My Pet World: Dogs may not have a specific language, but they do know how to communicate

Q: Do dogs actually speak a language? It does seem my dog uses different types of barks, and other sounds to communicate with me? -- Las Vegas, NV

A: You're certainly right about dogs using various means to communicate with people, with barking being the most noteworthy to attract our attention. Ádám Miklósi, founder of the Family Dog Research Project in Budapest, Hungary at Eötvös Loránd University Department of Ethology says, "I think we have to be very careful to point out that dogs are not saying anything, they're vocalizing, a bark, a growl, whatever it is. Dogs use various vocal signals for communicating with one another. Peter (Pongrácz) showed in a nice experiment that dogs are able to decode messages in the barking of other dogs and they respond differently to aggressive dogs' bark and barks emitted by a lonely dog, for example."

Pongrácz, an ethologist and researcher at the University adds, "We found that dogs are capable of distinguishing between different barks from other dogs." His research confirms that even people who don't have dogs generally understand the nature of what dogs are saying. Is it an anxious dog or a dog that is angry? Some even suggest we're born understanding what dogs are trying to say. Pongrácz says that's taking it too far, as young children seem not to understand.

But are various dog vocalizations actually a language? While these researchers in Hungary fall short of going that far, other researchers now maintain it is a language. In part, researchers have different views because there are varying definitions of what a language is.

All agree, when dogs want our attention, they know how to get it.

The Family Dog Project is offering a free live streaming broadcast on this topic and others on Nov. 15, starting at 9:15 a.m. ET. Learn more at http://familydogproject.elte.hu/wordpress/?p=502.

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Q: I just adopted a 3-year-old Yorkie. I am very concerned about what I feed him. I may be feeding him wrong. It's all very confusing. Is there good commercial food out there? I was using Merrick, the foster wanted me to use that, but it is too expensive for me, so I began to home cook the food. I am a senior. Please help. -- G.F., Cyberspace

A: Congratulations regarding your newest family member. Of course, what we feed our pets is important, and nutrition does matter. Since cost is a factor, I suggest that is another reason why home feeding might not be the best route, over time that gets expensive. It's also a laborious chore. If something happens to you, who will prepare the food?

When home feeding, it's important you receive an appropriate recipe for your dog from a boarded veterinary nutritionist, or perhaps a certified human nutritionist -- not a person who says they "know" nutrition. If you are determined to home feed, doing it right is vitally important, as nutritional needs for dogs (and especially cats) is different than for people.

Of course, there are many excellent brands of manufactured food and choices, but as people have individual nutritional needs and preferences, the same is true to for our pets. At the end of the day, the right choice is the one your pet thrives on.

Having said that, like many things in life -- yes, paying a bit more may mean a higher quality. It may mean better marketing, too -- so I understand your question about navigating the noise.

I believe Merrick is an excellent option, and in my experience pretty affordable, so perhaps consider another pet store or a pet superstore, which may be less expensive. Royal Canin offers a diet specific to Yorkshire Terriers. I am all for clipping coupons.

Truth is I am not the one to ask -- your veterinarian is the right person to consult. Your veterinarian, or sometimes a certified veterinary technician within the practice, will know you and your pet -- and understands pet nutrition.

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Q: My sweet older cat doesn't want to accept our new kitten. She's been chasing after her as if she wants to kill her. The kitten is trying to be friends, but he won't let that happen. I started the kitten in a separate room with the door closed as you suggest. And also, the kitten eats my other cat's food. I can't police the food all the time. I want my cats to be best friends. What can I do? -- F.S., Buffalo, NY

A: It sounds like you went about all this the right way, but perhaps you introduced your older cat to the kitten too quickly. In any case, start all over. Restrict the kitten to one room in the house. Naturally, place the kitty's food and water dishes, litter box and various toys in that room. Visit and play with your kitten often. Your kitty should be eating separately, and on a different diet than your adult cat, anyway.

Use a Feliway MultiCat diffuser in the kitty room, and at least one in the rest of the house (likely two or three depending on the size of the house; each diffuser covers about 700 feet). Feliway is a copy of a calming pheromone, which knocks anxiety down a notch, and is made specifically for this purpose.

Meanwhile, rotate blankets and toys, so your older cat smells the kitten's blanket and toys and your kitty smells your older cat's stuff. Also, after about 10 days, allow your kitten to wander the house and your older cat to tour the kitten's room for about an hour.

When it's finally time to introduce them, do so gradually; for only 15 to 30 seconds at a time. For these short times the cats are together, give them a reason to like one another, like tuna or sardines -- the heavy artillery comes out. They'll be paying more attention to the food than one another; and hopefully will associate the amazing treat with each other. For example, if every time you saw me, I gave you $100 -- over time, you'll want to see me often.