We Will Be Able To Translate Dog Barking Very Soon

We think we know our dogs and their mannerisms but imagine being able to understand their barks and noises that they make? And while we joke about being able to text our dogs (pets) while we’re away, researchers at the University of Michigan and the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics in Puebla, Mexico, we might actually be able to understand our dog’s communication in the future. In plain English, we will be able to translate dog barking very soon.

Wild, right?! And if you’re a dog lover like me this is HUGE! I can’t imagine being able to communicate with my dog, Khaleesi.

Also, because Khaleesi is a blue nose Pitbull who is subjected to tons of misconceptions, even though I see a completely different side of her. It’d be nice for this research to lead to a better understanding and appreciation for dogs like mine.

These researchers are exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can interpret dog vocalizations. The study is meant to focus on understanding and interpreting a dog’s vocalizations using AI. They’re on a mission to decipher our pets’ language from their playful or aggressive barks while considering their characteristics like their age, breed, and sex of the dog.

How are they even doing this?

They’ve taken 74 dogs, Chihuahuas, French Poodles, and Schnauzers, from all over Mexico and they’ve exposed them to different situations to trigger all sorts of different sounds that they make and recording them. They keep the dogs in their own homes, so they don’t change their environment in order to get their natural response. They use this AI model called Wav2Vec2, which originally was made to understand human speech but they’ve trained it with dog soundbites they collected, in order to teach it to tell the dogs apart, figure out which breed, and even their gender. And apparently this AI model can actually pick out individual dogs by their barks 50% of the time. There’s a lot more involved but it seems like the AI model has been able to tell what was up with different types of barking, depending on what was triggering it.

Imagine what this could do for dog training, their healthcare, or honestly just being able to understand our dogs a lot better would be amazing! This could also help dogs in need, those sick, lost or need to be adopted, and change how people see “aggressive” breeds who are misunderstood.

As of right now, researchers are only focused on dogs but they’re also considering extending this to other species like birds and marine mammals, but that’s most likely way down the road. For now, let’s see how soon we’ll be able to understand our dogs. 

Source: Psy Post

It's always on dog-parent's mind whenever they go out. Can I bring my dog? With so many outdoor restaurants in the Tampa Bay area, a lot of places are accommodating to our four-legged babies. Some even have canine-friendly food on their menu. Whether you want to be near downtown Tampa or by the beach in St. Pete, we have the list of places to bring along your best friend.

We also have a list of the best dog bars in the Tampa Bay area. A lot of those places don't serve food but occasionally have food trucks. Also, dog bars may also require you register your dog to make sure they are healthy and non-aggressive. The best part about taking your pup to a dog-friendly restaurant is that you don't have to worry about that.

We went to Yelp to see what their recommendations are for the best dog friendly restaurants in Tampa Bay. They had a list of 10 places but we condensed it to our favorite 7 spots (and added a few of our own favorite places.) Another great hack is to download the BringFido app. This app will tell you any dog-friendly restaurant or hotel in your current area.

Ulele is a great spot for dogs, kids, date night, or any occasion! Their beautiful shaded patio is the perfect place to hangout with your pup! Plus you can take them for a walk on Tampa's riverwalk after your meal.

Any World of Beer welcomes dogs! We know the Westchase location will even let dogs hangout inside.

Riveters outdoor patio is a great hangout spot for pups.

Enjoy waterfront views of Old Tampa Bay with your pup at Salt Shack on the Bay. This place is such a hidden gem in the Tampa Bay area. They have some of the best seafood and cocktails.

Irish 31 is one of the most dog-friendly restaurants in Tampa Bay! They even have a special canine casserole that you can order for your pup!

Clear Sky Draught House in Dunedin has a huge patio that is perfect for doggos.

If you and your pup are ever down in St. Pete beach head to Buoys Waterfront Bar & Grill. You can hangout on their upstairs patio for those perfect sunset views, or head to the bar downstairs. Just know your bartender might serve your dog first!