Howling

[margaret]

I usually post on the cat section of Pet Talk (I have 2 cats, but I love dogs and all animals), but I have recently been hearing a howling dog in my neighborhood. I think the owners recently adopted him or they recently moved into the neighborhood with their dog. I have not tried to find out, yet, where the dog lives. Anyway, the dog's howl is SOOO sad sounding! It's almost heartbreaking! It's starts off high-pitched, then it drops down low. I had heard the dog howling earlier this evening, although it didn't last very long (usually it never does, fortunately). I just used the "Search" feature on Pet Talk to find any topics/posts on howling and found some enlightening information, mostly about separation anxiety. I think I want to ask the question to you all: Do dogs mainly howl because they are lonely and need company (human or animal)? I know lots of dogs howl along to bad singing or other howling dogs. The howling dog is not a "nuisance" to me (hopefully not to anyone else in the neighborhood, either). But I feel so sorry for the dog, especially if it is lonely!

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~Margaret

[Sudilar]

My rescued GSD, Killian, howls when he hears sirens: police, ambulance, fire, security systems and tornado. On the day we adopted him, on the drive home, an ambulance drove past and he started howling!!!! Even on our walks, if he hears the police, he'll howl and walk! We get a kick out of it. Shiloh isn't very good at it. She howls and barks at the same time.

[KYS]

My dogs howl at sirens also.
But they also will howl when they
are lonely or upset.
IF I take Sheba to the vet, or anywhere
without Rocky.
Rocky will start howling not understanding whey he can go for a car ride also.
Luckly I have a great neighbor who
will talk to him and than he calms downs.

[Karen]

I know some dogs howl when lonely, some do when they are bored, and some just do! Our Great Dane howled quite emphatically if my Dad tried to play my clarinet - she'd pause from howling long enough to try to bite the bell to make it stop! Never a peep when I played, though!

[RachelJ]

Could it be a coyote? We have them out here in the western suburbs.

[margaret]

Hmm...No, I'm pretty sure it's not a coyote. I don't think a coyote would come into my neighborhood. Although you never know! The howling always seems to come from the same place, too, so that makes me think it's someone's dog in a contained space (yard, apartment).



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~Margaret

[Daisy's Mom]

Daisy (my Basset Hound) used to howl all the time when she saw us all leaving and was going to be stuck inside alone. She's pretty muched stopped this though, and only howls when we ask her to (it's one of her tricks!) I hope the howl you hear isn't from a sad, lonely dog

[cheyaut]

If it's a malamute or a husky, it could be howling just to howl, they enjoy it!

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Kodak Moment the malamute/husky, Keesha Marie the cocker/field spaniel?, Fuji Film the chow/aussie?, Secretariat and Grem Lynne the unrelated brown tabby and white DSH, Hollow and Sparky, father/daughter black DSH, Cheyenne Autumn my pride and joy TB, Matastar's Morning Star my Rocky Mountain horse colt, and the birds!

[carrie]

When I trained Greyhounds they would "sing" at exactly 10pm every evening. If they didn't howl we knew something was wrong, like a fox hanging around the kennel block. It was a reassuring and wonderful sound and they certainly enjoyed it!