Dogs howl for all sorts of reasons—it’s one of the many ways they communicate. Some dogs howl all the time because it’s in their DNA (I’m looking at you, Huskies), and some only howl on special occasions.
Let’s take a quick look at why dogs howl and what to do about it when it becomes a problem:
Injury
if your dog starts howling or yelping out of the blue or more than usual, it could be an injury or sign of illness (like joint pain). Check him over carefully and take him to your veterinarian as soon as possible if it continues.
In Response to Other Sounds
Depending on the animal, many dog breeds (like Huskies and Basenjis) will howl as a natural response to sirens, high-pitched noises, vacuum cleaners, or other dogs howling. This howling usually stops when the other noise does.
Attention
Some dogs are naturally more vocal than others, and for them howling is just part of their everyday vocabulary. Other dogs will howl specifically to get your attention, which may be cute the first few times but not so much when you’re on the phone or trying to take care of the kids.
Attention-seeking howling can get out of hand, so you’ll want to work on behavior modification before it becomes a real problem. Talk to your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist if you believe your dog’s howling falls into this category.
Note: dogs that are left outside or kept away from the family are much more prone to howling, simply because they’re lonely. Bring ‘em inside and let them hang out with their humans.
Separation Anxiety
If your dog only howls when you leave him alone and presents other behaviors such as pacing, destruction, elimination or depression, he probably has separation anxiety. Contact a trainer or a veterinary behaviorist if the anxiety is severe, as this behavior can be difficult to modify without professional help and potentially a combination of prescription medication and calming supplements, like CBD oil.