Dachshunds are well known as a breed that loves to bark. A question many people ask is ‘do dachshunds howl?’. A lesser known fact is that dachshunds like to howl.
There are many reasons for dachshunds to howl. They may howl due to separation anxiety, just out of basic instincts, or even get your attention.
Howling now and then is not a severe issue. However, if your dachshund’s howls are a distraction, especially to your neighbors, you need to do something about it.
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Do Dachshunds Howl?
Howling is not an unusual trait seen in dogs. However, specific breeds howl more than others. Dachshunds are a dog breed known to howl more than some other breeds.
However, excessive howling can become a nuisance and needs to be taken care of as early as possible. If not, it could become a problem that becomes harder to solve when left unattended for a long time.
Why Do Dachshunds Howl?
Dogs are descendants of wolves. Therefore, howling comes naturally from within them. Although dachshunds may not look like wolves, howling is one of the many forms of sound they make.
Several triggers could make your dachshund howl excessively. Read on to find out the top reasons why dachshunds howl and what you can do about it.
10 Reasons Why Dachshunds Howl
1. Basic Instincts
As dogs are descendants of wolves, their instincts make them howl. One stays behind when wolves hunt in packs to guide the pack safely. They do this by howling.
Dogs are also sensitive to smell and sound. They can hear and smell things that humans cannot. So if a dachshund is howling, it could be because of a smell it feels or a sound it hears. It howls due to basic instincts.
2. Separation Anxiety
If your neighbors complain to you that your dachshund howls when you’re not at home, it could be due to separation anxiety. Dogs like to stay close to their owners at all times.
It may indicate separation anxiety if you notice your doxie getting nervous when you put on your shoes to go out.
Try leaving some toys for your doxie to be occupied while you are away.
3. A Need For Attention
Dogs love to have their owners’ attention and be praised by them. Sometimes you are so preoccupied with your work and other duties that you forget to play with your dachshund or praise it.
Your doxie feels this a lot, although you may not have thought so. It may be waiting to snuggle or play ball with you.
In such instances, dogs tend to howl to get attention. Remember not to give in to such behavior. You must teach your dachshund that howling will not get your attention and that silence does.
Wait till it stops howling, and then give it the attention it requires.
4. Underlying Medical Cause
Sometimes your doxie might howl even when you’re there and playing with them. The reason could be a health issue that your doxie may be suffering from.
Make sure to check your doxie to rule out any medical cause. It could be howling in pain, so it’s better to get this confirmed to stop it from suffering.
Even if you can’t find anything wrong when doing a check-up at home, it’s always better to take it to the vet to rule out any cause.
5. As A Response To External Sounds
Dachshunds also howl to respond to external sounds, such as sirens and music. Dachshunds may mistake external sounds to be from other dogs.
They could also respond to external sounds to warn others of intruders. It’s also a trait it gets from being descendants of wolves.
6. A Means Of Location
Another reason dachshunds howl is due to a means of the location. Pack animals want others in their pack to know where they are. It could also be to locate their owners.
7. Unintentional Encouragement
You may not know that you’re unintentionally encouraging your dachshund to howl. You would have laughed or smiled when your dachshund howled at one time.
Dogs are excellent at reading body language. They would have mistaken your attention and positive response as an encouragement to continue howling.
Even if you scold them later for howling, they’ll still consider this gaining attention and will continue doing it.
8. To Protect Their Homes
Dachshunds are hunting dogs. So, naturally, they are inclined toward guarding their homes and protecting their owners.
Your dachshund may howl when they detect some intruders or threats to your home. It’s more often seen among male dachshunds than females. However, that doesn’t mean that female dachshunds don’t do it.
They work as a natural alarm system for your home. They can detect a slight difference in their surroundings and warn their owners about it.
It could also become nerve-wracking when your dachshund starts howling for anything that moves, which may not necessarily be a threat.
9. To Guide Their Owner Home
You may have noticed your dachshund howling when you pull into the driveway. It may sound silly, but your doxie wants to show you the way home.
It is also a habit they get from wolves. When wolves go hunting, they leave about two of their pack in the den. These wolves can howl and guide the rest of the pack back to the den.
It’s the same thing your doxie is doing for you. It wants to let you know precisely how to get back home.
10. To Show Something To Their Owner
If your dachshund starts howling when you’re out together, it may be because it found something. It wants to show you what it found and wants to know what it is.
It could be a person, animal, or toy that has caught its interest. Sometimes it may not know what it has found. So it howls to get you there to show you something unusual.
You should check if your dachshund is out of sight and starts howling. It might be due to something that it has found outside.
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How To Reduce Or Stop Your Dachshund Howling
Your dachshund’s howls could distract you and the entire neighborhood. Therefore you must identify the cause and try to find a solution accordingly.
Here are a few things you could do to stop or reduce your dachshund howling at the latest.
1. DSCC – Desensitization And Counterconditioning
DSCC are common behavioral treatments psychologists have developed to tackle anxious and aggressive dogs.
This method works by exposing your dog to low-intensity sounds they fear or are anxious about. Over time, your dachshund gets used to hearing the sound. After that, you need to increase the intensity of the sound gradually.
Counterconditioning is about making your dog relate the sound to something good.
2. Avoid Encouraging Your Dachshund To Howl
Remembering never to pay attention to unwanted behavior in your dog is essential. Your dachshund might howl to get your attention, and if you give that to it, you’re encouraging it to howl more.
Even if you ask it not to howl or scold it for doing so, it’ll still see this as an opportunity to grab your attention.
If you hear your dog howling, wait till it stops doing it before turning your attention towards it. Over time your dachshund will howl less as it will figure out howling is not a way to grab your attention.
3. Train The ‘Quiet’ Command
Teaching your dachshund the ‘quiet’ command is also an effective method to reduce or stop it from howling.
You need to create a setting to make your dachshund howl. Once it does so, ask it to stop doing it, saying that it’s not appropriate. Once you get your dachshund to listen to you, it will stop howling. At this point, give it a treat.
Repeat this for several days, gradually increasing the time before giving it the treat. Once your dachshund has grabbed this concept, add in the ‘quiet’ command so that you can use it to ask them to stop howling if it does it again.
4. Seek Help From A Professional Trainer
If all else fails and you cannot stop your dachshund from howling, then it’s time to get help from a professional trainer.
You can opt for online training, where you get step-by-step instructions and can do it whenever you have the time.
Another option is to get a professional trainer to come to your house for training. He will be able to tell you what’s causing your dachshund to howl and what you can do to fix this problem.
You can also train your dog at home with advice and tips you get from the trailer. It’s vital that you find a high-quality dog collar when training at home. Dog collar reviews on the internet will give you an idea of what you need to look for.
Final Thoughts
Dachshunds howl due to their basic instincts. If this howling is a nuisance to you and your neighbors, you must take appropriate action to reduce or stop it.
Identify the cause that makes your dachshund howl and provide an appropriate solution for it. Soon, you will have a dachshund that howls way less than it used to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Dachshunds Vocal?
Dachshunds love to be vocal. They express both joy and sadness vocally.
What Does It Mean When My Dachshund Howls?
Your dog may howl to get your attention or to announce their presence to another animal or person.
Is It Alright To Howl With Your Dachshund?
You shouldn’t howl with your dachshund as this will encourage it to howl more.
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