When you think of Siberian Huskies, images of majestic fluffy tails, sharp blue eyes, and wolf-like epic howls likely come to mind.
I’m the proud owner of two Huskies – one of which is very vocal (cue lots of “talking,” barking, whining, and yes, howling), and the other is more of the silent type. Some Huskies howl, others don’t.
Common Reasons Why Siberian Huskies Howl Like Wolves
While howling can make your ears ache, it’s also fascinating to observe.
Let’s look at some of the reasons why Huskies howl.
Huskies howl like their wolf ancestors
Howling is in their blood. Our domesticated best furriends are descendants of the gray wolf. So it’s not surprising that our household pets have similarities with their ancestors.
Fun fact: Although Siberian Huskies may look the most like wolves, they aren’t the closest breed to wolves. According to a study published by National Geographic, Shiba Inu and chow chow are the most closely related to wolves.
Wolves howl to communicate with their pack over long distances. When you hear a wolf howl, it’s most likely a wolf heads up on the location of each other, predators, and prey. Usually, it’s not because of a full moon. 🙂
Why howling? It lasts longer, it takes less effort and it can be heard up to 10 miles away!
Think of it as a car horn. One quick honk of a horn is no louder than a long, sustained blaring car horn, though the latter is far more effective.
Howling is a form of communication
Howling or any variation of howling, including yodeling or vocalizing, is a way Huskies, wolves, and other canines communicate.
It’s not uncommon for one howl to quickly turn to many. If Huskies hear another dog howling, they will instinctively return the howl, contributing to a resonant canine chorus.
Common noises like crying babies or police, fire truck, or ambulance sirens can also cause howling. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t howled myself to hear our pup’s precious voice join in.
Other reasons you might hear a Husky howl:
- Boredom
- Excitement
- Loneliness and separation anxiety
- Hunger
- Territoriality
- Injury or illness
- Playfulness
If your Husky is howling, there’s a reason. They’re trying to tell you something! Return the call by paying attention to understand the context or reason.
If your dog’s howling or vocalizations are excessive or you’re noticing a sudden increase or decrease in their behavior, always talk to your vet to make sure there aren’t any issues.