Why Do Dogs Always Bark at the Air? 为什么狗总对着空气汪汪叫？

A dog can be a person’s best friend， or so the theory goes. But that relationship can be tested when a dog begins barking at an empty corner of a room， at a door， or anywhere where there doesn’t appear to be any activity at all taking place.

Is the dog hallucinating？ Or does it simply want to drive its owner to the brink of sanity？

According to the American Kennel Club （AKC）， the most common explanation for unprompted barking is that it’s not really unprompted at all. Instead， it’s likely that humans are simply unable to perceive whatever visual， aural， or olfactory cues the dog is sensing.

Dogs are， obviously， equipped with superior hearing， including the ability to detect sounds that are higher in pitch. In theory， a dog could be reacting to a noise that a person nearby wouldn’t be able to hear—possibly a far-off vehicle siren.

If a dog barks seemingly unprompted at night， it might be because ambient noise is lessened and they’re more attuned to the barking of other dogs. Because dogs are territorial， one dog barking can turn into many.

常理上来讲，狗是人类最好的朋友。但当狗对着房间里空荡荡的角落，对着门，或对着任何一个没有动静的地方汪汪叫时，这份友情可能就要面临考验了。

是狗出现幻觉了吗？抑或是狗只是想把主人逼疯？

美国养犬俱乐部称，对于毫无来由的汪汪叫最常见的解释是它可能并不是真的无缘无故，而可能是人类无法察觉到狗能感知到的视觉、听觉或嗅觉线索。

显然，狗具有超级敏锐的听力，能听到更高音调的声音。理论上，狗可能是在对某种声音做出反应，可能是远处车辆的鸣笛声，而人听不见这个声音。

如果狗在夜里m7vatOVcR4z8COuG5b2ZEw==似乎无缘无故地叫起来，这可能是因为四周的声音减弱了，让它可以听到其他狗的叫声。因为狗是有领地意识的，所以一只狗汪汪叫可能会引发多只狗开始模仿。

Dogs are also able to see better in the dark than humans thanks to their ability to get more light into their retinas. If a dog is reacting to what looks to you like an empty backyard at night， it’s possible that something has caught their attention， be it a wild animal or a leaf.

That’s not to say that dogs only bark when their canine senses are triggered. Some dogs might bark spontaneously out of boredom， in which case more exercise or playtime is probably needed. They might be trying to get their owner’s attention.

The AKC recommends that owners avoid scolding their dogs for barking， since they’re simply trying to remain alert. Instead， you can try reassuring the dog to let it know you’re aware of its concern. If it tends to bark while gazing out a window， you can try to manage their vantage point with curtains. If you suspect the source is an audio cue， some white noise， like a television or radio， can help.

Less often， chronic barking might be a sign of cognitive issues. If barking is persistent， then you might consider a trip to the vet.

狗在黑暗中比人看得更清楚，这是因为它们的视网膜能吸收更多光线。如果狗晚上对着空荡荡的后院汪汪叫，那么可能是它注意到了某样东西，也许是一只野生动物或是一片树叶。

这并不意味着狗汪汪叫都是因为它们察觉到了什么。有些狗可能只是因为无聊，才自发地叫起来，从而试图引起主人的注意，这表明它们需要更多的运动或玩乐时间。

美国养犬俱乐部建议，狗主人尽量不要在狗汪汪叫的时候训斥它们，因为它们只是保持警觉而已。相反，你应该试着去安抚狗，让它知道你已经了解它的担忧。如果狗总是一边望向窗外一边叫，你可以试着拉上窗帘，让它看不到窗外的事物。如果你怀疑狗是因为听到了某种声音而叫，你可以播放一些白噪音（比如打开电视或收音机）来掩盖这种声音。

尽管不太常见，但长期汪汪叫也可能是狗出现认知问题的信号。如果狗总是不停地叫，你可能要考虑带它去看兽医。

Word Bank

sanity /'sænəti/ n. 精神正常

perceive /pə'siːv/ v. 注意到；察觉到

I perceived a change in his behavior.

ambient /'æmbiənt/ adj. 周围的；周围环境的

attuned /ə'tjuːnd/ adj. 熟悉；适应

He seemed unusually attuned to people’s feelings.

persistent /pə'sɪstənt/ adj. 持续的；反复出现的