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Why My Dog Does Not Howl? [7 Reasons, 5 Remedies]

Why My Dog Does Not Howl? [7 Reasons, 5 Remedies]

A lot of dogs don’t howl? Wondering why your dog doesn’t howl and what you can do about it?

Pet parents love every little habit of their dogs and so do the tiny things that concern them as well. Some individuals are often irritated with their dogs’ uncontrollable howl. Whereas the others are concerned about why their dog doesn’t howl at all?

Why does My dog never howl? Here are 7 Reasons

While dogs are common to howl, not all dogs may howl. Some dogs aren’t trained on ‘How to Howl’, whereas others don’t stop howling due to some bad experience.

The same reasons that are responsible for your dog’s howl may also be responsible for him not howling. Here are some reasons that are (probably) stopping your dog from howling:

Why doesn't my dog howl

1) Nature (Breed Influence)

Not all dog breeds are prone to howl, which may be why your dog isn’t doing the same. While some dog breeds howl uncontrollably since their puppyhood, other dog breeds would barely howl their entire life.

It is simply due to their nature, or we can say due to their breed influence. Some of the common non-barking and non-howling dogs include,

2) Dog doesn’t know how to howl

Since puppies might not have learned yet, they won’t howl. Or even older dogs who haven’t really explored their ability to howl might not howl.

So, pet parents can try to mingle their non-howling dogs with other dogs. This is one of the easiest ways to teach them, ‘How to Howl’?

3) Due to Age

Older dogs often leave their habit of howling behind. It is since howling is one of those nature that is triggered/ generated by sounds.

And in old age, most the dogs start losing their listening power. That is why it is most probably that your dog can’t listen to other howls and thus isn’t responding to them.

Deafness or loss of hearing can bring a lot of changes in a dog’s nature. It can also make the dog less active, especially during old age.

4) Due to some Injury or Illness

If your dog used to howl normally but has stopped it suddenly, chances are he is suffering from some kind of physical discomfort. Maybe there is some illness or injury.

Though a similar condition is also responsible for making dogs howl more than usual. Thus if you observe anything like this, ensure you monitor your dog for injury or illness.

5) Due to Anxiousness

Dogs often don’t howl out of anxiousness. As it is commonly known, dogs howl to respond to high-pitched voices.

However, these high-pitched voices are sometimes responsible for making dogs anxious, resulting in no howls.

It happens because the dog’s listening power is extremely excellent, and certain voices can trigger a lot of them.

6) Due to previous experiences and training

During their early days or maybe with the last owner, your dog must have some bad experiences regarding howling.

That is why the dog you recently rescued is in no mood to howl anymore.

Besides experiences, some dogs are trained for ‘Not howling’. Again, the dogs who are rescued have such type of behavior.

It happens since their previous trainer has trained them not to howl, bark or make loud voices.

7) Due to Depression

Dogs who are suffering from depression don’t likely make loud noises.

You won’t notice them barking or howling, and even when they are happy, you won’t see them wiggle their tail.

If that’s what you sense with your dog, you must reach a Vet for some expert guidance.

Teaching a dog to howl, if it doesn’t already

Some dogs won’t howl, and this behavior is completely normal.

Some do so due to certain bad experiences, whereas others do so simply out of ‘No Mood’.

However, one can teach a dog to howl, and the process is quite fun indeed.

5 Easy Ways to Make Your Dog Howl

It is easy to teach your dog howling behavior. Since it is something that comes out naturally amongst them, the process of teaching becomes simple.

1) Include them amongst other dogs

The best and easiest method that will teach your dog how to howl is training from their clan itself. Seeing other dogs doing something similar, your dog will try to imitate and catch the behaviour.

For doing so, take your canine to a dog park. With multiple dogs doing so many activities around, your canine is surely going to catch some.

Or, instead, ask another dog mother from your friend list to introduce her dog to yours. A furry friend howling will likely make your canine join too.

2) Howl at the dog

If the first trick isn’t something you can follow, then get ready to be the role model. That means start howling at your canine buddy once daily.

They will likely respond and join you for the session within a few days. Eventually, they will learn howling on their own and with you for a fin session after some time.

3) Play some howling videos

Playing videos of other dogs howling can inspire your dog to howl themselves.

This action will engage your canine and will make them join the activities in the videos.

4) Whistle at your dog

A lot of dogs respond to whistles with a howl. If your dog is taking longer to howl, try whistling at him.

However, if your whitling behaviour is creating discomfort for the dog, stop it right away.

5) Play stimulating sounds or a musical instrument

Dogs often tend to howl at the sounds of birds chirping and the meowing of cats and other animals’ voices.

Thus, if you play audio of these sounds, there are chances that your dog will possibly howl to them.

Besides that, playing certain musical instruments like flute, drum, or piano initiates a howling sound in dogs.

10 Dog breeds that don’t howl

Several dogs breed rarely bark and howl, and this behaviour is completely normal.

Here are a few such breeds you might need to know about:

  1. Bernese Mountain Dog
  2. French Bulldog or Bulldog
  3. Borzoi
  4. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  5. Basenji
  6. Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
  7. Shiba Inu
  8. Glen of Imaal Terrier
  9. Shih Tzu
  10. Irish Setter

Why doesn’t my dog howl at sirens?

It is less likely for a dog to not howl at sirens since most of them would do the exact opposite. Howling at sirens is in dogs’ nature, and most of them react a similar way. However, if your dog isn’t howling at sirens, there isn’t anything to worry about.

All dogs are different, and no two of them behave the same. Likewise, it is common for certain dogs to avoid the siren voice and not even react to it. Whereas other canines may bark and howl for minutes to the same.

Why doesn’t my dog howl when I leave?

A lot of pet parents go through a common issue where their dogs howl while they leave the house. This happens with dogs who are probably suffering from separation anxiety.

However, if your dog doesn’t howl after leaving the house, that behaviour is normal.

Dogs want company, and if they have someone at home, even if their master has left, they will behave comfortably.

Or there are breeds or various dogs that personally require some alone time. These dogs would certainly not howl while their master leaves.

Why doesn’t my dog howl when I sing?

Dogs howl when someone sings, but that is not common for all dogs. As said above, no two dogs are the same, and they can react absolutely differently in one given condition.

Hence, if your dog doesn’t howl when you sing, maybe they are not bothered. Or, your dog is smart enough to figure out what and why you are doing, and they are refusing to give a reaction.

Why doesn’t my dog howl with me?

Some dogs are trained not to howl, and that is why chances are your dog is not responding to your howling signal.

It may happen due to some previous bad experience, due to illness, or maybe depression.

Or, in some cases, even when there is no physical or mental stress, your dog won’t howl at you out of the mood.

While pet parents follow different techniques in order to make their dog howl, canines often recognize their antics.

And that is why most of the time, they are simply in no mood to join you in the game.

Why doesn’t my dog howl when I get home?

All dogs behave differently, and thus yours’ might not howl when you get home.

Dogs often show affection towards their owner when either of them comes back home. This affection usually comes out in the form of licking and cuddling. It is more common for dogs to lick their owners after coming home than howl.

Why doesn’t my dog howl at howling videos?

Dogs who don’t howl at howling videos have probably figured it out that it’s just a video. Remember, canines are naturally smart, and since now they are living with humans, they know a lot more than they should.

Since television and videos are something that they see on a daily basis, they must have figured out the idea behind them. That is why dogs usually don’t howl at howling videos.

How to Make a Dog Howl On Command?

Dogs will easily howl on one or another signal. While some dogs howl along with another dog, some howl at the voice of a siren. And not just that, if trained well, dogs would also howl on Command by the master.

Making your dog howl on Command requires a bit of trial and error. For example, first, figure out what sound/ noise triggers your dog to howl. For instance, use it if a siren noise makes your dog howl.

So, the next time you hear a siren, say ‘Howl’ and let your dog follow the same. Repeat the process for a certain time until your dog catches it as a behavior. Soon the canine will learn it.

Wrapping up…

Got answers on why don’t your dog howl like other canines? While some dog parents try to keep their canines mum, others are worried about why one is not howling.

Some dogs do not howl out of habit, whereas others do so due to some kind of mental and physical stress. If your dog is one of them, try to figure out its reason. If the behaviour is about habit, then that’s completely normal.

However, if the behaviour is due to any kind of physical and mental issue, consider focusing on it. Besides monitoring it on a personal level, reach out to a Vet as well for some expert guidance.