Every once in a while, we hear our dogs howl. For some dog owners, a dog howling can be a little bit strange – conjuring up images of wolves or coyotes. For others, they may think it’s totally normal. It really just depends on what type of breed your dog is.
So why do dogs howl?
Well, there are different reasons why a dog howls as howling is one of their forms of vocal communication. In this article, we’ll discuss the different reasons why they do it.
Getting Attention
Sometimes, dogs howl to get attention from their humans or to make contact with other dogs. It serves as a way for them to announce their presence.
Unfamiliar Noises
Other times they’ll howl when they hear unfamiliar sounds such as high-pitched noises from sirens or musical instruments.
A Sign of Injury or Illness
There are times when dogs howl excessively because they are feeling something like when they are hurt or sick. It is important to check your dogs for any physical injury. Try touching parts of their body to see if they react. Once you rule this out, you can take them to the vet and see if the howling is caused by an internal illness you cannot see.
Separation Anxiety
When your dogs are suffering from separation anxiety, they also howl. So, if you get word that your dog is howling excessively while you are away at work or traveling, then this might be the reason.
Our dogs love us and are attached to us and they can feel anxiety when we are gone for too long and they are left alone. Separation anxiety also has other symptoms such as pacing, depression, elimination, and destruction.
Excessive Howling
If your dog howls excessively even when you are around, we highly recommend taking them a visit to your veterinarian to find out what is wrong. Oftentimes, this is just normal behavior, but you will be glad you took the time to make sure that everything is okay with your beloved pooch.
On the other hand, if your veterinarian finds anything unusual that might be the cause of your dog’s excessive howling, they will provide different options and methods of treatment. What the treatment is will vary from case to case.
But, for the most part, howling shouldn’t be a big concern and is not a sign of any illness or injury. It’s just your dog being a dog!
