[JaniceH]

I happen to think that rotties have a variety of vocals of which the purr is only one.

Teazle, my 4 1/2 yr. old bitch, has a few. She purrs in greeting or when she is in a soppy mood and we are having a loving. This is quite a low consistent sound.

However she also growls sort of when in a happy stimulated situation. A new neighbour rushed to the gate once asking how she could help or should she get a man. The incident...I was towel drying Teazle after we had been out walking in rain!!!! The noises which came out of her were horrendous and the neighbour who did not really know us at that stage, thought I was being savaged. Teazle spoilt this display when she sneezed right in the middle of the "attack".

She has an excited squeaky growl when she is excited after being told someone she knows is coming. It must be the tone of my voice because she then gets all of a dither and makes this funny noise. It gets louder wehn that person arrives but hasn't come through the door yet.

Then of course there is the tug of war growl that comes whilst playing and one when she wants attention which starts off lowish and can end in a bark.

Moving to the more sinister noises, she has a funny short sharp growly bark when she is irritated suddenly.

And finally there is that low menacing growl when her attention is focussed on something she is unsure of, like the other night when it was going dark and she was lying looking out of the patio window. She was very foccussed on something which I couldn't work out what, and started growling. I was a little worried and wondered if I should let her out. I didn't because I then saw this large leaf hanging from the bird table and moving in the breeze slightly. Her attention on it was electric. She obviously thought it was a big threat to her !!!!!!!!

Wonderful stuff.