Every dog ​​has its own way of expression reveals a trainer who reveals a guide to decoding barks and body language.

Specialist dog trainer Harmony Dyers, who runs the Dog Aging Project at Texas A&M Universitylists some ways to decode what a dog is trying to “say”.

“Deciphering what dogs are trying to communicate with a particular vocalization depends on the tone of their communication, their body language, environmental factors, health, comfort level and emotion such as stress, fear or hunger” , says Dyers.

Dogs have six basic types of vocalizations according to the American Kennel Club: barking, whining, growling, howling, sighing, and moaning.

Dyers emphasized that the context of a dog’s voice is just as important as the sound itself in trying to decode it.

For example, a dog might whine when it’s lying down comfortably, but it could also whine if it’s frustrated. The grunt, too, can be context dependent.

Also, body language is important in interpreting the dog’s mental state.

For example, a strong tail wag usually means the dog is happy, but not always, as a 2007 study showed that dogs wag their tails to the right in response to positive stimuli and to the left in response to negative ones stimuli.

Surprisingly, yawning can be a sign of stress, according to the American Kennel Club.

“Deciphering what dogs are trying to communicate with a particular vocalization depends on their tone of communication, their body language, environmental factors, health, comfort level and emotion such as stress, fear or hunger Dyers said.

He stressed that it is important for dog owners to know why dogs make different sounds so they can recognize if there is a significant change that could mean there is a problem with their dog.

A sudden change in a dog’s behavior may mean calling in a trainer or behaviorist who can help.

One of the most common dog vocalizations is barking which can have many different sounds that could mean many different things. This makes it important for dog owners to understand the context of a bark.

“Emotions can be expressed through barking, whether it is a loud bark to express excitement, a repetitive and monotonous bark to express boredom, a sharp and intense bark to alert a sound or sight, or a short, rapid barking directed at another dog as a way of saying “stop!” Dyers explained.

“If a dog is barking out of stress, then it’s getting loud and increasing in frequency, and then veterinary or behavioral intervention may be needed to address the underlying cause,” he said.

Whining and sighing are also fairly common sounds a dog makes.

“Dogs use whining to express specific needs, such as going outside to relieve themselves, a desire to play, or feelings of hunger, distress, pain, stress or excitement,” Dyers said.

For this reason, the trainer points out, the context is crucial.