Why is it that everytime an ambulance or fire truck passes by my house my dogs howl like crazy?
11 Mar 2010
I have an indoor chihuahua who could care less when she hears it but my two outdoor dogs cry and howl like crazy when they hear it.
its the sound of the siren.
Howling is not exclusive to dogs; it’s hard to forget the lonely cry of the wolf. Wolves and other pack animals do use howling, and although it sounds sad and lonely, it often serves another purpose. Because wolves and dogs both have very keen hearing, a howl can be heard from far away, and wolves use this as a form of communication and location. A howl can send up a signal that says “I’m here!” and the respondent howl of other wolves is a reply of “We’ve over here!”
When dogs howl at sirens, they may very well be expressing this instinctual behavior too. Some sirens sound like the faraway howl of a dog (at least to other dogs), and the dog may merely be being helpful by sending up a response. One howl often leads to another, which is why you may hear a whole neighborhood of dogs howling in response.
my three current dogs dont care, but my stolen toy fox terrier used to do it all the time. I miss him 
4 Responses
2010 Mar 11
different pitches in sounds make dogs howl. it must be the high pitch of the sirens that make ur dog howl. i play voilin and whenever i practice on the highest string (E) my dog howls.
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2010 Mar 11
The person who answered before me is correct.
Its the loud pitches that make dogs bark, my dog does that too.
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2010 Mar 11
its the sound of the siren.
Howling is not exclusive to dogs; it’s hard to forget the lonely cry of the wolf. Wolves and other pack animals do use howling, and although it sounds sad and lonely, it often serves another purpose. Because wolves and dogs both have very keen hearing, a howl can be heard from far away, and wolves use this as a form of communication and location. A howl can send up a signal that says “I’m here!” and the respondent howl of other wolves is a reply of “We’ve over here!”
When dogs howl at sirens, they may very well be expressing this instinctual behavior too. Some sirens sound like the faraway howl of a dog (at least to other dogs), and the dog may merely be being helpful by sending up a response. One howl often leads to another, which is why you may hear a whole neighborhood of dogs howling in response.
my three current dogs dont care, but my stolen toy fox terrier used to do it all the time. I miss him
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2010 Mar 11
their hearing is very touchy and the pitch of the siren is at that level that is uncomfortable for the little dogs ears.
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