Dogs love to howl. It’s really fun to hear your dog howl or to howl along with your pup, but why do dogs howl? There are several reasons why a dog might howl, some are fun and others are serious business.
Audio Stimulation
We’ve all heard a dog howling at a siren as it goes by. First their ears perk up, then they lift their head up, tilt their head to the side, and as it gets closer they let out a big ol’ howl. Many dogs are stimulated to howl by sounds which stimulate them: sirens, musical instruments, the radio, YouTube videos, other howling dogs, and even a human howling can get a dog excited and howling too.
(Photo Credit: Shutterstock)
The Moon Or At Night
You know the old image of a wolf howling at the moon, right? Well sometimes dogs like to howl at night too, though it’s not really the moon they are howling at. Dogs can actually hear each other better after the sun goes down. There is less atmospheric disturbance at night, so sound travels much farther.
Ancestry/Breed
Sometimes a dog’s propensity to howl is genetic. Certain dog breeds tend to howl more than other dog breeds; maybe it’s the ol’ wolf in their ancestral family tree. Malamutes, Eskimo Dogs, Huskies and many hound breeds seem to be genetically predisposed to howling. Some breeds actually just enjoy howling like humans enjoy karaoke. It’s like singing for them and any excuse is a good excuse to howl it out.
(Photo Credit: Shutterstock)
Communication
Howling is also a form of communication. Wolves and dogs howl to communicate with fellow pack members, other animals and pretty much anyone who can hear them. They might be sharing their location, calling for help, or telling you to stay off their turf.
Does your Dog love to howl? If so, then you have to visit the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Howl Off online contest. It’s pretty simple. You can enter a video of your dog howling or listen to other pups howling. The videos might even inspire your pup to let out a howl.
They have some pretty howl-worthy prizes too, like several $500 gift card to be used on Blue Buffalo food (that’s a lot of kibble!) and more, but you can get all the details on their website using the link above.
Best of luck!
Sponsored By Blue Buffalo
