- Scientists believe they have proved that barking dogs
are attempting to communicate with their owners.
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- Research published in New Scientist today concludes a
channel of communication has evolved between man and his best friend.Scientists
have long suspected that there might be a human-linked meaning to barking
because it is a behaviour seen chiefly in domestic dogs.
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- A team led by Adam Miklosi, of Eotvos Lorand University
in Budapest, conducted a study involving 10 canines and 90 humans.First
the researchers recorded barks produced when the dogs were placed in seven
different situations. Then the human volunteers had to match the recordings
to the situations to which the dogs were exposed.
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- The rate of success was about twice what would be expected
by chance. "People seem to have a feel for certain sounds," Dr
Miklosi said.
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- © 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=529958
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