It depends on who you ask," says [veterinarian ] Nicholas Dodman. "Some say dogs bark because they can." Unlike dogs, adult wolves-our canine pals' ancestors -don't really bark So barking seems to be something dogs have picked up since they were tamed. Maybe they've learned it can be useful for getting attention, like tooting on a car horn, says Dodman: it's an all-purpose "Hey, I'm here! Look at me!