My dog is whining – what does that mean? Situations where dogs yelp and howl have very different origins and reasons. In this article, you will learn a lot of interesting facts about this very special way of communicating with dogs.
Importance of howling in dogs
The howling or howling of dogs was already used by the wolfish ancestors of our furry friends to communicate with each other. In addition to the many facial, physical, and also barking communicative possibilities of dogs, howling and howling are also a means of communication. When and why dogs howl, there are various and individual reasons. In order to understand and develop an understanding of why your own or other dogs’ howl, the howl situation should be observed very closely.
What do you have to watch out for when the dog howls?
There is no yelping or crying for no reason! As the owner of a howling dog, the situation in which the dog suddenly communicates in this way must be analyzed. Is it a pleasant situation or is the dog stressed? Are other dogs involved or is the dog howling on its own? Careful observation and perception of the situation lead to the causes of the behavior.
What does it mean when the dog howls?
The causes and reasons can be very diverse. Joy, fear, group dynamics, and also loneliness can play a role.
Possible reasons and causes for the howling
Loneliness
There are different reasons why a four-legged friend starts to howl. One of the most common causes is certainly crying from loneliness or separation anxiety. Dogs are social creatures through and through – the pack ensures their own existence. This wolfish survival knowledge is still deeply anchored in the behavior of our domesticated dogs even today after thousands of years. If a dog is left alone at home, for example, it can still want to summon its pack by howling and howling. This heartbreaking howl behind an apartment door is not only a great burden for the dog, but also for the neighborhood.
Strange noises
Another phenomenon that is often observed for howling is when the dog joins in the ringing of church bells, the sound of sirens, or the warning sound of roof sirens. But it can also be the vacuum cleaner, the piano, or the violin. All of these noises and sounds can be really contagious to dogs’ throats and other dogs in the area howling along. It used to be thought that the sounds hurt the dogs’ ears and that’s why they howled. Today, scientists assume that the dogs enjoy joining in the noises and giving a small concert.
Dog howls and whines while sleeping
By howling and whistling in your sleep, on the other hand, the experiences of the day are processed emotionally. This is very important for healthy canine brain development. Therefore, a dog that is howling or squeaking in its sleep should not be woken up.
Hormone controlled howling
Luckily, fewer and fewer dogs are being neutered today, as it is becoming more and more common knowledge that dogs, whether male or female, also have a right to their genitals being intact. A natural occurrence is that intact males will begin to howl around the house if an also intact female in heat is in the neighborhood.
Group howl
Multi-dog owners can sing a song about it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s because of territorial behavior, fear or excitement: If one animal in the pack starts howling, the other dogs join in the chorus. The motto here – one for all. All for one.
Why do dogs howl to music?
Many dogs like music and enjoy it. Howling can be an expression of this.
Howl with joy
Certainly, the most beautiful howl for dog people is when the dog howls with joy. Whether the reason is meeting a good canine friend or an old canine pal; when the joy of seeing your four-legged friend is so great that a reunion concert has to be given, people’s hearts just beat faster.
Dog howls in pain
A dog’s howl of pain is less pleasant – it can indicate health problems. Here the veterinarian must be consulted immediately in order to eliminate or alleviate the torment.
What helps when the dog howls?
There is no one-size-fits-all guide to stopping a dog from howling. Sometimes it even helps us to understand our dogs properly. It is often such a naturally anchored behavior that you as a dog owner should simply integrate it into your life. After all, our dogs also have the right to live out their personality.
However, if the dog howls in pain, the veterinarian should of course be consulted immediately. There may be a physical defect or it may indicate an acute illness. Even if the dog howls from stress or loneliness, you should get professional help from a good and empathetic dog trainer or animal psychologist. Using punishment or even violence against the dog’s howling is completely unacceptable. You will also find an article in our magazine, for example, on how to teach dogs to be alone.
What helps a howling dog?
There is no general solution for this. The dog and the specific reasons for howling must always be looked at individually in order to possibly remedy the situation.
