Every pet parent has at some point or another wondered, ‘why does my dog howl at sirens?’
The answer could be because sirens hurt a dog’s ears or they simply think it is another dog’s howl.
Howling is an important form of canine communication. Dogs howl to communicate with other dogs in the neighborhood.
Let us find out the reasons behind a dog’s howling at sirens.
Why Does my Dog Howl at Sirens?
Dogs howl at sirens because the high pitched noise reminds them of another dog’s howling. They also howl to warn their humans and get your attention. Dogs howling at passing sirens is a way in which they communicate and make you aware of the danger.
In the next section, we will study this in greater detail.
Why Does my Dog Howl at Sirens? (Top 8 Reasons)
Here are the reasons why dogs howl at sirens:
1. Instinctual behavior
Dogs howl for the same reasons that wolves howl: to communicate with other dogs. A mother wolf will howl loudly after delivering her pups. This is to communicate that ‘this is my territory’. Other wolves might join in to say: ‘I hear you’.
2. A siren is exactly like a dog’s howl
A siren of a fire engine or an ambulance is very much like a dog’s howl: it is high pitched sound or a high pitched noise that your dog feels the need to respond to. If your dog starts howling at the ambulance/fire siren, there isn’t much you can do until it has passed by.
Unfortunately, dogs can hear much better than us. They might hear the siren miles away and will howl all along.
3. For attention
Sometimes, dogs howl at sirens simply to get their owner’s attention. A dog owner might leave their work and try to calm the dog’s loud howling and that is just what your pet may be after.
4. To warn you
In some instances, a dog will join in the siren’s high-pitched noise because it senses danger. Dogs often have a sixth sense. They can even sense bad people. Your pet is also very loyal and protective. It will howl because it wants you to be safe. It gets your attention through howling since it cannot speak.
Howling conveys urgency and a dog owner is much likely to pay attention to a dog’s howl than any other sound the dog makes.
5. Positive reinforcement
We are all guilty of ‘rewarding’ our dogs when we do not want them to do something. We think that treating or rewarding when they act up gets them to obey and sit quietly.
Pet parents often reward or treat their dogs when they howl. They want the howling to stop and the best way is to get the dog to eat something. This is wrong because it encourages the behavior. The next time a fire engine or an ambulance goes past, your dog will surely howl because now it knows exactly which buttons to push!
6. Some dogs are more prone to howling
Some dog breeds are inherently very anxious. They jump at the slightest of noises and are even scared of their own shadow. Many small dog breeds like Chihuahuas will howl at passing siren out of fear and might even whimper and hide if a police car or an ambulance goes by. Of course, that does not mean that a large dog like German shepherd does not howl ever. Many large dog breed also howl like wolves howl.
Other dog breed such as Alaskan malamute, Shiba Inu, and Basset hounds also show a proclivity to howling.
7. Inadequate socialization
Much of your dog’s training and socialization should occur in its puppyhood. If you do not expose your young dog to a variety of noises and situations, chances are that it will be very scared of sirens. This could continue in its adulthood as well. That is why; it is very important to socialize and expose your dog to various sights, sounds, and experiences.
8. Your reaction
Often, dog owners react in a manner that makes the dog upset or scared. A pet parent that jumps or starts at sirens or other sounds might also make their dog scared and nervous of such sounds. That is why it is very important for dog parents to remain calm and not react in a manner that the dog reads as anxiety.
Do Sirens Hurt Your Dog’s Ears?
Sirens and alarms produce a frequency in the range of 725 Hz to 1600 Hz. Some police cars play a dominant siren at 1800 Hz.
Dogs can hear frequencies between 67 and 45000 Hz. Only frequencies above 25,000 Hz are known to hurt your dog’s ears. So, ideally, a police siren or an ambulance siren should not hurt your dog.
Having said that, high-pitched sounds like passing siren could irritate dogs’ ears. Some dogs even whimper and hide when they hear such high-pitched noises.
That is also one of the reasons behind ‘why does my dog howl at sirens’ as the sound might be scary to a dog.
An un-socialized dog that hasn’t heard a siren before might find the high-pitched noise rather startling. Add to it your reaction: if you go to your dog and comfort or pick it up, you are actually ‘reinforcing’ that your dog has to be scared of the siren. The next time there is an ambulance passing by, guess what your dog’s reaction will be?
Are Dogs Upset When They Howl?
Now you know the answers to ‘Why does my dog howl at sirens?’ Based on the reason or circumstance behind the howling, we can answer the question: are dogs upset when they howl.
1. To communicate with neighboring dogs
This is the most common cause behind dog’s howling. Dogs will stand in the terrace or balcony of the house and howl to let other dogs know that it is his/her property. In this case, a dog might not be upset although, if your dog is answering another dog’s distress call, it could be upset too.
2. Separation anxiety
Dogs also howl when they are left alone at home by their pet parent. Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety. If they are left home alone, they might howl for hours. This form of howling is certainly a dog’s display of being upset.
3. Mating call
Un-fixed dogs often howl when they want to attract a mate. An un-spayed female dog will howl more frequently around her heat cycle. She will especially howl to call out to intact male dogs in the vicinity during her standing heat.
Likewise, an intact or unneutered male dog will try to attract a female dog by howling. Here, the howling is done to show frustration and desperation, although a dog can also get upset if it is unable to find a mate.
4. Howling at night
Most often, dogs howl at night. There are many theories why they do so. Sometimes, it may be that dogs are anxious or even afraid of the dark. Some dogs are unable to see well in the dark, especially an older dog. This night-time howling can stem from pain, illness, anxiety, or a health issue. So, it is possible that, in such cases, a dog is indeed upset when it howls.
Why Do Dogs Howl at Night?
A dog howling at night can get on everyone’s nerves. It won’t be surprising if you receive complaints from irate neighbors too.
Mostly, a dog that howls at night may be stressed or over-excited. Your dog may be also communicating with another dog and a group of dogs howling can certainly sound very ominous.
It could be that your dog is simply joining in the group ‘singing’. It will help if you simply ignore your pet for a while. It is best to crate your pet in a quiet part of the house where it won’t hear any external noises.
In the next section, we will study ways to stop a dog’s howling.
How to Stop a Dog from Howling?
Howling is a way in which your dog communicates with other dogs. However, chronic howling at night or every time a siren vehicle goes by can get on everyone’s nerves. Here are some steps you can take to stop the behavior:
1. Nip the howling behavior in the bud
As stated before, a strong-willed dog will start howling often if you don’t nip this dog behavior in the bud. Your pet might even start having its own way. The best thing to do is ignore it. Do not comfort, reward, or encourage your dog when it is howling. After it has calmed down, give it your attention.
2. Reward when your pet is quiet
Once your dog has calmed down and stopped howling, give it a treat. You can also praise your pet. This way, it will understand that s/he gets rewarded or gets attention only once it is quiet.
3. Give your pet a job to do
When your buddy starts howling at the siren, give it a command. It could be something like ‘Sit down’ or ‘Lie down’. Of course, it will help if your dog knows these commands and has received some basic obedience training. If needed, work with a dog trainer who can show you exactly how to discipline your pup and teach it some basic commands.
4. Give it a quiet place to rest
You can also get your puppy or adult dog used to sleeping in a crate. Many people erroneously think that crating a dog is inhumane. However, that isn’t the case. A crate provides your dog with a safe, covered space to rest. It can reduce stress and anxiety in your dog and a well-rested dog is less likely to indulge in excessive howling. Place the crate in a quiet part of the house where your pet won’t hear external sounds.
5. Teach your dog the ‘No howl’ command
When your dog howls, use a strong voice to say ‘No howl’. Make sure your voice is firm and assertive but not angry and loud. An angry voice might make your dog even more anxious or nervous. When he responds by being quiet, reward and praise it. Once your furry friend learns to respond to the ‘no howl’ command, you can stop it every time a siren goes by.
Do Dogs Howl Because They Sense Death?
We have heard many stories about dogs sitting by the bedsides of dying people. Dogs have sniffed death and even found dead, lost victims. Dogs can even warn people about gas leaks, storms, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.
Therefore, it is common to think that dogs can sense death. After all; dogs can hear 40 times better than humans can and they certainly can hear frequencies that are inaudible to the human ears.
The Persians, Egyptians, and Greeks have also always believed that dogs can communicate with spirits. That is why; these ancient cultures have used guard dogs to protect tombs or to sit by bedsides to ensure that the spirits continue on to heavens.
Perhaps, domestic dogs can also sense death and may be they do howl due to that. Today, scientific research has also been using dogs to detect cancer cells. So many therapy dogs and service dogs have helped prevent people from having seizures or called for help in time to prevent further complications.
If you believe that your pooch howls because it senses death, then it may be true. If needed, discuss the matter with your vet or a dog trainer or canine behavior specialist.
Conclusion
Why does my dog howl at sirens?
Dogs howl at sirens because to them a siren’s high pitched noise sounds like another dog’s howling. Resultantly, they join in the singing. Sometimes, they might sense something ‘off’ and might try to warn their humans.
Mostly, it is a breed thing – some breeds like basset hounds simply howl more. The behavior can also stem from anxiety or fear of loud noises. We hope this guide helps you curb your dog’s howling.
