Howl at the Moon

Dogs don't actually howl at the moon

Something about a long moaning howl on an otherwise quiet night, especially under a full moon, sends shivers up and down our spines. Perhaps it is a subconscious reminder of our human mortality, and that we used to be hunted by wild packs of wolves. Or it could be the thrill of hearing the remnants of wilderness lost to development and civilization.

No matter how the howl may strike your fancy, it is sometimes used by wolves' domestic counterparts. Our companions, regular household dogs, occasionally use howling to communicate also, just not quite in the same fashion. Our house pets use varied forms of howling to attempt to share more basic concepts or needs (since domestic dogs are descended from wolves and dogs with puppy-like tendencies, and who were able to accept human leadership).

The saying goes "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" and I would like to think it applies to my first example. A canine can learn to mimic a human's "howls" just for kicks! If you have never had the pleasure of singing a song and having a dog join in you are missing out on some fun. Some pups learn to howl along when music is being made or played. I taught one of my dogs to howl when sirens go by (he matches the pitch quite well, but never police sirens, only fire and medic). This adaptation is most likely to occur when the human actively encourages accompaniment. It is somewhat of a double-edged sword though because a dog may learn that when it makes noise, it gets attention (without preference to good or bad) and can lead to barking, whining, howling or growling to try to get what it wants!

At times, howling is not just for entertainment. Dogs can also howl because of boredom, extreme stress, pain or loneliness. If a dog is not taught at a young age to accept being alone sometimes, it can become very stressed out and vocalize dramatically. The mechanics of sound allow the noise of a howl to travel farther than a pant, whine or growl so it is the choice for dogs who want to reach out acoustically to people from a distance, or with great urgency. An overly anxious dog can effectively alert an entire apartment complex, so preventing a dog from howling while in the crate is critical not only for the animal's health and well-being, but for your neighbor's sanity as well!

Not all dogs can be convinced to howl. Some breeds are more prone to vocalizations (like hounds and huskies). Also, some temperaments in individual dogs are more focused on appeasing the owner than others.

Brutus will howl with me, but I have never tried with Grace. Perhaps the next full moon we'll give it a try......