Why Do Dogs Howl?

Have you ever heard your dog howl and wondered why they were doing it? They likely aren't trying to impress you with their best wolf impression! A howl is a communication cue from your dog which will tell you a lot about how they are feeling.

My wolf-dog's main communication is howling and growling and he almost never barks. He only howls in certain scenarios and it tells me a lot about how he is feeling and what he is trying to communicate to me. It is a good idea to understand why your dog is howling so you can better care for them.

What is a howl?

A howl is a communication method used by wolves and some breeds of dogs. It is a long, loud, sad cry which is used to communicate across a long distance.

What are the reasons dogs howl?

Separation anxiety

Dogs will usually howl if they are lonely and are experiencing separation anxiety. If they are alone they will usually use this type of communication as they think you are far away and so need the cry to travel far just like wolves do in the wild.

Sadness

Along the same lines as separation anxiety, a dog may also howl if they are sad and want to express this sorrow. They may howl at the loss of another dog in their pack or a change in their living situation like a new family or a different house.

Protesting

A dog will also howl out of protest to a situation, especially if they are a naturally vocal dog. My dog usually howls when he is put into the yard and I am inside out of protest that he wants to come inside. He will also use short, quieter howls when he is indoors and wants to go for his walk or be fed. It is his way of communicating with me what he wants and it is my responsibility to show him I understand.

Reacting to sirens / high-pitched noises

You might also find your dog will howl to a siren outside or a high-pitched noise. This is their way of responding to the noise and alerting that they are ready for action. I sometimes howl at my dog or make a high-pitched noise and he will howl back in response.

Final thoughts

If your dog is howling it's best to see what is happening in their environment to better understand what they are trying to communicate to you. In most occurrences, a howl is a sign of something wrong and so you should look to try and fix this. You will build a stronger bond with your dog if you can show them that you understand what they are telling you.

An interesting note to end with is that my dog will rarely howl outside of his territory. When I encourage him to howl for a friend on a walk he is reluctant to do it which shows he uses his howl only for certain situations and not when he is outside of his own home.

My interpretation of this is he doesn't want to alert other animals to his presence as he doesn't want to bring a predator to his door. He understands that outside of his territory he isn't as safe and so howling will only bring uncertainty his way. I would love to know your thoughts on this interpretation! He will, however, howl outside when a dog is barking and making high-pitched noises but the howl is short and not prolonged.

Related topics

Dog Behaviors and What They Mean