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Training
How to Teach Your Dog Not to Howl?
At A Glance
The key to curbing dog howling is consistency and nipping it in the bud. Whether it’s lonely, looking for attention, or announcing its presence, your dog likely doesn’t understand why howling might not be a good idea.
It’s best to train your dog to be quiet on command. With a bit of time and persistence, you’ll quickly see an improvement.
Dogs love to howl, and you must train them to stop. Not only is it annoying for humans, but if you live in a residential neighborhood with lots of little kids or other dogs, they may imitate the dog howling sounds and create chaos!
It can be quite challenging to train your dog when you have one that loves to howl at inopportune moments. Lucky for you, we’ve put together this guide to help you teach your dog to stop howling.
How Do I Get My Dog To Stop Howling?
There are a few ways to stop your dog howling. First, you should figure out what it is that your dog is howling about. Try to figure out if any of the reasons mentioned above are the underlying cause of its behavior. Resolve any issues before you move on to obedience training to prevent howling.
You should also ensure that your dog isn’t suffering from an underlying medical issue. To rule out any health concerns, take it to the vet and discuss its behavioral problems with a professional.
Now that you know why your dog is howling, it’s time to teach it to stop. Here’s how you can do it:
Teach Your Dog to Be Quiet on Command
There are several ways to teach your dog to be quiet. Some of them are fun and exciting, making it more likely that your dog will do them.
The primary method is to use treats or praise when your dog does something well. Give it simple commands such as “quiet” or “stop” whenever it begins to howl. Once it stops, reward it with a treat and copious verbal praise. Do this repeatedly until your dog associates good behavior with a treat.
Are dogs unhappy when they howl? In some cases, yes. Remember that dogs can’t communicate the way humans do. If your dog wants or needs something, it may resort to howling for attention. It’s up to you to figure out what your dog needs and then provide it.
If your dog is howling from boredom, make sure that it has plenty of toys, exercise, and sleep. You should also play as often as possible and give it plenty of attention. This will keep your dog happy, which will, in turn, stop the howling behavior.
Make Sure It Doesn’t Feel Lonely
Some dogs that suffer from separation anxiety get relief from howling. If you’ve asked yourself, “how to stop a dog howling when left alone?” The answer is to make sure it has company at all times. Dogs often aren’t picky about their distractions—you could opt for a stuffed animal, its favorite toy, or you could leave it with a dog sitter for a few hours each day.
One way to make your dog used to its time alone is through crate training. You can fill a roomy crate with all of its comfort items—a soft blanket, its favorite toys, and some snacks. Once it associates the crate with relaxation, it will have no problem whiling away the hours you are gone.
Don’t Acknowledge Its Howling
If your pet has resorted to howling to get your attention, the best way to curb this behavior is to ignore it whenever it does so. If you stick to your guns, your dog will quickly learn that howling is not an effective way to get your acknowledgement.
Keep It Busy
Dogs must be engaged for their health and well-being. If they are bored, they will find other ways to entertain them, like howling. This is why their days must be filled with engagement and activity.
Keep It From Getting Distracted
If your dog is a howler, the best way to stop that behavior is by taking it for long walks every day and giving it lots of exercise. This will expend all its energy, and it will be too tired to make noise at home.
Why Is My Dog Howling All Of A Sudden?
Before anything else, you must make sure that your dog doesn’t have an underlying reason for howling. If you can get a good handle on why your dog is doing it, you can stop this behavior in no time at all.
This behavior can be caused by a number of problems such as:
Lack of Exercise
When your dog doesn’t get enough exercise, it will become bored and will resort to expending its energy by creating noise to feel as if it is doing something.
High-energy breeds need at least one hour of vigorous physical energy each day, while low-energy ones need a bit less. Puppies and younger dogs generally have much more energy than adult dogs. These considerations will help you determine how much exercise will keep your dog happy and calm throughout the day.
To Make Contact
Dogs have an inherent need to connect with other dogsnearby. So don’t be surprised if your dog starts howling at your neighbor’s new pup or whenever one of its friends passes by your street.
To Announce Its Presence
While some dogs may howl simply because they are bored, others may do so to announce their presence. This is a way to make sure other dogs know that they are around and establish their authority in a specific location.
Dogs often use howling as a sign of dominance. When your dog is greeting other dogs, it may resort to howling in order to get it to back down.
Responding To High-Pitched Sounds
The sound of other dogs howling, car alarms, musical instruments, and other high-pitched noises can make your dog respond by howling as well.
Separation Anxiety
If your dog is experiencing separation anxiety whenever you leave it alone, it may start howling for attention. This is because it wants you around at all times.
How do I get my dog to stop howling? Dogs have unique personalities, and they howl for their own reasons. It’s crucial to figure out why they are behaving this way so that you can work on putting a stop to it.
With a bit of observation and obedience training, you can show your dog that you are in charge and it needs to follow your commands! With this guide, you’ll soon have a peaceful and quiet home.
Trainingdog traininghow to teach your dog not to howl
Meet Paul, a devoted dog dad to the delightful French Bulldog, Cofi. With a flair for humor and a deep understanding of Frenchie quirks, Paul brings a lighthearted touch to his writings. His relatable stories and practical insights are a blend of laughter and valuable advice and resonate with fellow dog owners.
Through his words, Paul aims to celebrate the joys and challenges of being a dedicated pet parent, reminding you that life is simply better with a four-legged, snorting sidekick by your side.