koalathebear Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) Hoover our purebred Kelpie howls at sirens. If he is in the house, he goes to the front door and howls along with it. If he is in the yard, he stops dead in his tracks and howls. He lets out a long, ululating, mournful howl. It's not a doggy yowl or a whinge - it's an honest to Dog, wolf-like howl that sounds so strange, alien and a little haunting coming out of his throat. It doesn't even sound like him - the first time it happened I didn't believe it was him so made sure I ran over faster the next time there was a siren so that I could confirm that it was actually him. The look on his face when he does it, is also so odd. He looks very thoughtful and serious. It doesn't bother me at all because as I said, he's he's usually a very quiet dog and doesn't bark much - I doubt it bugs the neighbours either given that it's just one single howl in response to the sirens. I know he's not cold, sad or lonely - I can only assume he thinks he's communicating with the siren? :laugh: He never howls in any other situation even when I tried playing sirens on youtube to see if I train the action. By contrast, Elbie our Kelpie/Border Collie cross doesn't make a sound when sirens go by. He goes on high alert and his ears are all over the place listening but he does not howl. Edited March 5, 2012 by koalathebear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 No but they have howled at bagpipes in the past. Can't say I blame them. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Willow Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I used to work in a dog daycare centre, and all 30 of the dogs would go off if an ambulance went past with sirens on!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whippetsmum Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Slightly OT but can dogs learn this behaviour from other dogs? (if all at Doggy day care did it?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Hoover our purebred Kelpie howls at sirens. If he is in the house, he goes to the front door and howls along with it. If he is in the yard, he stops dead in his tracks and howls. He lets out a long, ululating, mournful howl. It's not a doggy yowl or a whinge - it's an honest to Dog, wolf-like howl that sounds so strange, alien and a little haunting coming out of his throat. It doesn't even sound like him - the first time it happened I didn't believe it was him so made sure I ran over faster the next time there was a siren so that I could confirm that it was actually him. The look on his face when he does it, is also so odd. He looks very thoughtful and serious. It doesn't bother me at all because as I said, he's he's usually a very quiet dog and doesn't bark much - I doubt it bugs the neighbours either given that it's just one single howl in response to the sirens. I know he's not cold, sad or lonely - I can only assume he thinks he's communicating with the siren? :laugh: He never howls in any other situation even when I tried playing sirens on youtube to see if I train the action. By contrast, Elbie our Kelpie/Border Collie cross doesn't make a sound when sirens go by. He goes on high alert and his ears are all over the place listening but he does not howl. Yes!! My old dog Mimi does this, but none of the others do. I actually find it hilarious, particularly cause she's so serious and concerned looking. It definitely sounds very primeval and wolf-like I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) Yes! :laugh: The Foxdog does a 2-tone howl along with the changing pitch of the siren Fortunately we don't have too many emergency vehicles come past here, but the first time it happened I had to explain to her she wasn't a wolf :p Weez does it too but I think he may just be copying her (maybe?) Edited March 5, 2012 by Weasels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koalathebear Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 It almost made my hair stand on end when I first heard it. Elbie stares at him like he's bonkers. I know Elbie knows how to howl because when he was a very young puppy, once when we left him alone, he put up his head and gave a long, throbbing, heart-breaking howl but he's never done it since and he definitely doesn't copy Hoover when he's doing the siren-communication thing :laugh: Someone mentioned before that it's quite awe-inspiring to have the inner wolf come out - and it really is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Rumour~ Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 My friends two Dally's do this and just recently a fire statiion has opened up right near where she lives- lots of howling now :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 All of mine used to howl at a certain siren, not sure which one it was. It was a fairly amazing racket hearing all 3 of them do it. Brock must have been the one that started it though as the 2 girls don't do it anymore. The neighbors described it as the saddest noise they had heard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Willow Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Slightly OT but can dogs learn this behaviour from other dogs? (if all at Doggy day care did it?) I think it's more of a joining in thing than a learned thing. I live in a valley, and a few months ago something set one of the Samoyeds on the other side of the valley off, and within minutes all the dogs in the area were howling....it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, it was very hauting, hearing dogs for kilometres all howling together, in the pitch dark of night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Our two little Chi x's would howl in unison whenever the phone rang :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melinda10786 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Mine used to do it because the neighbours dogs howled at sierens.. They have moved out and it was interesting watching them run for the back door for the first week after they moved out to join the neighbours two in howling. Thankfully, they don't do it anymore. Not once did they start the howling, they just joined in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJ. Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Our GSD will howl with sirens but they have to be fairly close to start him off. Amazingly the Basset doesn't howl with sirens but more embarrassingly does when our heavily accented Russian next door neighbour talks. If our neighbour is in his backyard I will bring Jester in and if he is here I will put him outside but he still stands at the back door and howls every time the poor man speaks. I now try and distract him with a pigs ear but not always successfully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panto Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Panto has howled once or twice to a siren, but without fail will howl at a Mr Whippy van! In the same mournful, thoughtful manner... perhaps she knows she will never get some Mr Whippy ;) A friend's pound dog (irish setter x?) sings along / howls to Michael Jackson's Beat it... so funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KumaAkita Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Panto has howled once or twice to a siren, but without fail will howl at a Mr Whippy van! In the same mournful, thoughtful manner... perhaps she knows she will never get some Mr Whippy ;) A friend's pound dog (irish setter x?) sings along / howls to Michael Jackson's Beat it... so funny. That so needs to be filmed... I foresee Australia's Funniest Home Video's in that dog's future :) Oh, and you should get Panto some Mr Whippy. She'll love it :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 My boy does it. He very rarely barks at anything, so it's odd to hear him do it. The fact that it is a full on, loud and big howl from a 7kg dog is pretty amazing too. You would swear it was a big breed dog if you heard it and didn't see him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adnil444 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Mine don't howl at sirens but one of mine will howl as Law and Order SVU - I don't think he likes the theme music. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Yes all mine throw their heads back & howl at any siren sound but at least they don't sit in a circle to do it like my old dogs used to. That was spooky but funny, 2 chihuahuas, 2 poodles & a great dane. What a sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.mister Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I don't have a dog, but I often have a chuckle when I hear a siren go by and the entire local neighbourhood of dogs turns into the Bendigo Siren Howling Orchestra. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I live near a fire station, a police station and a hospital. Sirens are often heard but I think my dog is broken, he doesn't howl or bark at them. There used to be a husky a few doors down who howled though. It was a beautiful, haunting, wolf-like sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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