You’ve just come home from work, and your dog is howling. It’s the middle of the night, so you can’t hear that he has found something to chase outside. You know better than to let him just run around by himself, but what do you do? If your dog starts crying out while you are gone, they are usually trying to tell you something is wrong in their world.
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Howling is an instinctual and natural behavior that dogs are born knowing. They will howl to call their pack together and howl to tell other packs they are in the territory, too. Howling gives dogs a sense of purpose and helps them feel good about themselves. If a dog does not have a strong reason to howl, he will bark for attention or cry for help because it’s the only thing he knows to do.
In this blog, we will discuss why dogs howl bark at night or when left alone. Let’s get started.
Why Dogs Barks at Night?
Here are some of the top reasons your dog might start howling when they’re left alone:
Being left alone by itself is not fair
The dog is bored, and if you don’t provide it with entertainment and activities, your pet might howl for fun. Dogs are like children! They play to pass the time, and if you do not keep them engaged, something like this will happen.
Your pet wants human companionship
Dogs want to communicate, and howling can be a way for dogs to communicate with each other. If your dog has been howling for a while, calling out to the neighbors in the hope of getting some attention, it might be time for you to take some action to get your pet company. Try leashing up and taking your dog for a walk, or have someone else come over and visit with them.
You are not providing your pet with the proper nutrition
Dogs are carnivores, and they need meat to survive, but what do you feed them? Humans don’t generally eat meat very often, and dogs, especially those kept in a home with cats, try to steal their food. Dogs need meat to survive, and if you don’t provide them with the protein, this will be a driving force for your pet’s behavior.
The dog is upset about something that is happening in the house
If your pet is barking, trying to tell you something, then this will be the driving force behind their howling. If things are going on in the house that your dog doesn’t want you to know about, then this will be enough to send them into a screaming tantrum.
Along with it, dogs are very territorial, and if they’re left alone at home, and another dog tries to come into their yard, then your pet will be howling. Dogs will bark to get you to come home from work, but howling is a different story. They want to protect the yard.
What can you do about excess howling?
You can teach your dog to stop howling. If they’re only howling once in a while, you might be able to teach them to stop with minor consequences. The dog is trying to attract the attention of its owner or wants you to come home from work or some other place.
In most situations where you are at work, and the dog is barking, it’s not because it’s lonely and doesn’t have any friends at home! They know that if the person comes home, something good will happen. So the dog is trying to make the person go home.
At night, it’s out of boredom and wants attention. Dogs are like small children; they get bored easily and make noises. You must have a more mature dog if you are not at home most of the time. They can handle themselves when there is no one at home to entertain them with any fun activities.
What to do if your dog howls or cries at night?
Here are some of the solutions you can do to prevent your dog from crying at night.
1- Ignore your dog’s howling
Ignore your dog’s howling and if you’re at home, then ignore the problems in the house. By ignoring them, your dog will understand that he is not feeling good in your absence and will stop barking in the middle of the night.
If you pay attention to his howling, he will do this more. So don’t pay attention to him and try to ignore it the best you can. Just do something else so he knows you’re not interested in what he’s doing.
2- Leash up your dog and take it for a walk during the day
If you’ve got a dog that is howling at night, then leash it up in the morning, take it for a walk during the day, and give them some attention when you come home. The more attention you give them, the more they will enjoy your company.
3- Feed your dog higher-quality food
To keep your dog with you during the night, feed them only meat-rich foods. If you’re not sure that you can afford to feed the best food for dogs, then be sure to have your dog evaluated by an animal behaviorist.
4- Keep your dog socialized
If there are any other dogs in the neighborhood, make sure that these dogs don’t contact your pet. Better yet, make sure that your dog is not kept in the neighborhood with other dogs.
5- Teach your dog how to play
If your dog is only howling for attention or entertainment, then you can teach your dog how to play and get their attention through fun activities. If you’re bored during the day, then come up with a game or two and teach your dog how to do them correctly for some sake of fun.
6- Add a companion to your dog
If your dog is only howling because he’s lonely, then you may try getting another dog of the opposite sex to come over and play with him. If you’re working and not staying home with your pet, then it can be as simple as setting up a playdate for your pet when you’re at work.
7- Provide your dog with plenty of exercises
If your dog is bored and left on its own for a long time during the day and night, then you’ll want to provide it with some exercise. Give them plenty of exercise during the day, and don’t leave them alone in a crate for too long at night. If they get exercise, they’ll sleep better at night.
Summing Up
Dogs are animals, and they have feelings like us. They feel lonely, neglected and most importantly, they want attention. We often don’t give them the attention they need because we’re busy with our day-to-day activities. And when the dog gets upset with our absence, it will do whatever it can to get some attention. As a human being, you are responsible for providing your pet with all its needs and ensuring that your pet is well taken care of.
