Even Small Children Interpret Dog Barks Correctly

Scientists have recently determined that one of the main reasons why so many children are bitten by dogs is because they have the tendency to misinterpret the snarling face of the animals as smiling. However, even kids aged 6 to 10 can identify an aggressive bark.

In a new series of tests, investigators asked 30 kids and 10 adults to listen to a series of bark types. A dog was recorded while reacting to a stranger at a gate, playing with a friend and barking when alone.

As researchers detail in the latest issue of the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science, all participants were able to identify the aggressive bark correctly. However, only older children (8 to 10 years old) and adults were able to recognize when the dog was barking because it was alone.

On the other hand, the playful bark was only identified by 10-year-olds and adults, since it carried numerous inflections. The new study highlights the need for people – especially kids – to listen to the dogs, rather than look at their faces for clues as to what might happen, Science Now reports.