 When the growl is elicited directly from the dog, humans are often able to use other physical cues, as well as the length and volume/tone of the growl to interpret its meaning.Humans who are more frequently in the presence of canines are more accurately able to interpret the meaning of growls.Since dogs are able to distinguish between the different types of growling such as those that display food possession versus growls that are used during play, their behavior changes in response to another dog's growl.