If your dog disturbs you at night due to its howling habit there is no reason you should feel bad or feel unsafe. In this article, we present the 10 most common reasons that cause dogs to howl at night with the solutions that you can use to stop this.
First, you need to understand that dogs howling at night is sometimes due to the anxiety problem caused by separation or loneliness it also includes the need to urinate or your dog feeling uncomfortable in that sleeping environment, hunger or it may be in response to other dogs howling outside. So you need to observe that if your dog is facing any of the above-mentioned conditions then try to eliminate the factor which leads your dog to howls. Now let’s study these factors in detail that can lead your dog to howl at night.
Causes of your dogs howling at night
Here are some reasons that can cause your dogs to howl at night.
- Anxiety due to loneliness
- Response to other dogs howling
- Lack of attention
- Uncomfortable sleeping environment
- Hunger
- Dietary issues
- Noisy surroundings
- Need to urinate
- Physical Discomfort
- Change of routine
Anxiety due to Loneliness
Separation anxiety is real especially if your dog was sharing a bed with you in the recent past. In many cases, dogs show their anxiety at night by howling and demanding their beloved owners to prepare the bed for them.
Many strategies will smoothly let you calm your dog in its sleeping environment. Many books are available to teach you how to keep your dog calm even if you have separated your pet at night. Also, several videos on YouTube can help you in this regard.
Response to other dogs howling
Dogs often howl at night in response to the howlings of other dogs. It may be outsider dogs entering the territory of your pet animal so your dog sends a warning to them by howling.
Lack of attention can also cause dogs to howl at night
Dogs are very smart creatures. It needs the attention of its owner. Dogs often love to go for outside walks with their parents. So if your dog is not getting enough walking or exercise he may feel unattended. Which leads your dog to show abnormal behaviour. Which includes howling in the night. Try to go for a walk and keep your dog active by exercising. When your dog gets adequate attention behavioural changes are inevitable.
Uncomfortable sleeping environment
Yes, it can be a reason for your dog to feel uncomfortable and howl at night when the environment of sleeping is not good. Many reasons can contribute to feeling your dog uncomfortable at night if the sleeping space is not enough or very hot or cold surroundings. So check the sleeping place should have suitable space for your dog to rest comfortably.
Hunger can cause dogs to howl at night
If your dogs are hungry or fed less in the evening and in the morning then the empty stomach will lead your dogs to howl at night. Every animal has the right to get enough diet to feel comfortable. In this situation feeding your dog an adequate meal will help to resolve the issue.
Dietary issues
Sometimes the change in diet will cause upset in the stomach. This condition can lead to inflammation of the stomach. So when the diet is not appropriate and lacks essential nutrients it will cause problems in the gastrointestinal tract of the dog. Eventually leads your dog to feel uncomfortable and this uncomfortableness forces your dog to howl.
Sensitive to noisy surroundings
Your dog howls may be due to being unhappy with the noises it has to face at night. Noise sensitivity can be a reason especially if your dog howls at some specific room.
Encouragement of dog howling
Yes, maybe unintentionally you are encouraging the howling behaviour of your dog by just paying attention when it howls. If your dog howl at night without any specific reason as feeling the need to pee you pay attention to your dog for the same reason. This behaviour will encourage their howling habit. Whenever your dog needs your attention at night it howls.
So you should pay more attention when he doesn’t howl as in the morning may be. Discourage howling at night by not paying any attention unless it is necessary to check the situation.
Need to urinate can force dogs to howl at night
Your puppy may want to urinate and start howling to get your attention. It is more probable if it doesn’t pee in the evening. This causes more frequent howling with time by your dog as it’s become more difficult to hold pee for a very long time.
Physically discomfort
Your dog might be feeling pain and showing discomfort by howling. Especially if the howling starts suddenly with an intense sound. This pain can be due to some wound or trauma. In this case, one should quickly check his dog and consult a vet if necessary.
Change of routine
When we talk about dogs they like a consistent routine. In the day or night, dogs love to do what they normally do in past. But if somehow routine changes, it causes your dogs to howl at night which is due to the confusion it is facing.
In this matter, it is advisable to give your pet due time to adjust itself to the new routine. And avoid paying unnecessary attention unless it seems that your dog needs some genuine help.
Old age dogs howl at night
With ageing, as with all living creatures, dogs also feel discomfort. It may be due to some joint pain or some other body issue. As the dog gets old it feels uncomfortable in the days as well as in the nights. This could cause a dog to howl without any clear indication. In this case, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian.
Factors to consider
Here are some factors which you can consider if your dog howls at night.
Past incidences coincided with howling
You can consider the incident which happens in the recent past which forces your dog to howl at night. You can find some reason for some change which has led your dog to howl. If your dog starts suddenly howling then the issue can be sickness or pain or may be due to some stress in the sleeping environment.
The difference in non-howling night
You can consider the difference between these two types of nights. For example, if your dog howls at night when it consumes a specific dietary item it indicates some problem in the gastrointestinal tract. So you can observe the difference between these kind of situations.
Strategies to prevent your dogs from howl at night
These are some steps that you can consider and apply practically for the prevention of your dog’s howling.
Adjust feeding schedule
To avoid any discomfort caused by diet to your dog you should be fed your dog early in the evening. Whenever you adopt a schedule for feeding your dog stick to it.
Massage therapy
If your dog feeling anxiety due to separation then this will help you a lot. Try to calm your dog and try to win its trust that you are not going anywhere. Your presence will surely make your dog so much more comfortable.
Ensure balanced diet
Dietary issues are the most lethal problems which are faced by dogs. Every dog should have access to a very balanced diet. And without knowledge, you should not give your dog any feed. Dogs should have been prevented from accessing the indigestible food items. You can feed your dog a bit early in the evening to prevent any disturbance caused by feeding at night.
Provide adequate exercise
As you know dogs need attention and if they do not get enough time which they deserve then they start tactics (including howling) to get the attention of their owner. Give your dog adequate time and care which it deserves.
Be patient during the night when your dogs howl
It is necessary. More importantly, if the recent routine of the dog or surrounding of the dog has been changed. Your dog will take time to get used to the new circumstances. Observation of the dog’s condition at this time is also important. If you observe no improvement in your dog’s howling then it is good to consult a professional. Keep in mind that a limited howling is completely natural, but excessive howling during night times can be a cause of concern.
Frequent Asked Questions
Discover the reasons behind your canine companion’s howling sounds at night. which can range from instinctual communication to territorial marking and even a response to certain medical problems.
Uncover whether your dog’s howling indicates any distress or discomfort, and learn how to differentiate between a lonely howl and a cry for help that requires your attention.
it is a diversity in canines’ behaviour that some dogs are more prone to howling at night than others, based on breed traits, genetics, and environmental factors.
Try to figure out effective strategies and practical tips to help you manage and potentially reduce your dog’s howling, allowing both you and your furry friend to enjoy peaceful nights.