When dog owners ask why dogs howl, they are sometimes asking why they howl at home, at night, or when left on their own, instead of why they howl in nature. Because, while howling has numerous uses for a dog in natural settings, not many of them suit living as a domestic animal in the human world.
In nature, dog howling is employed as a long-range communication system to reach other dogs. The sound from the howl can travel over big distances and will likely be heard a few miles away. Dogs will howl for a few differing reasons, for example to locate another member of its pack, to call the pack together for hunting, or to warn off potential threats.
Dogs Howling at Television
You often hear about dogs howling at the TV and some dog owners believe their dog is singing with their favourite televison programme theme tune. What's much more likely is that the theme tune is the signal for the family to sit down together in front of the Television to watch their favourite show, and the dog joins in with the theme tune to help call you all together, just like they'd do to get the pack together in the wild!
Dog Howling Driven by Dog Anxiety
Sadly , a howling dog could be a real source of annoyance and bad feelings with neighbours who are usually a bit intolerant of a howling dog.
If your dog is howling while you are out, it's possibly because they are suffering from dog separation anxiety, and are using their howl to try and locate you.
When a dog experiences separation anxiety, it is normally as the dog believes itself to be the pack leader and is stressing about where the remainder of his pack (you) has gone and this is the easiest way they can think of to find you and help you to find your way back. They are not aware of the fact that our hearing is not as good as theirs, although sadly plenty sufficiently good to get the neighbors griping!
How to Stop a Howling Dog
If they are howling in the house to grab your attention, the fastest technique to get them to stop is to ignore it totally. You can do that by not making eye contact with the dog, or speaking to them or touching them. One easy way is to try this is to stroll away where they can not see you, or close the door between you and them. If they're only after atttention and they do not get it they should soon stop. But if you are handling dog separation anxiety, long term the only real way to stop the howling, is to learn how to be the pack leader yourself and then your dog will stop worrying about where you are and using this means of communication to try and bring you back.
In nature, dog howling is employed as a long-range communication system to reach other dogs. The sound from the howl can travel over big distances and will likely be heard a few miles away. Dogs will howl for a few differing reasons, for example to locate another member of its pack, to call the pack together for hunting, or to warn off potential threats.
Dogs Howling at Television
You often hear about dogs howling at the TV and some dog owners believe their dog is singing with their favourite televison programme theme tune. What's much more likely is that the theme tune is the signal for the family to sit down together in front of the Television to watch their favourite show, and the dog joins in with the theme tune to help call you all together, just like they'd do to get the pack together in the wild!
Dog Howling Driven by Dog Anxiety
Sadly , a howling dog could be a real source of annoyance and bad feelings with neighbours who are usually a bit intolerant of a howling dog.
If your dog is howling while you are out, it's possibly because they are suffering from dog separation anxiety, and are using their howl to try and locate you.
When a dog experiences separation anxiety, it is normally as the dog believes itself to be the pack leader and is stressing about where the remainder of his pack (you) has gone and this is the easiest way they can think of to find you and help you to find your way back. They are not aware of the fact that our hearing is not as good as theirs, although sadly plenty sufficiently good to get the neighbors griping!
How to Stop a Howling Dog
If they are howling in the house to grab your attention, the fastest technique to get them to stop is to ignore it totally. You can do that by not making eye contact with the dog, or speaking to them or touching them. One easy way is to try this is to stroll away where they can not see you, or close the door between you and them. If they're only after atttention and they do not get it they should soon stop. But if you are handling dog separation anxiety, long term the only real way to stop the howling, is to learn how to be the pack leader yourself and then your dog will stop worrying about where you are and using this means of communication to try and bring you back.
About the Author:
Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about why dogs howl and the other major symptoms of dog separation anxiety, when you visit the site.
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