When considering purchasing a new dog as a first-time owner, many questions will run through your mind about the breed. Will they shed? Will they lose their colorings? How big will they get? Do they bark much? But what about howling? Ever considered the howling element when looking at dog breeds? Maybe you have, but I don’t think it’s up there with the most asked questions. Why does your Goldendoodle howl? Is there anything to stop it? Do all Goldendoodles inevitably howl? Time to take a look.
Howling can be a simple reaction to a noise or sight, a greeting, a way of seeking attention or a way of having their voice heard. Sometimes howling can point to separation anxiety or other more serious medical issues.
Dogs howl as a form of communicating with the world and this stems back to the origins of the wolf. Sometimes they do it as a reaction to a noise they hear, perhaps another dog barking or a noisy motorbike. When is it normal howling or something more concerning? Let’s discuss.
Table of Contents
Why Do Goldendoodles Howl?
Let us first explore why your Goldendoodle might howl, this can give us an insight into their behaviors and help us find possible solutions.
- To gain attention. It can simply be your dog’s way of communicating something to its owner/household. You may be in at the time or not – this won’t stop your dog from doing it if it is trying to alert you of something. The problem here is you may not be aware of the extent of the noise, sadly your neighbors might.
- Response to environmental noise. Your dog’s howling can be a response to noises they hear which irritate or excite them. Another dog yapping, car horns, sirens, and so many other sounds can gain your dog’s attention.
- To declare their presence. Some dogs will howl simply to tell the world they are here. They want other dogs to know they are present and can see or hear them. This could perhaps be a more problematic reason. As it may not always be caused by a trigger, it potentially could go on for longer periods at a time.
- Loneliness. Some dogs may simply be bored or lonely while home alone. They are simply trying to guide you back home. This can evolve into the more concerning issue of separation anxiety. Separation anxiety can be a fairly common reason for howling and indeed barking from your Goldendoodle. It can be tricky to solve (or at least reduce) the howling.
- Medical problems. A more serious reason for howling could be your Goldendoodle’s way of telling you something doesn’t feel right with them which isn’t good news. Check them over for any obvious signs of injuries and make an appointment with your vet to rule out pain of any sort.
- Dreaming. Some Goldendoodles may howl in their sleep, as well as twitch, bark and roll their eyes! You are forgiven for wondering how on earth they stay asleep with so much going on with their body at that time!
How to Stop your Goldendoodle from Howling
We’ve looked into the reasons your dog might be howling, but can this be resolved? Should it be resolved or is it a natural and primal instinct and should therefore not be interfered with? This very much depends on the extent of the issue, and what is causing it.
There are some simple and practical measures you can take to help reduce the likelihood of howling due to boredom, loneliness or anxiety. Before you go out ensure your dog has had adequate exercise and their toileting needs have been met. If you are at work all day you may consider a dog walker to pop in and take your dog for another walk.
Leave them with a variety of mentally stimulating toys to occupy their minds. Some dogs even like to have white noise, or the radio left on. Set up a comfortable space for your dog in a quiet area of your home, away from the front door and if possible, windows too. If this isn’t possible, maybe pull the curtains across while you are out so that your dog isn’t tempted to spend all day looking out the window.
Some positive reinforcement strategies can be useful for Goldendoodles that howl for attention. Ignore the howling as much as possible – by this we mean literally turn your back on them or move to another room. When your dog stops howling, reward them either with lots of praise or a small treat. Allow a few seconds to pass before rewarding to ensure your dog learns that only being quiet brings reward.
If the reason for the howling turns out to be a medical issue, then only your vet can help. They can carry out an examination on your pooch, and then do some tests if deemed necessary. Dogs with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) could potentially howl, however there are likely to be other signs such as loss of appetite, pacing, nervous and lethargic behavior.
For dogs that howl due to being anxious then the solution lies within the reasons for being anxious. Your dog may not like being home alone, in which case leaving your dog in a calm environment with some background noise can help. You can also look into specific help for the anxiety – you can hire dog trainers who can help and advise.
Methods to Avoid
As we have seen there are plenty of tactics to try to calm a howling dog, all of which will support making your pooch feel safe. However, on the flip side there are some methods out there dubbed as ways of reducing howling which aren’t so kind on your fur baby and actually can be detrimental to their wellbeing.
- Bark Collars: These are widely considered cruel and many organizations such as the ASPCA do not promote the use of these. They work by punishing the dog for barking or howling. There are different types of collars out there – some spray a citronella mist, some give a shock, and some omit a loud piercing noise your dog will not like. Although these may stop your Goldendoodle howling, they still won’t learn what the correct behavior is, this will just scare them.
- Punishment Training: Scaring your dog into submission really isn’t the way to gain their trust and help them understand their unwanted behavior. Positive reinforcement is much kinder, and much more successful.
- Muzzles: These do have their uses and can be very helpful in some situations. Aggressive dogs wear these when out on walks to alert other owners to the fact their dog isn’t sociable. Do not under any circumstance leave a muzzle on your dog for a prolonged period of time – they cannot eat, drink or pant (cool down) effectively while wearing one.
In Summary
We now know the potential reasons your Goldendoodle might be howling and the steps you can take to stop or at least reduce this. We’ve spoken about the more undesirable ways of stopping the howling. But will all Goldendoodles inevitably howl? The answer is no, not necessarily. Different dogs have different personalities and triggers, and you will not know if your dog will howl until they are home with you. The happier the dog and the more time it is around people, the less likely it will be to howl much.
Did You Know? A dog’s howl originated from the wolf. The sound of a wolf howl can travel as far as 16km in the right environment and is used to communicate with their pack members over potential dangers and to call their pack members home. Their howl is equivalent to a human shouting.
Related Questions
Do Goldendoodles Get Depressed?
Yes, they can get depressed just like any dog breed can, or any human being for that matter. It really is no different for our pooches, they too struggle with their emotions at times. Goldendoodles adore being around their family so when left alone they may feel anxious or sad.
Can You Teach Your Dog to Howl?
Yes, you can teach your dog to howl. You can howl at your dog and when they try to mimic you then you reward them and repeat this process over and over. If you notice your dog howling at a certain trigger (eg siren) shout “howl” as they begin. If you say this each time, they begin howling they will eventually associate the word with the action and be able to perform this action on cue.