A friend of mine has a smallish dog (cockapoo, maybe about 12-14" at the
shoulder) and has recently pulled up the carpeting in her front hall.
Whenever I come to the door, Jingles comes racing into the hall and starts
barking, but now that there is no carpet there, he literally slides
backwards with each bark. I realize that I've seen this happen with a
number of small dogs.

I know that a basic law of physics is that for every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction, but what "action" is involved in barking that
would cause the dog to be pushed backwards? Their feet don't move, as far
as I can tell, and it's hard to believe that the air exploding from their
mouths would be enough to move them.

Any ideas?

Marie

On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:01:29 -0500, "marie" wrote:

it's hard to believe that the air exploding from their
mouths would be enough to move them.

You've obviously never lived with a little dog who was convinced that
it was not only a big dog but a bigger dog than any other big dog that
may also be in the house. It's not only tons of air, it's tons of hot
air coming out of that mouth with every bark. Internal combustion
engines have nothing on big dogs in little bodies.

--
Paula
"Anyway, other people are weird, but sometimes they have candy, so it's best to try to get along with them." Joe Bay

I believe the action involved would be the compression of the muscles around
the lungs and the subsequent relaxation of the same muscles. Thus, if a
small dog on a slippery surface like wood or linoleum were to bark, the
combination of exhalation and the contraction of the muscles in the ribcage
would at first force the upper torso forward, and then the relaxing of the
same muscles would retract the body backwards. Since the dog is both small
and standing (or sitting) on the hard slippery surface, the result is that
the rear of the body moves backwards, pulling the front of the body with it.
So it's not the volume (quantity) of air being exhaled, but the force with
which it is expelled from the lungs - sort of like a snapping backward of a
rubber band.

Okay, that's too much thinking for me. Time for bed.


"Paula" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:01:29 -0500, "marie" wrote:

it's hard to believe that the air exploding from their
mouths would be enough to move them.

You've obviously never lived with a little dog who was convinced that
it was not only a big dog but a bigger dog than any other big dog that
may also be in the house. It's not only tons of air, it's tons of hot
air coming out of that mouth with every bark. Internal combustion
engines have nothing on big dogs in little bodies.

--
Paula
"Anyway, other people are weird, but sometimes they have candy, so it's
best to try to get along with them." Joe Bay

Can't help myself - I like Paula's explanation better! G

FurPaw

Alyssa M wrote:
I believe the action involved would be the compression of the muscles around
the lungs and the subsequent relaxation of the same muscles. Thus, if a
small dog on a slippery surface like wood or linoleum were to bark, the
combination of exhalation and the contraction of the muscles in the ribcage
would at first force the upper torso forward, and then the relaxing of the
same muscles would retract the body backwards. Since the dog is both small
and standing (or sitting) on the hard slippery surface, the result is that
the rear of the body moves backwards, pulling the front of the body with it.
So it's not the volume (quantity) of air being exhaled, but the force with
which it is expelled from the lungs - sort of like a snapping backward of a
rubber band.

Okay, that's too much thinking for me. Time for bed.


"Paula" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:01:29 -0500, "marie" wrote:


it's hard to believe that the air exploding from their
mouths would be enough to move them.

You've obviously never lived with a little dog who was convinced that
it was not only a big dog but a bigger dog than any other big dog that
may also be in the house. It's not only tons of air, it's tons of hot
air coming out of that mouth with every bark. Internal combustion
engines have nothing on big dogs in little bodies.

--
Paula
"Anyway, other people are weird, but sometimes they have candy, so it's
best to try to get along with them." Joe Bay





--
"Don't believe everything that you think."
- Seen on a bumper sticker

To reply, unleash the dog

"marie" wrote in message:


barking, but now that there is no carpet there, he literally slides
backwards with each bark. I realize that I've seen this happen with a
number of small dogs.

When Shazz, my brother's Boston let out her first bark ever, she was
standing on the top of the couch, looking out the window. She hopped
backwards when she barked, and fell off her perch. It was hysterical! That
dog has the funniest bark ever, BTW. She literally goes 'Bow! Bow! Bow!

I know that a basic law of physics is that for every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction, but what "action" is involved in barking that
would cause the dog to be pushed backwards? Their feet don't move, as far
as I can tell, and it's hard to believe that the air exploding from their
mouths would be enough to move them.

That's what I'm calling it. It is unfortunate, but Shazz eventually figured
out how to control the backward movement.

Suja