In an attempt to better understand what their dogs barking is all about, several dog owners have been given lessons in order to learn how to translate their pets' woofs from their bow wows.

A British vet and dog behaviorist is training pet owners to give them expert advice in order to cut down on the number of complaints received by local authorities by noisy dogs.

A city council official from Petersborough, England says: "One of the most complex problems the pollution team investigates is caused by barking dogs.

"The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has identified 10 different ways a dog barks, and nine reasons why they do this.

"When dogs are left on their own they can often bark for attention or through boredom, and this can occur for hours at a time."

Pollution control officer Laura Bradley added: "Our environmental health section has organized a free dog training session.

"The event will include advice from a dog behaviorist and a vet, who will explain why dogs bark, what they are saying and how to stop the problem."