Why do dogs start howling at night?

No matter where you live, you almost certainly have had the experience of being out on the stoop or porch late at night and hearing the unmistakable sound of dogs howling in the distance. So, why do dogs howl?

Researchers believe that dog howling is bound up in dog genetics. The ancient dog breeds are recognized for how closely their DNA matches that of the wolves from which they descended. When answering the question, “Why do dogs howl,” we have to examine the following questions, too — Is dog howling an atavistic expression of a shared wild ancestry? A lingering vestige of wolf times and pack activity? Communication seems to be at the heart of things, so let’s seek to answer the query, “Why do dogs howl” — and find out what they might be saying.

1. Dog howling is a community organizing and homing beacon

In the wild, wolves and feral dogs howl to bring scouts back to the pack after a hunt. Dogs who remain behind howl to provide the location of their base. Dog howling acts as a vocal homing beacon or a kind of auditory lighthouse that guides other pack members back.

Pet dog howling can be a similar expression, particularly if you’ve been out of the house all day. Dogs howl to beckon their loved ones back home.

2. Dog howling is boundary demarcation and defense mechanism

Howling signals to other dogs that the area they are entering has been claimed and occupied. It is a warning to outsiders that encroachment risks the threat of violence. Howling dogs announce their presence and alert their community to changing circumstances. In this context, dog howling functions as a defense mechanism, warding off potential predators and ensuring the safety of the dogs in the pack.

In a domestic setting, some dogs bark, others howl when a stranger comes to the door or a new car pulls up in the driveway.

3. Dogs howl to attract attention or express anxiety

A howling dog may simply want attention. Some dog owners know that dogs can be as emotionally manipulative as any human. The sound of a dog howling attracts the attention of his owner. Maybe you dash across the house to see what’s wrong, only to find yourself greeted by a dog who wants to be played with. Go through this routine enough times and the dog will learn that howling is an effective way to bring you running.

Of course, there are two sides to this coin. If your dog knows that you leave for extended periods of time, he may howl as an expression of separation anxiety. Dogs that don’t have toys or sufficient things to entertain them in your absence get sad, lonely and depressed. So, the sad answer to, “Why do dogs howl?” could be that your dog is howling in protest of being left alone. Imagine if someone put you in a crate all day or left you in some other space for an extended period of time. You’d howl, too!

4. Dogs howl in response to stimuli and bonding exercises

Dog howling can be a response to environmental triggers. Common provocations include ambulance, police or fire-engine sirens. The sound of these noises were the only times that my dog ever howled. The distant sound of approaching sirens always prompted her to sit up and join in the wailing. The reason remains uncertain, since she never howled at the sound of other dogs howling. Perhaps the pitch of sirens awoke some otherwise-dormant genetic memory.

Much of our research confirms that dog howling occurs when certain sounds are perceived. The prompts and triggers can be anything: music on a stereo at a party, popular television theme songs, or the sound of musical instruments. People who enjoy dogs howling even seem to encourage their dogs by howling themselves! It would seem that one reason dogs howl is the experience of community or of bonding. Why do dogs howl at sirens? Why do dogs howl when you howl? Perhaps it’s to join in and be a part of the action.

5. Dogs howl to alert you to injury or discovery

Another answer to, “Why do dogs howl?” could be that dogs howl to express injury. People weep when they get hurt; dogs howl in similar situations. Dogs howl to vocalize pain. Some dogs are also trained to howl when they make discoveries. Hunting dog breeds howl to signal the pursuit or apprehension of prey. If a dog has treed, cornered or caught something, he may howl to alert his owners to the location of the prize.

Does your dog like to howl, or “sing”?

Some dog breeds certainly tend to howl more than others. Breeds known for howling include Alaskan Malamutes, American Eskimo Dogs, Beagles, Coonhounds (Black and Tan, Bluetick, Redtick, English, Redbone and Treeing Walker), Dachshunds, Foxhounds (American and English), Hounds (Bloodhound, Basset), Huskies (Alaskan and Siberian), Native American Indian Dogs and Tamaskan Dogs, among others.

Some final thoughts on the question, “Why do dogs howl?”

One thing to consider is that dog howling, like any other form of vocal expression, has no fixed meaning. The answer to, “Why do dogs howl?” is a shifting signifier whose interpretation is situation-dependent. I enjoy going to karaoke; is it so difficult to imagine that a dog might not howl out of necessity, but out of joy?

Tell us: Is your dog a howler? When and how do your dogs get the urge to sing? Why do you think your dogs howl? Share your experiences with dog howling in the comments! Let us know the breed or mix, if you can.

Thumbnail: Photography ©srugina | Thinkstock. 

This piece was originally published in 2015.

Learn more about dog howling and barking with Dogster.com:

Have you ever been woken up in the middle of the night by dogs howling in the distance? Or maybe you’re a dog owner and know exactly what howling sounds like from up close. Whenever we hear a dog howl, we associate this behavior with its ancestors – the wolves. But in fact, there is more to it than common beliefs to why dogs go for this type of vocalization.

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Dog Howling: a Way of Communication

One example is responding to howling from other dogs in the neighborhood or as a way to attract attention. Another instance of dogs howling is to show excitement or ask for playtime. This is a common behavior for dogs. Also, if your dog howls at new cars on your street or a stray dog passing by, this is its way of marking its territory.

Keep reading to discover six fascinating reasons why dogs howl at night. Also, learn how to interpret your dog’s howling.

What You Need:

Here are a few things that can help lessen dog howling at night:

Why Does my Dog Howl at Night?

Howling is a Way of Communication

Howling is a means of communication for dogs. Many times, when a dog hears other dogs howling, even far away from its home, it’ll howl along in solidarity. The reason for group howling is usually to chase away any dogs that don’t belong there.

Another explanation for joint howling is when one dog wants to inform the others in the pack of something they have found, most commonly food. This behavior is particularly the case for hunting dogs, who howl as a way to alert their owners that the prey has been found.

Below is a video by the Animalia TV explaining how dogs react to certain sounds which results to howling:

Stimulated by External Sounds

Not all dogs howl, but when they do, they may be excited by external noises. Typically, ambulance or police sirens echoing in the night can quickly make any dog, including yours, howl. This is probably because the siren is high-pitched, sounding very similar to howling. Some dogs howl when they hear squeaky toys and other high-pitch producing items, as their sound resembles a howl.

Loneliness or Separation Anxiety

Dogs are extremely social and love spending time with their owners and family members. They bond very quickly and become attached to their caretakers. So if they’re left alone for a while, but are not used to it, they may develop separation anxiety.

Another reason why dogs howl at night is to express their feelings of loneliness and sadness, especially if their owner is absent. Crying due to separation anxiety can last for days or until the owner returns.

Sometimes, your dog howls as a sign of dissatisfaction of being left home alone rather than anxiety. Make sure to provide it with a lot of toys and enough space to move around while you’re away.

When dogs are stressed because of being left alone, they may chew on your shoes or the furniture. They also won’t hesitate to howl and bark all day long. To help your dog cope, a good option is to get another dog to keep it company. If this is not possible, provide toys to keep your dog entertained. Your dog won’t feel completely alone and in silence. It will get over the separation anxiety much faster.

Sick Dogs Howl

When a person is injured or ill, they can easily communicate this with others by talking and crying. But if a dog is hurt or ill, it howls as a sign of discomfort or pain. Sometimes, the injury is external, so you can easily see what’s wrong. But if you can’t locate it, your dog may not be feeling well or have an internal injury.

To recognize whether your dog howls because it’s in pain, pay attention to the duration of the howling. If it stops shortly after it began, you probably have nothing to worry about. But if your pup keeps howling for an extended period, you should make a trip to the vet.

So next time you’re wondering why dogs howl at while their asleep at night, there may be some that are injured or in pain.

Demanding for Attention

Depending on your dog’s breed, some are more vocal than others. Howling may be their preferred way of communication.

For example, Siberian and Alaskan Huskies, American Eskimo dogs, Beagles, and Dachshunds are some of the most vocal dog breeds. They’ll express their need of attention with long howls hoping to get you interested. Also, these breeds are sure to show dissatisfaction by howling, and they’ll let you know if they’re not happy with something.

On the other hand, if your dog doesn’t usually howl, but has started to, it may be calling for attention. Dogs love affection, playtime, and cuddles. So, if your pup hasn’t been getting much of those, it may howl to get this message across.

Sometimes, dog owners who hear howling for the first time will jump to see what’s up and that’s exactly what the dog wants, attention. But if your dog continues to howl every time it wants to play and you react to it, you won’t be able to get rid of this behavior.

Make sure your dog knows that howling will not result in playtime by ignoring the howl.

Ancestral Traits: Dogs Howling at the Moon

The reasons why dogs howl at night are all closely related to the behavior of wolves as their direct ancestors. Because wolves are considered social animals that live in packs, howling is their way of finding each other, marking their territory or informing other pack members of their location. Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not howl at the moon. Their howling figure depicts this, but there is no correlation between the howl and the moon.

Although dogs have been tamed and domesticated, they still retain many of these characteristics in their DNA. So if you hear dogs howling on the street, they’re probably letting another dog know it’s not welcome there.

Summary

Dogs also howl if they need attention from you, hear high-pitch noises from outside or hear other dogs howling. Sometimes, howling can be a sign of disease or pain. Make sure you don’t disregard it if your dog howls longer than usual.

Finally, dogs are social, and some are naturally more “talkative” than others, as owners of Huskies or Dachshunds will happily confirm.

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