That’s Why Dogs Howl When They Hear A Siren

Does your dog usually join the neighborhood dog choir when an ambulance, patrol or fire truck goes by? Today we will tell you why dogs howl when they hear a siren.

This is what prompts the dog to howl in front of a siren

The explanation for such an attitude in dogs seems to be due to the fact that there are some similarities between the sound of an emergency siren and the howls emitted by a pack of wolves or a pack of wild dogs.

For this reason, when your four-legged friend howls in front of these sounds, he is doing nothing but answering a remote call that he believes to come from some of his congeners. And he in turn passes it on to other dogs.

This type of communication occurs in dogs instinctively. It should not be overlooked that wolves are the ancestors of dogs, the breed of pets that has become part of our families today.

Some data on the howling of wolves

The howls of wolves can be heard from miles away. But for this to happen, the animal must fold its neck back, placing the muzzle upwards. Keeping it low, it would fail to make itself heard. Wolves use this mode of communication for several purposes:

• To indicate their location if they have separated from a group.
• To call the members of the pack into a meeting.
• To delimit the territory with the alien wolves.

When the animal howls, it causes a reaction in its congeners. If the response he receives does not therefore correspond to that of his pack, the wolf knows he has to move away.

Myths and truths about howling

Throughout the history of mankind, there have been many tales, songs and myths inspired by the howls of wolves and dogs. And the image of these creatures howling – presumably – at the moon, is part of that series of classics that feed our collective unconscious.

Among the various popular beliefs, the one that claims that dogs howl in front of ambulance sirens because they are predicting death is still in vogue. The truth is that dogs howling is nothing more than one of their ways of communicating, just like:

• The barking
• The moans

And while there are some breeds that howl more than others, no dog is exempt from this sonic ability. Each of these specimens, from the largest to the smallest, is descended from wolves. Don’t forget it.

The fault is not only of the sirens

In both wild and domestic environments, howls can be heard over great distances. But dogs don’t just howl when they hear a siren. There are other high pitched and loud sounds that can provoke their response. Eg:

• Alarms
• Some types of music
• Musical instruments, such as flutes or clarinets.

What is certain is that the dog’s cry will not stop until the triggering sound ends.

Other causes that can generate the howls

But be careful, because there is a possibility that the dog will be annoyed by the high-pitched and loud sounds. If this is the case, in addition to howling, the animal will certainly move its ears or try to hide to find shelter from the sound that is bothering it.

It can also happen that your dog howls when he is alone in the house as he suffers from separation anxiety ; in these cases, go to the vet so that he can find a solution.

Well, if your dog is just responding to what he thinks is another dog’s howl, relax. Regardless of the education he received, good, bad or regular, he is doing nothing but manifesting his irrepressible instinct inherent in him for centuries, which sometimes resurfaces in the heart of the cities when an emergency siren is heard.