Advice from the Wily Dog!

Helping Dogs and Humans understand each other.

The Hero of Indiana
(September 30, 2007)

New Years Resolution
(January 1, 2007)

What's all the noise for?
(April 15, 2006)

Care for a Mint?
(March 3, 2006)

The Wet Look
(February 8, 2006)

Clarifying the Rules
(January 16, 2006)

Don't Bark at the Fat Guy
(December 22, 2005)

Scared of the Dark?
(December 9, 2005)

Giving Thanks
(November 24, 2005)

Keeping it Clean
(November 15, 2005)

Which Side of the Street?
(November 6, 2005)

Guarding the House
(October 19, 2005)

Stock Tip
(October 4, 2005)

Higher Education
(September 19, 2005)

Off to School
(September 8, 2005)

Indoor Plumbing
(August 1, 2005)

Shredding Toilet Paper
(June 29, 2005)

Peanut Butter & Biscuits
(June 28, 2005)

What's all the noise for?

Dear Wylie,

Why is it that dogs in yards always bark when another dog goes by, but the dog that isn't in the yard never barks back?

Laura
Frederick, MD

Dear Laura,

The dogs in the yards are usually asking the dog that's going by whether anyone left him or her any messages at the corner hydrant.

The dog passing by generally doesn't reply because the yard dog has once again forgotten that if you want to get messages, you need to send them too. I'll occasionally leave a message on the yard dog's fence as a goodwill gesture, but as I said, you need to send messages in order to get them.

Most of the rest of the barking is just "trash talk." Usually things like "my yard's bigger than your yard" or "my human can beat up your human."

I generally just let it pass.

WOOF!
Wylie