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O howl of the dogs it is one of the most primary characteristics of these animals that inevitably reminds us of their ancestors, the wolves. Most of the time our dog's howling is inexplicable, we don't know why the animal reacts this way or what makes it make these sounds. However, there are some common causes for this reaction, so at PeritoAnimal we will explain you in detail why do dogs howl and when it comes to something you should pay attention to.
To draw attention and communicate
The adorable dogs we know today descend from wolves, their character and physical appearance has changed over the centuries thanks to the domestication of man, however both animals still share many primitive characteristics such as the need to live in packs or the howls.
Thus, one of the reasons the dog howls is to communicate with your pack or with other dogs the way wolves do. It is a warning sound in which you indicate to other puppies that are there, that this is their territory, but at the same time it is a basic way of capturing the attention of your pack, that is, its owners.
When a dog howls it may be trying to get your attention the way it does when you bark, especially if every time it makes that noise you will comfort it. The dog knows that if he howls his owner will pay attention to him, so some dogs use it as a form of manipulation when barking or crying doesn't work.
howl with anxiety
How many times have you heard a dog howl while its owners are away? This way of communicating is as common for some animals as excessive barking when they are alone, and it is a way in which the dog manifests that it is feel anxious by being alone and separated from its owner.
Separation anxiety is a major problem in many pets, who suffer extremely when their owners leave them alone to go to work, for example. This translates into behavior that can be destructive, biting furniture and objects, or in which the animal spends all day barking and howling to try to communicate with absent sleep.
Leaving your puppy with suitable toys to have fun in your absence, and taking him for a walk and playing with him at least twice a day is essential to reduce anxiety as much as possible and give your pet the quality of life it deserves. Don't forget that dogs need activity to burn energy and be healthy physically and mentally.
In response to another sound
Have you noticed that many times when a siren sounds your howls dog? This also happens with alarms and with certain loud or high-pitched sounds, and this is not a fluke. Everything is due to the acute and sensitive ear of these animals, which is capable of picking up frequencies that we humans cannot.
Faced with these sounds so particular that the animal identifies with a sound identical to a howling, it seems that the pet cannot do anything other than respond or imitate these sounds. Researchers are not clear why it happens, however they believe it is due to the way in which the animal interprets these auditory frequencies.
howl in pain
This is perhaps one of the points you should pay more attention to if your dog suffers from a blow, a fall or injury and starts to howl steadily, it is very likely that he is injured and has some injury. In this case it is important to take the animal to a veterinarian for an immediate review.
Likewise, if you detect that your puppy is weak, listless, has stopped eating or exhibits strange and unusual behavior that is also accompanied by howling, a medical checkup is appropriate to rule out any illness.