How to Stop Howling Dogs

Last Updated: September 19, 2020 References

Dogs howl for many reasons. Many dogs howl because of separation anxiety, others due to an environmental trigger, such as a siren or thunder. Others simply howl out of habit or to get attention. If you dog’s howling is a problem, you can try to reduce their anxiety or use counterconditioning techniques.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Training Your Dog not to Howl for Attention

1
Ignore your dog’s howling. Some dogs will howl in order to get your attention, or to “ask” for food, treats, toys, etc.^{[1]
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The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source} To prevent this kind of howling behavior, you will first have to show your dog that howling is not a way to get your attention.
- Don’t scold or punish your dog when it howls, as they may find even this kind of attention rewarding. Simply do not touch, speak, or look at your dog when they howls to get your attention.
- An additional complication is that some dogs will find howling self-rewarding, meaning ignoring the behavior might not deter the behavior as it might for other attention-seeking behaviors. Ignoring the howling instead of yelling or punishing will, however, prevent you from accidentally reinforcing the behavior.
2
Reward your dog for being quiet. Rewarding your dog when they are quiet will help condition them to stop howling excessively. Keep a supply of treats or toys ready, and try these techniques:^{[3]
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- Don’t give your dog anything (food, treats, toys, etc.) until they have been quiet for at least five seconds. This will condition your dog to associate being quiet with getting a reward. If your dog howls when waiting for something, ignore them until they are quiet for at least five seconds.
- Give your dog treats at random times when they are being quiet. The unexpected treat will help reinforce good behavior.
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3
Train your dog to be quiet on command.^{[4]
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Go to source} Just as you can train a dog to “speak,” you can train them to stop howling or making other noise when you give a command. Once you’ve trained your dog using the following steps, just give the command to “hush” whenever they start to howl:
- Say “speak!” and try to get your dog to make noise (such as by clapping your hands).
- Praise your dog when they make noise and give them a treat. This teaches your dog to make a noise on cue. This which means the dog will be less likely howl in the absence of the cue.
- Now wait for your dog to stop saying noise, say “hush!” or “quiet!” and then praise your dog and give them a treat.
- Repeat these steps many times. You can also try slowly lengthening the amount of time your dog needs to be silent before you give them a treat.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Treating Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety

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Recognize the behavior. If you find out that your dog is howling during times that you are away from them, the behavior may be caused by separation anxiety.^{[5]
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Go to source} Howling caused by separation anxiety is usually accompanied by other behavior patterns, such as:
- Pacing
- Destroying objects
- Urination and/or defecation
- Drooling^{[6]
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2
Try counterconditioning. If your dog has separation anxiety, you will have to help them overcome the problem. The most basic technique, counterconditioning, involves getting your dog to associate good things with separation.^{[7]
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Go to source} For dogs with moderate separation anxiety, this may be enough to end the howling behavior.
- Every time you leave home, offer your dog a toy.^{[8]
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  Go to source} The best choices are ones that will keep your dog occupied for some time; for instance, there are toys that can be stuffed with food for your dog to enjoy for 20-30 minutes or more. Look for these toys at pet supply stores.
- When you return home, take the toy away so that your dog associates it only with the times when you are gone.
- Repeat these steps consistently, and over time your dog’s separation anxiety (and howling behavior) should subside or disappear.
- You can also try crate training your dog in addition to counterconditioning in order to stop their howling.
- In any case, do not punish your dog because of separation anxiety. Instead of making your dog stop howling, this will only increase their anxiety.
3
Seek professional assistance if your dog’s separation anxiety and howling continue. If your dog has a more severe case of separation anxiety, they may need more extensive counterconditioning and desensitization—often by starting with very short periods of separation, then gradually increasing them. Talk to a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, or certified professional dog trainer (CPDT) to discuss training techniques, possible medications, and other options.^{[9]
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- If you seek the help of a CPDT, make sure they have been trained in counterconditioning and desensitization techniques, as education in these areas is not required for certification.
4
Spend quality time with your dog.^{[11]
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Go to source} Dogs need lots of attention from their humans, especially if they have to be left alone for extended periods. Making time to play with your dog may also help reduce their separation anxiety and howling behavior. Each day, set aside time for games, treats, and exercise with your dog.
- As long as your dog is healthy, they will benefit from frequent play (fetch, jumping, tugging, etc.), as well as at least one half-hour walk per day.^{[12]
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  Go to source} Discuss your dog’s activity level with your veterinarian; if your dog is aging, injured, or very young, they may have more specific exercise recommendations.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Dealing with other Causes of Howling

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Determine if an environmental trigger is causing your dog to howl. Many dogs will howl in response to external stimuli, like sirens, other dogs, or thunder.^{[13]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source} Pay attention when your dog howls to see if the behavior follows a specific trigger.
- If your dog’s howling is caused by an environmental trigger, it will usually stop once the trigger goes away or ends. If the occasional brief howl does not pose a problem, you may just want to let your dog be.
2
Change how your dog reacts to the trigger. If the howling caused by an environmental trigger is excessive or needs to be controlled (because the noise is bothering neighbors, for instance), then you may need to change your dog's behavior using desensitization and counterconditioning techniques.^{[15]
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- If the environmental trigger can be controlled, you can try desensitizing your dog to it. For example, if your dog howls at the sound of your dryer, try to keep them calm while the dryer is on for only a minute, and offer them a treat. Gradually increase the amount of time the dryer is on, as long as your dog is calm. Hopefully, your dog will become desensitized to the trigger and not howl.
- If the environmental trigger cannot be controlled (such as a siren or thunder), you can still use counterconditioning to stop your dog’s howling. To do this, download a sound effects album featuring the scary noise. Play it at a low volume and reward the dog when they are calm in the presence of the unpleasant sound. As your dog becomes more tolerant, slowly increase the volume.Do this consistently, and your dog may come to associate the trigger with getting a reward instead of needing to howl.
3
Care for your dog if they are sick or hurt. If you cannot determine that your dog’s howling is caused by an environmental trigger, separation anxiety, or another obvious cause, then the cause may be health-related. Have your veterinarian inspect your dog to determine if they're howling because of illness or injury.^{[16]
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Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}

Expert Q&A
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Question

What does it mean when a dog is howling at night?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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Dogs howl at night for different reasons. This includes feeling lonely, being disorientated in the dark, needing the toilet, reacting to noises they hear around them, and responding to a force of habit. Think about when the habit first started, and see if anything springs to mind as to what started this behavior.
Question

How do you get your dog to shut up?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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Barking is a self-rewarding behavior so it is a tough one to stop. The best results come when you put barking on cue (teach the "Speak" command), as this enables you to put "Quiet" on cue. Another good plan is to give the dog an alternative action to do instead of bark, such as teaching him to fetch a toy and then lie on his mat. The distraction interrupts the barking, and you can then reward the good behavior of being on his bed.
Question

How do you know if a dog has separation anxiety?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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Dogs with separation anxiety don't settle in their owner's absence. Have a chat with the neighbors and ask if they hear barking when you're out. Other clues include destructive behavior such as chewing or digging, or toileting in the house. Observing the dogs remotely, using a video camera, is very useful. If the dog paces constantly, howls, or can't settle, then separation anxiety is a distinct possibility.