Huskies are among one of the most vocal dog breeds out there. For most husky owners, this is a charming trait that creates the illusion that they have a wolf in their home. However, this cool characteristic has left most Husky owners wondering: why does my husky howl?
Huskies howl to express themselves and to alert their owners. It is common for Huskies to howl to respond to sounds and entertain themselves when they are bored. Howling is instinctual for Huskies.
In this article, we will be explaining all of the common reasons why Huskies howl. In addition, we will also be answering some commonly asked questions about Huskies howling and providing you with some additional things to consider about this topic.
Reasons Your Husky Howls
There are several reasons why Huskies howl, and it is an extremely common behavior within the breed. Huskies howl because they are happy, bored, anxious, and when they are responding to stimuli.
Huskies can also howl when they are in pain or do not feel well. As a result of this vast array of causes, many huskies howl often. Here are the six reasons your husky howls.
Your Husky Is Bored
Howling is a self-rewarding behavior in dogs, and many huskies howl to entertain themselves when they are bored for this reason. Huskies are extremely intelligent and require lots of exercise.
As a result, they need a lot of physical and mental stimulation throughout the day. Increasing these things can help to reduce howling. You can increase your dog’s mental and physical stimulation by doing things like:
● Playing games like fetch, tug of war, and hide and seek
● Going for daily walks
● Giving your husky outlets to run around
● Providing a variety of toys
● Teaching them obedience commands
● Doing dog sports like agility
Your Husky Is Following His Instincts
Howling is an instinctual behavior in huskies, and this is why they howl in response to sounds like sirens and other howling dogs.
Since this is both a self-rewarding and instinctual behavior for huskies, you will need to do some training to reduce it. We explain how you can train your dog to stop howling on command later in this article.
Your Husky Is Expressing Himself
Huskies often howl as a way to express their emotions. Although huskies do tend to howl when something is wrong, it is very common for them to howl when they are happy and excited.
This is usually the cause for a husky to howl when his owner returns home from work or when he is meeting a new friendly dog.
Your Husky Is Trying To Alert You Of Something
Huskies often howl as a way to alert their owners of something. However, due to their friendly nature, huskies are not known to be excellent guard dogs despite their howling habits.
Instead, huskies usually howl during other signs of danger, and they are usually very adept at sensing danger when it arises due to their high intelligence.
Your Husky Might Not Feel Well
Huskies sometimes howl as a result of being sick or experiencing pain. Usually, you can know when this is the cause because it is linked with some other troubling symptoms, and it is also often occurring more often or suddenly at strange times.
Some signs that you may need to see a vet for your dog’s howling include but are not necessarily limited to:
● Reduced appetite and a difficulty eating
● Whimpering, whining, and yelping
● Hiding
● Excessive grooming
● Shaking or trembling
● Limping or having difficulty walking
● Sudden changes in behavior
● Vomiting and diarrhea
● Neurological symptoms (such as seizures)
● Other signs of pain or illness
Howling Can Be A Sign Of Separation Anxiety
Huskies howling when their owner leaves and is away is usually a sign that they have separation anxiety. Usually, separation anxiety includes multiple symptoms. However, this is not the case 100% of the time, and excessive howling could be the only sign. Some other common symptoms of separation anxiety in addition to excessive howling or barking include:
● Destructive behaviors like digging, chewing, and destroying objects
● Obsessive behaviors like pacing, circling, and itching
● Having accidents (and eating it afterward in some cases)
● Attempting to escape home, yard, kennel, etc
Although somewhat common, separation anxiety can be a very complex and severe disorder in dogs. As a result, it is always recommended that you visit a vet and seek help from an animal behaviorist or a dog trainer who is certified in working with this condition if you suspect that your dog is experiencing separation anxiety.
Why Does My Husky Howl At Night
Often huskies howl at night. They are experiencing separation anxiety because they need something or because they hear strange sounds outside. If they are experiencing separation anxiety, then they will likely exhibit at least one other symptom of separation anxiety that we had listed earlier.
Making sure that your husky has eaten and used the bathroom before bed is also a must, and this can reduce nighttime howling as well. As we have mentioned, huskies can also howl as a response to hearing different sounds outside.
However, turning on a white noise machine in the area where they sleep can easily solve this problem.
Why Does My Husky Howl When I Howl
It is instinctual for huskies to howl as a response to other dogs howling, which is why they howl when you howl. This is also the cause of huskies howling at recordings and videos of dogs howling as well.
Why Does My Husky Howl At Sirens
Like howling as a response to other howls, it is instinctual for huskies to howl at high-pitched sounds as well. The most common example of this is sirens.
However, huskies often howl as a response to babies crying as well. Huskies do this because these sounds are similar to the high-pitched howls that huskies make when they are in distress, and it is instinctual for them to respond to these howls by howling themselves.
Why Does My Husky Howl When I Leave
Your husky is likely experiencing separation anxiety if he howls when you leave him alone. This is especially true if he is also exhibiting other symptoms of separation anxiety and destructive behaviors like chewing and digging.
If you believe that your husky has separation anxiety, then you should visit a vet about this problem. In addition, you will also likely benefit from receiving help from either an animal behaviorist or a dog trainer who is qualified to work with dogs affected by separation anxiety.
Why Does My Husky Howl After Eating
Huskies usually howl after eating because they are happy and satisfied about being full. If there are no signs of pain or discomfort, then this is nothing that you should worry about.
In rare cases howling after eating can be a sign that something is wrong. Usually, this is a sign of mouth pain or stomach upset. Although this is uncommon, you should take your dog to the vet as soon as possible if your dog is exhibiting the following symptoms along with howling after eating:
● Reduced appetite
● Signs of mouth and tooth pain
● Vomiting and diarrhea
● Unusual bowel movements
● Other signs of pain or illness
Why Does My Husky Howl When I Come Home
Owners coming home after a day at work is usually a very happy and exciting time for most dogs, and this is likely why your husky is howling when you return home.
Although this is nothing any husky owners need to worry about, you can teach the quiet cue and put howling on command if your huskies howling is too much and you would like to reduce it. We explain how you can teach these obedience cues later on in this article.
Are Huskies Sad When They Howl
Although howling can occasionally be a sign of sadness in huskies, it is more common for huskies to howl because they are happy or excited. In addition, it is also very common for huskies to howl when they are bored, hear strange sounds, and when they need something like food or water.
Why Are Huskies So Vocal
Huskies are descendants of wolves, and howling is very instinctual for them as a result. This is why they tend to howl to respond to people and other dogs howling and why they howl at things like sirens and crying babies.
In addition, huskies have learned that howling gets their owner’s attention when they need it, such as when they need to go outside or hungry and need to be fed.
Things To Consider
There are some other things to consider when it comes to huskies howling. Although it is usually not a big deal to hear a husky howling for husky owners, their neighbors may not feel the same way. As a result, you will likely need to know how to reduce your husky’s howling when needed.
The best way to do this is to teach the quiet cue, put your husky’s howling on cue, and manage your husky’s environment. Here are some things to consider when it comes to your husky howling.
Teach The Quiet Command
Teaching the quiet command is essential if you live in a highly-populated area and have a husky that likes to howl. It is also the most practical way to reduce your husky’s howling on command in the long term if you put in the work and necessary training time. Here are the steps to take when teaching the quiet cue:
Step 1: Set up a situation where your husky is likely to howl
Step 2: When your husky is howling, wait for him to be quiet. As soon as he is quiet, say the command you would like to use, such as “quiet” or “enough,” and give him a treat.
Step 3: Practice this several times; it may take a little while for your dog to get it.
Step 4: Have your dog howl again. Say the quiet word you have been using. If your dog stops howling, then praise him and keep practicing it this way. If your dog does not stop howling, go back to practicing step 2 for a bit longer and try again.
Step 5: Keep practicing step 4 regularly. Remember, practice makes perfect!
Teach The Speak Command
You can manage your husky’s howling even more if you teach the speak command along with the quiet command.
This is because you are still providing them with an outlet to engage in this rewarding behavior. It is recommended that you teach the quiet command before this one, however. Here are the steps for teaching the speak command.
Step 1: Set up a situation that will make your dog howl. As soon as he begins howling, say the command you would like to use, such as “speak” or “howl,” and reward him with a treat.
Step 2: Continue practicing step one several times.
Step 3: Say the speak command when your dog is quiet. If he responds with a howl, reward him and continue practicing this. If your dog doesn’t respond, don’t worry. He likely doesn’t know what “speak” means yet and needs a little more practice doing step one.
Step 4: Continue practicing step three every day.
Manage Your Husky’s Environment
Although teaching the above commands should significantly reduce your dog’s howling when you are around, there are some other things that you should do along with this to ensure your husky’s success. These include:
● Making sure your dog is receiving enough exercise and mental stimulation
● Making sure your dog has a healthy and balanced diet
● Taking your dog to the vet when he is injured or sick
● Getting your dog the proper treatment and training for separation anxiety
● Putting on a white noise machine if your dog howls at night due to hearing strange noises.
● Avoiding stimuli that you believe will make your husky howl at inappropriate times
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