Why do little dogs make so much noise?

[holeinboatoutatsea]

There is a little mutt across the street that has been yapping continuously for the past hour, at least. My big elephant dog just sits and looks at him like he's nuts.

What is this dog trying to say that is so important?

[mr_hat]

1. Must little dogs tunnel for prey. Dirt doesn't echo well. Ergo, the yap.

[TheBlob]

2. Nervous inferiority complex

Most small dogs have it.

Those little yappers go nuts every time I walk by with my QUIET German Shepherd.

[Faygo Kid]

3. They have to remind us that they wuv us.

OK, stupid, I know, but my ex has our Pomeranian (10 years old; the dog, not the ex), and we are on the best of terms (the ex, not the dog). I visit her regularly (both), and the Pomeranian knows her dad, and sleeps with me (sadly, not the ex).

[redqueen]

4. Not all of 'em do.

Just the nervous ones. I think they're probalby saying something like, 'Did you hear that?! That right there? What was that? Hey! Whoever's making that noise! I'm warning you! I'm meaner than I look! Do you hear me?! Stop making that noise!'

[Rainbowreflect]

5. The people that use to live next door to us had a little yappy dog.

They always kept him tied up when he was in the back yard. When I would let my dogs out he would start yapping like crazy. And every time my Golden would run up to the fence and then take off toward the back fence. The little dog would run along beside him until he got got to the end of his chain. The yapping would get cut off, he'd make a squeaky noise and fly back wards. They did it every time. Dumb dog.

[neverborn]

6. I don't know

My mom has a little yappy dog, aaaaaaaaaargh!

[radwriter0555]

7. hope yer not my neighbor.

My maltese is SURE she's a doberman.

She would die to protect us from the Evil Hummingbirds who torment her and would take over the planet.

Ahem.

Sorry.

She'll be napping soon.

[Padraig18]

8. Grover hates the EVIL 'space aliens'

Apparently humans can't see them, but dogs can. He will stop suddenly, look VERY intently at a point somewhere distant, and then proceed to bark like mad.

(The puppy thinks he's weird, and pretends not to notice) :P

[fudge stripe cookays]

9. My mom had a Maltese.

God,what an obnoxious yappy rat that thing was. I consider myself a dog lover, but not THAT dog.

I like big dogs. Fargo goes nuts when he hears the V-8 truck down the street downshift. He has this BIG DEEP BARK that makes his whole body vibrate. Not THAT'S a bark!

[geniph]

10. According to Gary Larson,

what they're saying is, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!"

[Tummler]

11. It's simple

They're the Sean Hannitys of the animal kingdom. The (il)logic of their behavior ends right there.

[TrogL]

12. My kitten meowed today

First time it actually vocalized for human attention.

I suppose it's better than being bitten - its usual strategy.