Why Do Dogs Howl When They Hear A Siren

Is your furry one of those who joins the neighborhood doggy choir when an ambulance, a police car or a fire truck passes by? Today we tell you why dogs howl when they hear a siren.

Reasons why dogs howl when they hear a siren

The explanation for this attitude of the dogs seems to be that there are certain similarities between the sounds of an emergency siren and those emitted by a pack of wolves or a pack of wild dogs.

Then, your four-legged friend, when he howls at these sound stimuli, would be doing nothing more than answering a remote call that he identifies as coming from his peers. And he in turn transmits it to other dogs.

This type of communication is something your furry does instinctively. You should not leave aside the detail that wolves are the ancestors of those beloved pets that today are part of our family.

If your dog is one of those who howls when he hears an emergency siren, relax. He is doing nothing more than letting his instincts surface and, like his ancestor the wolf, he is responding to what he believes the call of his fellows.

Some facts about the howl of wolves

The howl of wolves can be heard for miles around. But for this to happen, the animal must bend its neck upwards. Holding it down will not achieve the goal of being heard. Wolves use this communication tool for different purposes :

• To indicate your location if you have separated from your group.

• Like a reunion call to the members of the pack.
• To delimit territory to strange wolves.

When the animal howls, it provokes its fellow humans to reply. So if the answer doesn’t correspond to his pack, the wolf knows he has to get away.

Myths and truths about howling

The howling of wolves and dogs has inspired stories, songs and various myths throughout the history of mankind. And the image of these animals – supposedly – howling at the moon is part of those classics that nurture our collective unconscious.

Among the various popular beliefs, it is still often heard that dogs howl when they hear an ambulance siren because they are sensing death. The truth is that the howling of dogs is just one of their many forms of communication, as are also the:

• Barking
• Wailing.
• Grunting

And while there are some breeds more “howler” than others, no dog is exempt from this sound capacity. Everyone, from the largest to the smallest of dogs, is descended from wolves. Do not forget.

It’s not just the sirens’ fault

Both in the wild and in the domestic environment, the howls can be heard at great distances. But dogs don’t just howl when they hear a siren. Other high-pitched and loud sounds can elicit your response. For instance:

• Alarms
• Some music.
• Certain instruments, such as flutes or clarinets.

What is certain is that the howl will not stop until the sound that generates it ends.

Other reasons that can cause the howling

But pay attention, it is not going to be that, in reality, your furry is affected by high and loud sounds. If this is what happens, surely – in addition to howling – he will move his ears or try to hide to try to escape the noise that is bothering him.

It can also happen that your dog howls when left home alone and suffers from separation anxiety. In these cases, go to the vet to try to find a solution.

Now, if your dog is responding to what a howl from another dog thinks, relax. Beyond the good, regular or bad education that he has received, he is doing nothing more than manifesting his irrepressible instinct of centuries, which surfaces in the middle of the city, when he hears an emergency siren.