribly informative](http://pupster.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/dog-translator.jpg?w=460). Yeah, [but it works the same in the opposite direction, too!](http://www.flickr.com/photos/sluggerotoole/153603564/)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417/20 "2012-08-24T23:33:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, [but it works the same in the opposite direction, too!](http://www.flickr.com/photos/sluggerotoole/153603564/)🙂 Heh…I knew exactly which one it was going to be before I even clicked… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-bark-translators-do-they-work/632417.md?page=2)