It's no secret: Some dogs love to howl at sirens. Why do some dogs feel compelled to vocalize when an ambulance drives by wailing their sirens? Why are other dogs unbothered by the sound of sirens? What can you do if your dog insists on howling at every siren sound they hear?
As with most dog behaviors, the true reason behind howling at sirens isn't known, but most experts believe that there are two strong possible reasons for it.
The most commonly held belief is that howling at sirens is a holdover from your dog's ancestors. Wolves communicate with one another through different kinds of noises and vocalizations, but howling is perhaps what they are most known for. Some of these howls we can hear, but keep in mind that wolves and dogs have a much sharper sense of hearing than our own. Your dog can hear (and create) sounds at frequencies that we can't. So when your dog hears a siren in the distance, they may think it's another dog trying to communicate with them. When your dog howls in response to the siren, they may simply be trying to say, "Hey! I hear you and I'm over here!"
Another common belief as to why dogs may howl at sirens harkens back to some dogs acting as a protector or watchdog for a family. Your dog may hear a siren in the distance and not know what it is. This new sound may be harmless, but it may also be a threat and, as they say, it's better to be safe than sorry. So, being the faithful and loyal companions that they are, your dog may howl at a siren as a way to warn you and other members of your family that there is a potential danger nearby, as well as to express their own anxiety about a potential threat. This may also explain why a dog may howl at sirens more after repeated exposures to this sound. This is because, as the emergency vehicle drives further away, your dog may think their howling scared it away, thus reinforcing the behavior.
For some people, the high-pitched squealing of a siren can be an annoyance to our own ears. This may lead you to believe that your dog howls at sirens because the sound bothers them or may even cause them pain. However, most experts don't believe this is the case. While it is possible that a siren very close up at a very loud volume could be painful to a dog's ears temporarily, in most cases, the dogs are howling at a siren far in the distance, and the volume of the sound does not correlate with whether or not they howl. Some dogs are more sensitive to loud noise in general; it may not be painful, but it can cause distress. This is commonly seen with other noise phobias, such as fireworks or thunder. In the case of a noise phobia, however, howling is not the most common behavior, but rather dogs display other signs of fear and distress such as shaking and hiding.
Dog breeds that more closely resemble wolves may be more likely to howl at sirens and other sounds, compared to other breeds. This includes various Spitz breeds, such as huskies, Malamutes, and American Eskimos. These breeds tend to be more vocal in general and also frequently make other sounds such as whining, yelping, and crying. Another group of dogs that may be more likely to howl at sirens are hound dogs that traditionally hunt in packs and/or utilize baying and vocalization in their hunting. This can include breeds such as beagles, foxhounds, and coonhounds.
Of course, all dogs are individuals. Not all dogs within a breed behave exactly the same way. So you may have a chihuahua that readily howls at sirens or you may have a beagle that is just uninterested in the noise of a siren.
There can be different reasons why your dog howling at a siren may be undesirable. Maybe you live in an apartment complex, or maybe you just don't appreciate the added noise when an emergency vehicle drives by. There are some things you can do to help break your dog's howling habit. One thing is to teach your dog to respond to a cue such as "quiet" or even "thank you." Pair your dog sitting quietly and calmly in response to one of these cues with a reward. When your dog learns what this cue means and can reliably respond by being quiet and calm, you can use the cue to get them to stop howling at a passing siren or other sound. You may need to practice with a recorded sound of a siren so you can predict when it will happen and be prepared to reward your dog for not reacting. It's important to remember to consistently reward your dog when they show the desired behavior to reinforce what you want them to do. Scolding or punishing them for howling at sirens tends to be ineffective as it can create more anxiety for your pup and make them fearful of you as well. This could lead to a noise phobia when they hear a siren or anything that remotely sounds like a siren.
Training your dog to not howl at sirens may take a little longer than training them other cues. It is an instinctive behavior, after all. If you're having trouble, talk to your veterinarian. They can suggest local dog trainers that can help.
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