If Your Dog Howls Like a Wolf... The Hidden Meaning Is "Please Stay Away"

Hungarian Research Team Studies Causes of Pet Dog 'Howling'
Genetic Similarity to Wolves... More Frequent in Ancient Breeds
"Responding to Territorial Intrusion Stress with Howling"

A study has found that if a pet dog howls like a wolf, it may mean "I am scared, so do not come close."

On the 6th (local time), according to IFL Science and others, the reason some dogs howl like wolves is due to stress from "territorial intrusion." Researchers from E?tv?s Lor?nd University (ELTE) in Hungary recently published these findings in the journal Nature Communications Biology.

Howling is a characteristic form of communication used by wolves to send messages over long distances, mark territorial boundaries, and help identify the location of other wolves. Although known as a trait exclusive to wolves, it is used among canids as a long-distance communication method to signal their territory and location.

[Image source=Pixabay]

Generally, sled dogs that resemble wolves are sensitive enough to respond with howling to doorbells or music. On the other hand, some breeds know how to howl but never do so throughout their lives.

The research team led by Dr. Tam?s Farag? from ELTE's Department of Animal Behavior played recordings of wolf howling sounds to 68 purebred dog breeds to observe their howling responses and measured the genetic similarity between the dogs and wolves.

The results showed that "ancient breeds," which are genetically closer to wolves, tended to respond to the recordings with howling. Conversely, "modern breeds," genetically more distant from wolves, responded by barking instead of howling.

The research team explained, "Howling is included in the repertoire of all canid species, but modern breeds seem to have lost its function in changed social environments and do not use it appropriately. Ancient breeds genetically closer to wolves can better understand the information embedded in howling than modern breeds." They also speculated that "the dogs were stressed by territorial intrusion and responded by howling like wolves to avoid it."

"Older dogs are more fearful... Neutered males also affected"

It was also found that genetic effects related to howling appeared only in dogs older than five years. Dr. Farag? explained, "Interestingly, howling occurred only among older dogs, which may be because older dogs have more fear." He added, "This aligns with the hypothesis that howling, which seems to indicate high stress, expresses fear, but further research is needed."

Besides breed and age, the effects of characteristics such as sex and reproductive status were also tested. There was no difference between neutered and intact females, but among males, neutered dogs with a deficiency in the male hormone testosterone howled more. The research team stated, "Neutered males appeared to be more fearful."

The research team emphasized, "This study supports the hypothesis that human domestication and selective breeding have fundamentally changed the repertoire of dog vocalizations and altered the perception and production of howling," adding, "It brings us one step closer to understanding the important history and impact of the relationship between humans and companion dogs."