Currently there are countless breeds of dogs, they can be small, medium, large, with short hair, long hair, big ears, drooping, among other characteristics. However, you must not forget that your canine friends have only one ancestor: the wolf. That is why, despite the fact that two dog breeds can be completely opposite in shape and character, both respond to the same animal instinct and genetic heritage from the wolf. This aspect is what can provide an answer, today, to many of the behaviors of pets and how they relate to the environment. One of these behaviors that most closely resembles the wild wolf is precisely the howling of a dog.
Many times you will have wondered why dogs howl for no apparent reason and the reason for that howl. Well, in this new OneHOWTO article we are going to answer your questions and explain what the most common causes are so that you know how to interpret them and get to know your faithful friend a little better. Let’s go there!
You may also be interested in: Why does my dog howl when I leave?
Index
- Howl to mark territory
- Howling in pain or discomfort
- Howl for joy or celebration
- Imitation Howl
- Howling due to anxiety or stress
- Howl to get attention and play
Howl to mark territory
Wolves, in a wild and native environment, are animals that need to mark their territory and defend it from other animals or packs that are not their own. That is why, one of the behaviors that dogs use to warn the rest is howling, and if we translate this to the reality of our pet, it is quite common for our dog to howl when a stranger passes near your house. or some unknown dog enters , well, your pet will want to make it clear that this is his territory and that of his family. We point out that this howl is common at night, the dog has the desire to monitor and protect the territory.
Howling in pain or discomfort
Another reason why our dog can start howling without an apparent explanation is because it has some kind of pain or discomfort. Like humans and other animals, dogs often complain when something is hurting them and, in their case, they do so through howling. However, the good thing for the owners is that this type of howl is easily recognizable, since it is a totally different howl, it is usually breathy and in a very low pitch . Normally, this type of howling is accompanied by strange behavior such as lack of activity or lack of appetite. Therefore, if you hear your dog howling like this and his behavior is not apparently normal, it is best to go to the vet to clear up any doubts.
Howl for joy or celebration
Not all howling has a negative undertone. Dogs, like wolves, use howling to communicate with their pack and reunite. That is why, sometimes, the howl is a sound that expresses joy or satisfaction. A clear example is when you come home after being away all day or after a few days of vacation without seeing you and it starts to howl, wagging its tail . Well, it is nothing more than a cause for joy to be back all the “herd” together again. What joy!
Imitation Howl
You may have wondered why dogs howl when they hear an ambulance siren or a high-pitched sound. As you well know, dogs are very curious and interactive animals with their environment and on many occasions they tend to imitate everyday behaviors or sounds.. In this sense, there are many dogs that try to imitate certain sounds by howling, for example, puppies tend to instinctively make the threat of howling if you reproduce a howl near them. Likewise, the breeds of dogs that howl the most, such as huskies or German shepherds, are animals more similar to wolves, they tend to imitate all kinds of sounds and are characteristic for their power of imitation. In addition, we point out that sometimes dogs howl while they are sleeping, this situation is also due to imitation.
Howling due to anxiety or stress
Do you wonder why my dog howls when I leave? Well, this is another frequently asked question. This type of howling is what we should pay attention to, since it occurs in stressful situations and tends to be long-lasting and accompanied by rapid and repetitive movements , this can trigger dogs to cry. Perhaps from our point of view they are normal and calm situations, but for dogs, the arrival of other animals at home, moving, lack of physical activity or excessive time alone can cause situations of anguish and anxiety that they express with howls . In short, these situations must be avoided in time to be able to give your faithful companion a better quality of life.
And why do dogs cry ? In this article we discover the different reasons for you to give your pet a good life and understand their different emotional states.
Howl to get attention and play
The howl to get attention and play is also one of the most common among healthy dogs and has to do with moments of boredom or interaction in which your pet wants to make it clear that he wants to play and that they pay attention to him. The best thing you can do in these cases is to take some quality time and dedicate it to your faithful four-legged companion so that he has a full life. For example, you can play with him to throw the ball, you can walk him for a long time, among other activities that we are sure your pet will love. What do you think if you try it?
We hope you have resolved all your doubts about why dogs howl, leave us in the comments what you think of this article. And if you also wonder why my dog howls when I leave , don’t miss this article and keep reading.