Dogs can make all sorts of noises — from barking to growling to anything in between, it’s how they express themselves. These sounds can mean all kinds of different things: barking incessantly will be different than growling to protect their toys.

The American Kennel Club offers the following tips to help you understand your pup and their communication better:

Howling is typically loud, which is why dogs use this noise to communicate with other dogs when they are further away. If a dog traveling in a pack gets lost, they will howl and wait for a call-and-response. On occasion, dogs can mistake sirens as howls, which is why they might howl at firetrucks or police cars passing by.

When a dog feels threatened or wants to intimidate someone, their barks and growls will be lower and deeper to signal a person or other animal to stay away. This usually come in a set of quick, explosive barks.

If you have a hound at home, baying may not be new to you. Hunting dogs and hounds specifically bay; deep, prolonged sounds are made by dogs typically to signal that a target is nearby when hunting.

Barking or yelping can also be used to get attention. If your dog is used to being the center of attention, chances are they won’t take kindly to being ignored. Attention barking will sound like short yaps, and they won’t stop until you give them what they’re looking for.

Growling can be used to protect something, but is not limited to this. Deep growls or snarls will come from the throat in order to appear more menacing, signaling that it is dangerous to approach.