Why Dog "Sings" to Music?

drumbum · 12-24-2004, 11:25 AM

Hi all,
I'm trying to figure out why my black lab sings to Christmas music...everytime the stereo plays something like opera or Handel's Messiah, he puts his head up and howls. It's not a "that hurts my ears" howl, because he still acts happy and doesn't try to get away from it. Kinda looks like a dog howling at the moon.

Any idea why he does this?

Thanks!!

oc_spirit · 12-24-2004, 11:44 AM

It could be that when a long note is held or played to him it sounds like howling so he is simply "answering" their call. A howl is used in many different ways but the most common is when the initiator howls he is asking "Is anyone there?" and the answer howls are "I'm here!". When a pack gets seperated (normally after a hunt) they howl to find eachother again. The howl will also proceed if a dog or a wolf is traveling and they enter new territory to see if anyone is around.

Cheers!

oc_spirit · 12-24-2004, 11:45 AM

Oh ya and my Husky does this a lot too, he will also answer sirens sometimes but he ALWAYS answers a cellphone if it's set to a song. I get a few strange looks when I'm in a store with him and my cellphone goes off and he's sitting there howling away LOL

Cheers!

Dunkindog05 · 06-18-2005, 03:25 PM

Hi

My dog, Dunkin, does the same thing. He'll sit down and howl, except for him it starts everytime i play our piano.

ChiChi · 06-18-2005, 04:29 PM

Muh dog does this with the Harmonica (or muh guitar pitch pipe! LOL) i think it is sooo funny!

Pugdawg1 · 06-18-2005, 04:52 PM

Three of my four pugs howl when I "sing". lol. They also howl at sirens.

IceyBlueSibes · 06-18-2005, 09:16 PM

My 2 girls do this when I talk "doggy talk" with them LOL

calgal · 06-19-2005, 10:32 AM

Certain tones bother them. They howl to counteract. Then if they get some very positive attention over this, it could lead to just howling to any music for the attention he's been getting. I love the resemblance of a pucker when they do this.

Pugdawg1 · 06-19-2005, 11:23 AM

Some Puckering.

dogmum · 06-19-2005, 07:10 PM

Hi, I found this site while searching for just this topic. My dog howls the instant certain songs play. They are always the same songs, she never misses them coming on. While we have always marveled over this, and laughed out butts off because of it, I'm worried that it could be something hurting her ears.

***Carrie*** · 06-20-2005, 07:08 AM

Many people believe that dogs howl in response to fire-truck and police
sirens because it hurts their ears. This is not so, the response is a
throw-back to the wild instinctual behavior of howling in response to
another dog's howl.

Pack animals like wolves and dogs will howl in harmony as a form of staying
in touch over distances and communicating between packs. You begin to
"howl" and your packmate simply joins in.

It's the reason dogs howl when their owners play the clarinet, howl, sing,or play songs on the radio. It's an instinctive wolf behavior.

Wolves will howl together as a social and territorial ritual. They also
howl to locate each other when the pack is split up, to help coordinate
hunting activities or to reassemble the pack.

***Carrie*** · 06-20-2005, 07:10 AM

Pugdawg! Those little mouths are adorable! Too cute!

12-24-2004, 11:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
drumbum Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 74	Why Dog "Sings" to Music? Hi all, I'm trying to figure out why my black lab sings to Christmas music...everytime the stereo plays something like opera or Handel's Messiah, he puts his head up and howls. It's not a "that hurts my ears" howl, because he still acts happy and doesn't try to get away from it. Kinda looks like a dog howling at the moon. Any idea why he does this? Thanks!!
drumbum Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 74	Last edited by Global Paw : 06-18-2005 at 03:51 PM.

12-24-2004, 11:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
oc_spirit Snow Girl Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,621 Rep Power: 146	It could be that when a long note is held or played to him it sounds like howling so he is simply "answering" their call. A howl is used in many different ways but the most common is when the initiator howls he is asking "Is anyone there?" and the answer howls are "I'm here!". When a pack gets seperated (normally after a hunt) they howl to find eachother again. The howl will also proceed if a dog or a wolf is traveling and they enter new territory to see if anyone is around. Cheers!
	__________________ NORTHERN BLACKOUT SIBERIAN HUSKIES AND CUSTOM LEATHER LEASHES Even the quietest whisper can be heard over the loudest gunshot. When? When it speaks the truth! I shall stand by your side and fight! Together we shall prevail through all life's adversities!

12-24-2004, 11:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
oc_spirit Snow Girl Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,621 Rep Power: 146	Oh ya and my Husky does this a lot too, he will also answer sirens sometimes but he ALWAYS answers a cellphone if it's set to a song. I get a few strange looks when I'm in a store with him and my cellphone goes off and he's sitting there howling away LOL Cheers!
	__________________ NORTHERN BLACKOUT SIBERIAN HUSKIES AND CUSTOM LEATHER LEASHES Even the quietest whisper can be heard over the loudest gunshot. When? When it speaks the truth! I shall stand by your side and fight! Together we shall prevail through all life's adversities!

06-18-2005, 03:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Dunkindog05 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	Hi My dog, Dunkin, does the same thing. He'll sit down and howl, except for him it starts everytime i play our piano.
Dunkindog05 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0

06-18-2005, 04:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
ChiChi Sheltie Addict Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: North Carolina YEEHAW! Posts: 1,439 Rep Power: 109	Muh dog does this with the Harmonica (or muh guitar pitch pipe! LOL) i think it is sooo funny!
	__________________ Owned by Brody the sheltie "There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." --Ben Williams

06-18-2005, 04:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
Pugdawg1 Pug Mom Join Date: May 2004 Location: Elko, Nevada Posts: 2,418 Rep Power: 138	Three of my four pugs howl when I "sing". lol. They also howl at sirens.
	__________________ www.PugSavers.com

06-18-2005, 09:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
IceyBlueSibes Eyes = Mirror to the soul Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jupiter, Fla. Posts: 7,831 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 276	My 2 girls do this when I talk "doggy talk" with them LOL
	__________________ Sheiba, Denali, Ike, Nitro (Siberian Husky), Kelso (GSD x), Lugar (Boxer/Pit x), Willah (Shepherd/Husky x), Tibby, Cheech, Chong (Chihuahua), and any foster we have in the house! 9 Kitty cats!

06-19-2005, 10:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
calgal My Yorkster kids! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: central ca. coast Posts: 6,882 Rep Power: 234	Certain tones bother them. They howl to counteract. Then if they get some very positive attention over this, it could lead to just howling to any music for the attention he's been getting. I love the resemblance of a pucker when they do this.

06-19-2005, 11:23 AM	#9 (permalink)
Pugdawg1 Pug Mom Join Date: May 2004 Location: Elko, Nevada Posts: 2,418 Rep Power: 138	Some Puckering.
	__________________ www.PugSavers.com

06-19-2005, 07:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
dogmum Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	My dog howls to music as well! Hi, I found this site while searching for just this topic. My dog howls the instant certain songs play. They are always the same songs, she never misses them coming on. While we have always marveled over this, and laughed out butts off because of it, I'm worried that it could be something hurting her ears.
dogmum Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0

06-20-2005, 07:08 AM	#11 (permalink)
*Carrie* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: north panhandle of Idaho Posts: 7,551 Rep Power: 292	Many people believe that dogs howl in response to fire-truck and police sirens because it hurts their ears. This is not so, the response is a throw-back to the wild instinctual behavior of howling in response to another dog's howl. Pack animals like wolves and dogs will howl in harmony as a form of staying in touch over distances and communicating between packs. You begin to "howl" and your packmate simply joins in. It's the reason dogs howl when their owners play the clarinet, howl, sing,or play songs on the radio. It's an instinctive wolf behavior. Wolves will howl together as a social and territorial ritual. They also howl to locate each other when the pack is split up, to help coordinate hunting activities or to reassemble the pack.

06-20-2005, 07:10 AM	#12 (permalink)
*Carrie* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: north panhandle of Idaho Posts: 7,551 Rep Power: 292	Pugdawg! Those little mouths are adorable! Too cute!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)