Have you ever wondered why
dogs howl in the moonlight?
THE domestic dog is a descendant of the wild wolf packs that hunt at night and the pack sends scouts out to look for prey. They keep in contact with the pack by their howling. So the act of howling is deeply embedded in the dog's ancestry.
Today, however, there is not the necessity to keep in contact, but one theory is that they howl in the moonlight simply because it is light. On dark nights they are usually sleeping so there is less incentive for them to howl. But when the moom is shining it takes only one to howl and dogs all around the district will howl to each other.
However, that is not the only reason they howl. Many dogs will howl when musical instruments are played, especially if the instrument has a high pitch. It is likely that the high pitch of the instrument triggers the dormant howling instinct in particular dogs.
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| Recorder practise is not much fun but - oh well - it has to be done. |
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| This is more like it - I think he actually likes my music. |
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| Wow - a duet - he should be in our school band. |
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| Now he's really getting going - I hope there's nobody asleep at the neighbours' place. |
Many dogs are reported to howl at ambulance and fire engine sirens. Not all dogs do this - in fact most do not, but perhaps one out of 10 will, and the reason could be simply that at some time the howling instinct was triggered.
Some people have inquired as to whether the sound of the sirens or musical instruments hurts dogs' ears - after all, they do have much more hearing sensitivity than we humans do. However, if they were experiencing any pain in their ears their reaction would be rather different. We would expect them to try and remove themselves from the noise, to put their head down and rub their ears on the ground, perhaps even to hide. But they do none of that - in fact just the opposite. They may hear an instrument being played in another room, and seek it out to sit alongside and sing along. Pain has nothing to do with it - it seems to be a relaxation and a pleasure.
It is a way for dogs to tell other dogs that they live in the area. It is a communication and often is a way for bored and lonely dogs to say to anyone listening "please talk to me I want to know there is someone else out there". That is why a dog that howls excessively (and often earns complaints from neighbours) outside at night should be brought inside at night and given more love, more attention, more toys and games, and should not be expected to stay outside on a chain with no contact or companion. Dogs are pack animals and must have their pack to talk to, to play and interact with and to sleep with, whether it is a canine or a human pack. If you isolate your dog from his pack all night then he will be lonely - that is the nature of dogs.
You may find that your dog loves to sing along with certain music on television or radio. Again, he is getting pleasure from just knowing there is someone out there - or from singing along with his favourite person during a music practise session. Howling can be a really rewarding act for him. I have heard of dogs also howling when the ice cream van came into their street - whether that was the sound of the music (which is usually quite high-pitched) or the anticipation of an ice cream - or both - is questionable.
So next time your dog howls why not join in - you may find it quite therapeutic. - Liz Peters
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