# dogs and barking **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2000, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926 "2000-07-18T02:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/1 "2000-07-18T02:22:51Z")
i was listening to “what do you know”, the delightful NPR program form Michael Feldman, and his news quiz mentioned that wild dogs don’t bark. in fact, he said, some researchers have theorized that barking may be an imitation of humans’ voices. so my question is thusly: do dogs in cultures where other languages are spoken bark in a significantly different matter? i know that the words for a dog’s noise vary from country to country, but i always assumed that it was a result of onomanopoia (spell check, PLEASE) and phonetic variation. can anybody gimme a hand here? jb ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/2 "2000-07-18T02:45:06Z")
I’m having a real hard time with that premise, JB… SOME breed(s)of dog may not bark, but all wild dogs? Australian Dingoes have been wild and barking for thousands of years. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/3 "2000-07-18T04:55:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tcburnett \* > \*\*I’m having a real hard time with that premise, JB… SOME breed(s)of dog may not bark, but all wild dogs? Australian Dingoes have been wild and barking for thousands of years. \*\* Actually, according to [Dingo Farm Australia](http://www.wwwins.net.au/dingofarm/11.html), a pure bred Dingo has these characteristics “No bark, no body odour, no dew claws on hind legs, breed only once per year, recognised Dingo colours.” Dingoes are decended from wild Asian dogs that cannot bark. Just thought I’d let you know. ---
**Author:** ![Gatsby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@Gatsby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatsby)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/4 "2000-07-18T05:15:58Z")
tcburnett did not use his search engine prior to post? Heh, j/k, tc. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/5 "2000-07-18T05:25:57Z")
I believe wolves bark like crazy. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/6 "2000-07-18T06:49:12Z")
Wolves do bark. [Nova: What’s in a howl](http://www.newshour.org/wgbh/nova/wolves/howl.html) says, “Even though wolves bark, woof, whine, whimper, yelp, growl, snarl and moan a lot more often than they howl, it is howling that defines the wolf, and fascinates us.” A more thorough discussion of wolf vocalization is found at [http://www.boomerwolf.com/verbala.htm](http://www.boomerwolf.com/verbala.htm) > [@](#): > > Wolves do bark, but not much. Wolves make two kinds of barks [ul] Soft bark, a “WOOF!” sound > Loud bark like a dog[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/7 "2000-07-18T07:39:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilbeth \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by tcburnett \* > > \*\*I’m having a real hard time with that premise, JB… SOME breed(s)of dog may not bark, but all wild dogs? Australian Dingoes have been wild and barking for thousands of years. \*\* > > Actually, according to [Dingo Farm Australia](http://www.wwwins.net.au/dingofarm/11.html), a pure bred Dingo has these characteristics “No bark, no body odour, no dew claws on hind legs, breed only once per year, recognised Dingo colours.” Dingoes are decended from wild Asian dogs that cannot bark. > > Just thought I’d let you know. \*\* Well, SOMETHING in Australia barks. Maybe it was me barking at the moon. But MY Dingo barks, so what’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/8 "2000-07-18T08:29:56Z")
Well, I can’t explain this at all. I looked up the AKC papers on my Dingo and they confirm that she IS a purebred. She BETTER BE after all the money I paid for her! I can’t wait to get her into the big-money dog shows. See, it says right here: Purebred Tubulidentata! And she DOES bark, so don’t tell me Dingos don’t bark. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/9 "2000-07-18T08:32:57Z")
_Encyclopædia Britannica_ confirms it > [@](#): > > Dingoes normally only yelp and howl, but when domesticated they can also imitate the bark of dogs ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/10 "2000-07-18T08:37:09Z")
LOL ! ! tcburnett, I looks like you got ripped off at the dog store. I bet they even forged the Pedigree. March down there and tell the manager you have a bone to pick with him (sorry). Demand your money back. Tell them you want a real non-barking dingo, damnit!! ---
**Author:** ![labdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5fc32e/32.png) [@labdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labdude)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/11 "2000-07-18T09:17:31Z")
Does you “dingo” look anything like the “dingo” in the taco bell commercial? 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/12 "2000-07-18T09:27:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by labdude \* > \*\*Does you “dingo” look anything like the “dingo” in the taco bell commercial? 🙂 🙂 \*\* Heck NO! Fluffy is just an average Dingo: About 7.5 ft long including the tail, the trademark arched back, a long, round nose and large, upright ears. Don’t compare my dog to the popcorn fart in those commercials. Why, we’ve never been so insulted in our lives, have we Fluffy? ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/13 "2000-07-18T09:47:31Z")
See tc, your dog is not only a true dingo, Fluffy is obviously also very skilled at impressions! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/14 "2000-07-18T09:53:26Z")
I’ve seen African wild dogs in, well, Africa. They don’t bark, they sort of yelp. I don’t know how they act when you domesticate them though. But these bastards smelled so foul, I wouldn’t let them within 200 meters of my house! So, dingos only bark when they’re around “normal” dogs? Interesting. Just how difficult is it to turn a dingo into a pet? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/15 "2000-07-18T10:25:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*Just how difficult is it to turn a dingo into a pet? \*\* I only know what I read in the _Encyclopædia Britannica_ > [@](#): > > Wild dingoes, although bold and suspicious, can be tamed, and those raised from puppies may become affectionate pets. The Aborigines sometimes capture and tame them. ---
**Author:** ![DVous\_Means](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@DVous\_Means](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVous_Means)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/16 "2000-07-18T14:23:46Z")
Just how much do you guys really know about dingoes? The last time I saw one was when I was fishing on a beach along the edge of the Nullabor Plain, near the head of the great Australian Bight. It was maybe 200 metres away, at the top of a large sand dune behind the beach. It looked very scrawny and its fur was orange, not the classic tan/fawn colour usually associated with the “typical” dingo. A purebred dingo would be a difficult concept to achieve now, because their numbers have been infiltrated by feral dogs. Thus it is easily possible that they may bark. ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/17 "2000-07-19T23:53:29Z")
nonono! the point isn’t that wild dogs (dingos, feral dogs)can’t bark, it’s that they don’t (but remember, i heard this on the radio- i’m not vouching for its veracity). tc, the fact that your dingo does bark seems to support the contention in the OP. namely, that the dingo may be imitating your voice as best it can, hence the woofing and ruffing. but back to the original question- do dogs in countries where the language sounds sufficiently different from english (e.g., chinese, arabic, basque) bark significantly differently? p.s.- tcburnettif in fact your dog is a good impersonator, how good of a meryl streep does it do? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/18 "2000-07-19T23:58:15Z")
I think dogs in Spanish speaking countries bark a hell of a lot faster then they do here. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2000, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/19 "2000-07-20T09:33:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tcburnett \* > \*\*Well, I can’t explain this at all. I looked up the AKC papers on my Dingo and they confirm that she IS a purebred. > She BETTER BE after all the money I paid for her! I can’t wait to get her into the big-money dog shows. > > See, it says right here: Purebred Tubulidentata! And she DOES bark, so don’t tell me Dingos don’t bark. \*\* You know, I put it right in my post. And I only hid it a little bit. Bear saw right through me and so did evilbeth, but they didn’t snitch. But now I want to fess up. Somebody do a search for _Tubulidentata_. We’ll clear this Dingo story up pretty soon now. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2000, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926/20 "2000-07-20T17:34:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jb\_farley \* > \*\*i was listening to “what do you know”, the delightful NPR program form Michael Feldman, and his news quiz mentioned that wild dogs don’t bark. in fact, he said, some researchers have theorized that barking may be an imitation of humans’ voices. \*\* Ha… this reminds me of one of my favorite one-panel cartoons, entitled “If dogs could talk.” The dog has a speech balloon over his head. It says "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! " [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-and-barking/25926.md?page=2)