Do you know why dogs howl? The howl of our pet can give us a lot of information about his emotional state, mood or health. In this article we explain why dogs howl and other curious facts about this sound.
Have you ever heard your dog howl for no apparent reason? For furry dogs, howling is a form of communication and can occur for many reasons. Dogs howl to express different emotions, such as pain, anxiety or loneliness; but they may also howl if they are happy or if they want to attract attention.
Where do the dogs’ howls come from?
Dogs are direct descendants of the wolf and, just as they have inherited a great hunting ability, this communication tool is also part of their genetics. The howl is one of the most representative characteristics of wolves, since, living in a pack, they need this sound to make themselves heard from miles away and alert of dangerous situations, celebrate the clan meeting or simply communicate among themselves. In fact, did you know that, in wolves, each member of the pack howls in a different way? Other animals such as hyenas, foxes and coyotes also howl.
Why do dogs howl?
Howl to mark territory
The most common is to hear our pet bark when a stranger approaches the door. However, some furry ones howl as a defense instinct to alert us of the arrival of a stranger and to delimit their territory.
Howl in celebration
Many puppies suddenly start howling after the vacations or simply at the end of the day when the whole family returns home. This is because canines also express joy through howling. It is as if they are happy because their pack has been reunited, a common behavior in wolves.
Howling in pain or discomfort
Just as we humans sometimes complain about pain, dogs also do it through a howl. This howl can be easily identified by a lower, broken tone. It also occurs when the pet is afraid, feels abandoned or experiences separation anxiety.
Imitation howling
Dogs love to imitate other sounds, especially high-pitched ones. Have you tried showing your furry friend a video of another canine howling? He might want to join the feast, too. oooooooo! The same is true when hearing an ambulance, fire, police, or any other similar sound.
Anxiety howl
In high stress situations estrés In situations of high stress, dogs may respond with howling and excitement for a long time. Usually the anxiety howl is accompanied by circling or energetic tail wagging.
Howl for attention
Some dogs howl when they want to play, eat or simply attract all our attention.
How to recognize my dog’s aul lido?
Depending on the situation that motivates your furry to howl suddenly, the tone may be higher pitched, low pitched or broken. For example, a low-pitched howl may mean fear or pain; while a high-pitched, loud howl may indicate that your pet is lonely or wants to imitate a sound (ambulance sirens, police sirens, musical instruments, etc.). With time and paying close attention, you can learn to recognize your dog’s howl. The important thing is to know that it is one more tool they have to communicate and that, just as in many occasions it means fear or anxiety; the answer to why dogs howl can also be joy or enthusiasm.
