Does your howling dog scare you? Do dogs howl at night at ghosts, Spirits, and Supernatural? Some people believe that it is just normal dog behaviour when they bark at empty walls at night. Whereas a huge section of individuals across the world has multiple howling superstitions focusing on dogs.
Superstition is a blindly accepted belief and not based on any research or knowledge. However, no matter how irrational these beliefs are, people follow one or many of them almost everywhere in the world.
Similarly, when a dog cries or howls at night, people relate it to some ill fate or believe that something evil/ unfortunate is going to happen.
Can dogs sense evil?
Dogs are extremely smart and sense if there’s something bad or evil about any situation. Dogs have a strong sense of instinct which makes them sense things like evilness and goodness.
They will sense your friends and strangers if they are not right for you. Dogs may pick up on cues, behaviour, and even expression whether the person is planning something evil or not.
Do dogs bark at ghosts?
Several individuals may joke about dogs barking at ghosts, but a section of the world has a different belief on the same.
Animals, especially dogs, can pick up on several human things more than humans themselves. It is said that they can sense extrasensory phenomena and unusual energy.
Humans have multiple judgments on what’s going around them. However, dogs, if they sense anything, they barely judge.
Instead, they can feel the barometric pressure change and then either react abruptly or not at all.
That is why, upon sensing something, they may shake, panic, get anxious, pant, bark or howl controllably.
How do I know if my dog saw a ghost?
When your dog is barking at a blank wall or all of a sudden openly to air, you may laugh out at their typical behaviour.
However, despite how much jokingly you feel about it, you can’t deny that dogs have a smart sixth sense.
It isn’t very new that dogs and other animals around the world can predict ominous events and other natural disasters.
It is also very common for people to believe that dogs can see ghosts.
6 signs that indicate that your dog saw a ghost:
- They are hissing or barking at nothing. It is because they could have heard or sensed something that you cannot.
- They are sitting still, but their eyes are following something invisible in the house.
- Even when you are cuddling them and showering attention, they behave distracted. It will appear like something invisible have their attention.
- They have suddenly become anxious and are trying to hide behind you for no reason.
- They are suddenly behaving overprotective of you inside the house out of nowhere.
- Dogs Start behaving too good to be true.
5 Dog Howling Superstitions
- A howling dog is a bad omen
In America, particularly in the Southern United States, some old people believe that a howling dog is bad.
While a single howl is nothing superstitious, two howls in a row mean bad luck or death will follow a male. Whereas three howls in a row mean a woman is at the receiving end.
People in the south also believe if a dog howl looking straight at your face, your bad fortune is very near. Or if the dog howl at your back, your good luck is nearing you.
- Howling dogs call the god Kal Bhairavas.
According to Hindu religious beliefs, the god Kal Bhairavas rules the Universe. He is an avatar of Shiva, the ultimate god of the Universe and a Shaivite deity worshipped by Hindus. Like all other Hindu gods, Kal Bhairavas has a divine vahana (vehicle) which is a Dog.
That is why whenever a dog howl looks at the sky at night, several Hindus believe they are invoking God Kal Bhairava’s blessings to protect the weak.
- Howling dogs welcome god.
According to Egyptian belief, Anubis is the god of mummification and the afterlife. Anubis safeguards tombs and souls of the dead.
That is why, when dogs howl, Egyptians believe that they are welcoming Anubis.
- Howling dogs means bad superstition.
Similarly, like Indian Hindus, Nepalis too believe and worship Kal Bhairava. They even revere dogs and worship them.
However, unlike in India, people in Nepal associate a dog’s howl with Bad Superstition.
- Howling dogs mean dead souls are travelling in the skies.
In the Iris belief, dogs howl looking at the sky during the night to collect the dead souls who are travelling in the skies.
They believe that dogs can catch the universal howling sound and thus howl in response/ agreement.
Can dogs sense spirits?
Scientifically and fact fully, we simply don’t know whether dogs can sense spirits or not. However, if we walk on the traditional path or are inclined towards superstitions, the thought of dogs sensing spirit can be believed.
Dog’s total field of vision is much wider than humans, and thus they can see greater distances. While we can’t figure out things moving at dusk, they can sense it quite strongly. That is why several people and cultures believe that dogs can sense spirits.
However, there is no scientific evidence for or against the idea that ‘Dogs can see spirits.
Can my dog see angels?
There is a certain kind of sixth sense that all dogs are believed to have. Some display a different set of behavior due to that, whereas others aren’t much involved in their surroundings. What a dog sees isn’t what we humans can claim, but estimating it is definitely a possibility.
If you believe dogs can see ghosts, you can take it that they can see angels as well. The environment around has both negative and positive energies (good and evil or angel and ghost). Thus, if a dog’s superpower is so strong, it might see or sense both energies around.
- Read Further
- Do Dogs Get Tired of Barking?
- Why Does My Dog Howl When I Howl?
- My Dog Howls When I Leave or Get Home?
Wrapping up…
So can dogs really howl at night ghosts? There is no one answer to the claim that dogs can see or howl at night ghosts. It depends upon whatever religious or superstitious beliefs you follow.
However, there is no claim for or against whether dogs can see ghosts for a factful and scientific answer. And with that, if your dog howls in any direction at night, there could be a number of reasons.
On the one hand, he must have sensed some spirit, ghost, or angel. Or, since the dog’s hearing power is very strong, chances are he is howling in response to some siren or other sound.
Also, if your dog howls unstoppably every night, it might be going through some physical or mental discomfort. Thus, consider taking them to a Vet for a general checkup.