dog behaviours?

Question

I was just wondering what to do about my sweet dog. Ever since my baby was born,18 months ago....my dog howls a high pitch awful cry every time the baby cries. I thought at first it was because my son's cry was hurting our dog's ears...but that was not it because he will howl from down stairs when our son is up stairs with the door closed. It is driving us crazy, we do not know how to get our dog to stop.Between our son crying and the dog howling, you can imagine our state of mind! Does anyone have some ideas in what we could do to get our dog to stop howling and why he is doing it. He even howls when our son is just fussing!

Answer 1

First I would like to say that dogs do not howl because it "hurts their ears" if a sound hurts the dogs ears, they run and hide.. they dont respond with vocal communication. Howling is exactly that a form of vocal communication... dogs howl for the same reason wolves do.. in response to other howling, to strengthen social bonds, to communicate over long distances, to reassemble all the pack members in a certain area, and when they are lonely for companionship of another(be it human or dog)
Your dog is howling in response to another pack members howl which just happens to be your baby crying... it is natural and instinctive behaviour. To stop this behaviour is simple and it can be the source of a new trick for your dog to learn. Fill a squirt bottle with water ONLY(no vinegar or other crap that people might suggest) and next time your dog starts howling with your baby, squirt him right in the face and say in a firm commanding voice BE QUIET! as soon as he stops howling give him a treat and make him go lay down. Every time he starts to howl do the same thing, using the same command in the same tone of voice.. it may also help for you to adopt a rigid, stiff legged posture when you are commanding your dog to stop, then when he stops drop the stiff posture and the firm voice immediately and praise him in a high pitched happy voice, while fussing over him. You need your dog to understand that following your commands is not optional, and that you demand immediate compliance, if the squirt bottle in the face doesnt work, hold his muzzle closed so he cant howl while saying BE QUIET! but remember the most important part is the reward for listening to what you say... even if he only stops howling for a minute you have to praise him when he stops howling and reward him with a treat.

Next to gain even more control over when and how your dog vocalizes, you can turn it into a trick... if the dog howls when your baby cries he should howl when you make a similar high pitched noise... Try saying Sing!! and drawing it out into what sounds like a howl, when he responds by howling praise him and give him a treat. Keep repeating until he gets it and then work on getting him to start and stop howling on command.. by using the BE Quiet! and then rewarding him for stopping.

Answer 2

I agree with most of the answers here that the dog's howling is a good reaction. He's just worried about your baby. My question now is, is it possible to have an alternate solution than training the dog not to completely howl when the baby is crying? Like maybe the dog can be trained that if you tell a command that's the time that he stops. The dog howling can be of good use. I know the baby cries loudly, but if for some reason, you didn't hear your baby crying, isn't it nice that the dog's howling could give you a warning?

When I go home to our house (I don't have my own key), and sometimes people at home don't hear that someone's at the gate. What I do is instead of calling any person (shouting their name), is I call my dog. This is better because like most of us know, dogs have better hearing. So my dog hears me calling, and she barks and howls, and since the people at home know that there's really no reason for her to howl, they think that I might be home already. And so someone will open the gate for me. :)

Answer 3

I have been working in the animal field for years and have found that dogs have issues plain and simple, but if you know the signals your dog makes before he starts howling (body posture etc) you can try to redirect his behaviour with a touch or a soft noise, like a snap or a "shh" noise to help control his howling, I would also contact your veterinarian and find out if there is a dog behaviourist in the area who can help you with this problem. I can only imagine how horrible it must be to have your dog howl that much.

I don;t know how much exercise your dog gets, but increasing it also helps because it wears them out.

Dogs howl for many reasons some breeds howl more than others (such as hounds). One reason is communication a howl will say I am here or where are you. So it could be a simple thing of your dog saying, it's okay I am here.

Answer 4

Howling is done for many reasons.


Obviously, its something carried on through the gene pool from their wild wolf ancestors.

Its a form of communication. A form of expression even.

Your baby's crying is hurting your dogs ears, even from teh upper story of the house. Dogs have HIGHLY sensitive ears and can hear much better than we can. So what sounds distant to you, may sound 10x closer to the dog.

Try distracting the dog when he starts howling. Catch him off guard by throwing an empty coke can with a few pennies inside at the floor near him. The ratteling sound should throw him off and make him forget what he's doing.

I would suggest trying to soothe him, but I know thats kind of a lost cause since you've got a wee one bawling his eyes out at the same time


good luck!

Answer 5

Either your dog is sensitive to that frequency of wail, or your dog is just answering your son's "howl" Believe it or not, I would take that as a good sign that your pup has bonded to the baby and then some. My border collie did this with my son as well. We "solved" the problem by giving her the job of staying in the room with our son until he was asleep. He was calm because she was there, and she was calm because she could be there with him as well... to make it a shorter story, years later she fended off two terriers that went after him and his friends when they were playing in our front yard (they were left behind by some vacationers in our area. She had 24 staples total when it was over.) So, my advice? See if putting them together helps! If you encourage the bond, you just never know what's gonna happen...

Answer 6

Although dogs shouldn't be attributed with having human characteristics, they are intelligent enough to be able to understand the concept of, and execute, certain actions that their owners require of them - if these actions are asked in a way that dogs find rewarding. So, with this rule in mind, owners have to be clever as well and find a way of training their dog that actually works quickly and efficiently. The eBook I wrote explains how to achieve this ideal - how to speak “dog” so that you’re able to communicate effectively with your four-legged friend.
As with any training, the best time to start is as soon as you get your new pet. The fundamentals for successful housetraining are:

- Crate training is very important so it should be mastered.
- A schedule is required for feeding and exercising.
- Be vigilant and patient throughout the training period.

House training is most likely every dog owner’s top concern. And it should begin as soon as possible. That's the very first day your dog comes into your home. If you've adopted a new furry friend and spend months in the home without aiding him/her achieve success when it comes to training then s/he’s going to set a precedence that you now need to change. So, concentrate on prevention as opposed to cure. House training comes down to one
rather simple skill - being a good dog time manager. And this means managing your pup's time so that you let them have as few chances as possible to make house training blunders.

If you want a free copy of my ebook just send an email to: [e-mail]

I'll send you immediately the book and some tips on how to live better with your dog.

Answer 7

this is what i think. i think that he is howling at Ur child like a door knock! when Ur child cries he is telling the whole house that shes crying. i think that u can try this. u and Ur baby and Ur dog need to be in a room together where the dog can not get out. then hes in the same room hes gonna start howling when the baby cries. when he dose u need to assure him that its OK! this should be done until he understands not to do it. he just has to be taught not to do it!

Answer 8

Your dog is just being sympathic to the child have you tried bringing the dog to the child or the child to the dog when he cries just so that the dog knows that the child is okay. The dog is connecting with your child which is a very good thing and is just reacting to make sure you are reacting to the babies needs.

Answer 9

Having a trained dog isn’t the same as having a balanced dog, but if your dog knows a few basic commands, it can be helpful when tackling problem behaviors — existing ones or those that may develop in the future. Learn here https://tr.im/nuwH0

So where do you start with dog obedience training? You could take a class, but it’s not necessary; you can do it yourself. In fact, with the right attitude, it can be fun for both you and your dog!
Step 1 : Sit
This is one of the easiest dog obedience commands to teach, so it’s a good one to start with.
• Hold a treat close to your dog’s nose.
• Move your hand up, allowing his head to follow the treat and causing his bottom to lower.
• Once he’s in sitting position, say “Sit,” give him the treat, and share affection.
Repeat this sequence a few times every day until your dog has it mastered. Then ask your dog to sit before mealtime, when leaving for walks, and during other situations where you’d like him calm and seated.
Step 2 : Come
This command can help keep a dog out of trouble, bringing him back to you if you lose grip on the leash or accidentally leave the front door open.
• Put a leash and collar on your dog.
• Go down to his level and say, “Come,” while gently pulling on the leash.
• When he gets to you, reward him with affection and a treat.
Once he’s mastered it with the leash, remove it — and practice the command in a safe, enclosed area.
Step 3 : Down
This can be one of the more difficult commands in dog obedience training. Why? Because the position is a submissive posture. You can help by keeping training positive and relaxed, particularly with fearful or anxious dogs.
• Find a particularly good smelling treat, and hold it in your closed fist.
• Hold your hand up to your dog’s snout. When he sniffs it, move your hand to the floor, so he follows.
• Then slide your hand along the ground in front of him to encourage his body to follow his head.
• Once he’s in the down position, say “Down,” give him the treat, and share affection.
Repeat it every day. If your dog tries to sit up or lunges toward your hand, say “No” and take your hand away. Don’t push him into a down position, and encourage every step your dog takes toward the right position. After all, he’s working hard to figure it out!

Answer 10

Dogs can sense the urgency of someone needing help. A baby usually cries when they need something. Maybe your dog is just looking out for the little guy!