The Barking Chain

(sometimes, The Twilight Barking or The Gloaming Bark)
Many humans have noticed how dogs like to bark in the early evening. Indeed, twilight has sometimes been called "Dogs' Barking Time." Busy town dogs bark less than country dogs, but all dogs know all about the Twilight Barking. It is their way of keeping in touch with distant friends, passing on important news, enjoying a good gossip. Some other animals are aware of the chain and will do their best to aid in the message passing by alerting any dog in the vicinity who may not have heard the initial message, this includes quite a number of horses, some racoons, and even cats who have a similar message chain called the Roof Network/Alley chain.
The Barking Chain is ancient and efficient; it has been used to send news of wars, natural disasters, tragedy, and great accomplishments. Often dogs receiving news via the chain of oncoming violence or destruction will try and warn or lead beloved and trusted humans out of the path of the oncoming danger.

History

The Barking Chain is said to have been taught to the First Pack by First Dog, although many say this is not true and that it was actually taught to the first dogs by Old Wolf, the Father God of the wolves. It is the oldest, most effective, and elaborate game of "telephone" to ever exist. It is a means of canine communication, often across vast distances.

Execution

To begin a Barking Chain one dog with an important message or a juicy bit of gossip will wait until a relatively quiet part of the day (often early morning or twilight) and then bark out their message as loudly as possible hoping to be heard by another nearby dog who will, in turn, repeat the action to another, and so on. Thus, creating a kind of message leap frog or stone skipping that can allow a dog message to cover dozens or even hundreds of miles in short order.
Whenever possible dogs will try and reach the highest point available to them, second story windows, rooftops, hills or even mountain sides so as to allow their barks and howls to carry further. Dogs who are not house or yard bound will often announce to the chain and then run along some good distance to announce again and again - in the United States dogs call this "going Paul Revere."

Participants

All dogs who hear an important message via the Chain are expected, if able, to send it along down the chain. Those who do not are considered lazy and selfish at best, and possibly "bad dogs" at worst. When the message coming down the chain is gossip or idle chat a dog does not need to pass it along the chain unless they wish to.

Observance

Barking Chains start up most days, usually around twilight before day or gloaming before night.