Malamutes, Eskimo Dogs, Huskies and many hound breeds seem to be genetically predisposed to howling. Some breeds actually just enjoy howling like humans enjoy karaoke. It’s like singing for them and any excuse is a good excuse to howl it out.
The sound of a dog howling has long been associated with a sense of mystery and wilderness, and it’s a sound that has captivated people for centuries. But, do dogs actually enjoy howling? It’s a question that has been asked countless times by pet owners and animal lovers alike. There are many different theories floating around as to why dogs howl, but there’s no definitive answer yet. Here, we’ll take a closer look at the possibility that your furry friend might be howling simply because they enjoy it. We’ll take a look at the evidence and discuss some of the various theories that have been proposed in order to get to the bottom of this mysterious question.
Reason #5 – They Think You Like It
Let’s face it, you’re probably howling at your dog for their benefit unless it’s just a hobby of yours.
Your dog is probably howling when you howl because, well, you want them too. They care about you and are intelligent enough to understand when you’re trying to encourage them to do something (you taught them to sit, stay, come, yada, yada after all, right?).
Not only that, but once you do get them howling, you’re probably happy that it worked and might give them a scratch or their favorite treat, or you might just laugh and be happy, which your dog will sense. All of this reinforces the behavior.
They’ll howl when you howl because they like it when you’re happy, so that they can live up to your expectations and have some fun with their pet parent.
Although they are probably laughing along with you in good spirits, your dog might find it unsettling if you suddenly start howling. While encouraging your dog to howl is not cruel, it can occasionally surprise your dog.
Remember that howling is loud, and if you start howling at your dog (especially if you go full-werewolf and get really into it), they might assume that you are in distress, giving them a warning, or hurt.
While we are aware that dogs use howling to communicate frequently, we can’t really respond to them when they howl.
Your dog may be howling alongside you because they believe you two are in danger as a result of your loud howling!
This is especially true if you howl before or while performing specific dog-related activities.
If you howl in anticipation of taking your dog for a walk or feeding them dinner, they might become excited and howl along with you because they are looking forward to the walk or the meal.
On the other hand, if you howl prior to bathing them or taking them to the veterinarian (no judgement, howl whenever you want to), they might howl in anticipation of that impending negative event.
Dogs are creatures of habit, so they’ll quickly figure out that howling with you means bad things are about to happen.
Remember that howling is just kind of fun to do, despite all the possible reasons. After all, you were the one who started howling, right?.
Howling gets dogs’ hearts pumping. They probably aren’t often allowed to be this loud, but it’s loud as well.
However, you and your dog are howling together the loudest. Your dog will get excited about anything as silly and free-spirited as howling with their number one favorite person.
Why Is My Dog Howling? What Does It Mean?
These are a few of the most typical causes of dog howling.
When you hear a dog howling, it’s usually because they want your attention. Nothing catches the attention of pet parents as quickly as an eardrum-bursting howl.
People automatically react to loud noises, so you might be unintentionally reinforcing this. As a result, when your dog howls, you respond, and the dog realizes that their howling was successful in getting your attention.
Because many pet parents find their dog’s howling amusing or entertaining, a dog may interpret it as a way to attract favorable attention from humans.
The most effective way to prevent howling for attention is to use a behavior conditioning technique called reinforcement.
If your dog starts howling, you must ignore them completely. When your dog stops howling and becomes calm, you can give them attention as a form of positive reinforcement.
During a howling episode, avoid correcting or rewarding your dog because doing so will only make the behavior worse.
Another cause of a dog’s howling is anxiety, particularly separation anxiety.
If your dog starts to howl every time you leave the house or when they can’t get to you, that may be a sign of separation anxiety.
The best course of action for dealing with dogs with separation anxiety is to seek help from a veterinarian that specializes in behavior issues. Visit the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists to find a behavior specialist near you.
I would advise going to your neighborhood veterinarian if you don’t live in a region with a behavior specialist.
Your dog is acknowledging other dogs
Dogs descended from wolves, and like many other canine behaviors, howling has its ancestral roots in how wolves behave in the wild.
According to Greenstein, howling is primarily used to communicate with other dogs. “Imagine wolves or coyotes howling to their pack in the woods.” Your dog is intended to be making a long-distance announcement to an audience because a howl’s intensity is meant to be heard over a greater distance. “.
Wolves frequently howl to alert other wolves in their pack of their whereabouts or to scare off other animals and defend their territory. Your dog may be attempting to howl in response when it does so.
FAQ
Is it OK to howl with my dog?
Howling with your dog is totally acceptable and is one of the few instinctive things we can do with them. It’s possible that your dog will howl alongside you out of instinct, to communicate, or perhaps just for fun as an additional bonding experience. It doesn’t matter if your dog doesn’t howl in return if some dogs simply don’t.
Are dogs happy when howling?
Dogs howl when they’re happy and excited. When they locate prey, hunting breeds like beagles, foxhounds, and basset hounds howl to alert their human hunting partners, claims Dr Kasten. Some may howl until their human partner appears at the base of the tree.
What do dogs feel when howling?
Dogs howl to get people’s attention, communicate with people, and let people know they’re there. Some canines will also howl in response to loud noises, such as those made by musical instruments or emergency vehicle sirens.
Why do dogs love howling?
“I am alert and responsive to my environment. Many dogs will howl in response to other dogs’ vocalizations, sirens, or other high-pitched sounds like music. Howling indicates that a person has heard the sound, is aware of it, and is either prepared to act or wants to do so.