Dog communication is any transfer of information on the part of one or more dogs that has an effect on the current or future behaviour of another animal. The study of animal communication — sometimes called zoosemiotics (defined as the study of sign communication or semiosis in animals; distinguishable from anthroposemiotics, the study of human communication) — has played an important part in ethology, sociobiology, and the study of animal cognition. Dog communication occurs in a variety of forms and is part of the foundation of dog social behavior.
Dogs use various modalities to communicate. These include visual communication (movements of their bodies and body parts), auditory communication (vocalizations}, and gustatory communication (scents and pheromones). Body movements include their ears, eyes, eyebrows, mouth, nose, head, tail and entire body, as well as barks, growls, whines and whimpers, and howls.