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Doggy duets, singing dogs, etc… We call it a lot of things, but really, why do dogs howl? It is hard to miss the neighborhood dog choir as an ambulance, fire truck or police car passes by. One would commence the act and then the rest of the dogs in the area would follow suit. Are they sad when we leave them behind and that happy if we return?

Dogs howl for various reasons, but they all belong to one category: communication. Scientists found the reason why wolves howl. They howl in different tones so that the sound would travel further compared to a simple bark. It is a sign of the pack as if saying: “Look what I found” or simply letting the other members of the pack know his location so that they would meet up. Wolves recognize the howl of the members of his pack, and if an unfamiliar voice chimes in, he would know that there is an intruder in his territory. Thus, a howl is a signal for the intruder to stay away or else.

Experts also believe that dogs howl for similar reasons, though the reasons of their howling still remains unclear to the researchers. In general, dogs communicate via whines, barks and growls. This verbal language of theirs would tell us how they really feel. So if you find your dog howling when you leave him behind, it may be sign that he is calling you back home. Or that simply he is so bored already and that he doesn’t know what to do with his boredom anymore. If you chain him up while you are away, be sure to take him first on a short brisk walk to relieve him of his built up energy and also leave various chew toys behind for him to play with while you are gone.

Dogs howl when they get lonely and sad. He knows that by howling he would be able to locate where the nearest dog is. Dogs are sociable animals and they prefer to be in packs, so howling for him is a way to reassure that he is not alone. Constant howling while you are gone may indicate separation anxiety.

We humans tend to believe that dogs howl ar sirens beacuse it hurts their ears, this is false. Dogs howl are sirens because of their instincts. For them, the sound of a siren came from another dog howling at a distance and he was just being nice by answering it back. Any high-pitched sound coming from any musical instrument or TV show may also product howling from your dog.

Why Do Dogs Howl

Dogs howl for several reasons, but they all fall under one umbrella: communication. Dogs howl to find other dogs or communicate with members of their pack. Source: Paw Posse, http://www.pawposse.com/why-do-dogs-howl/blog-388/

Control your Dog from Howling

Know the cause. Establish the reason why he is howling. If your pekingese only howls when you leave, then he may have separation anxiety. If this is the case, then seek professional help. If he howls if you ingnore him, then he is just trying to get your attention back. If he happens to howl during his dinner or walk times, then he is just excited. Train him to speak. Teach his the command ‘speak.’ Wait until he howls and praise him, give him a treat too. Repeat this command over and over again until he would associate the word ‘speak’ with howling and treats. Teach his to be quiet. After he ‘speaks,’ tell him to be quiet. If he shuts up, give him a treat and praise him. Repeat this command over and over and increase quiet time over time too. When a siren whizzes by, and he starts howling, command her to be quiet. If he obeys, give him his treat. Do this over and over until he get that ‘quiet’ means to stop howling. Ignore his seeking-attention howling. If he is howling just to get your attention, ignore him until he becomes quiet. If you pay attention to him while he is howling, chances are he would reinforce the idea that he must howl just for you to give him attention. Tire him out. After work, take some time to take him for a run, or a long brisk walk. Give him puzzle toys that would stimulate his mind. A tired dog is a quiet dog.

Dogs howl for lots of reasons, and that oh-so-mournful sound doesn’t really mean sadness. As an owner, you must know the reason on why do dogs howl. Being educated would mean that you know how to intervene and you can also help your pal or neighbor how to handle their situation as well. To dogs, their howling simply means communication over large distances and sometimes it is fun to listen to, as long as it is not during wee hours of the morning.

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