No! Dogs Can Recognize the Sounds That Mean Yes or No

"At the most primitive level, we ought to be able to discourage a dog from some action, "No! Don't do that!" Or encourage activity, "Yes! Do it!" We do not have to rely on trained linguistic commands. Back in the 1970s, Eugene Morton, who was with the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park, discovered that there were some universal dimensions of sounds used by most mammals and birds to indicate their emotional state."

"Pitch: Low-pitched sounds, such as a dog's growl, usually indicate threats, anger, and the possibility of aggression. These are interpreted as, "Stay away from me." High-pitched sounds mean the opposite, asking to be allowed to come closer or saying that it is safe to approach. It is best characterized by the fundamental frequency, which is the lowest frequency sound in the mix."

All mammals and many birds use similar vocal features to express emotional states and intentions. Pitch, duration, frequency, and timbre shape meaning: low-pitched, long sounds signal threat or aggression, while high-pitched, short sounds encourage approach. Rapid repetition increases excitement and urgency. Humans can use these patterns to discourage or encourage dogs without trained commands. Some sound patterns that indicate encouragement or objection appear genetically wired. Research beginning in the 1970s identified universal dimensions across species and has continued to explore how animals produce and interpret these common vocal signals.

Read at Psychology Today