Top 3 Reasons Why Dogs Howl at Sirens

Does your dog have a tendency to howl whenever a siren goes off? Whether that’s the siren of an ambulance, police car, fire truck, or other vehicles, it could be considered a normal behavior for dogs to respond to the high-pitch siren noise. Here are the most common reasons to explain this.

1. Responding to other dogs

The siren resembles a high-pitched sound. The dog might howl because he thinks the siren noise is coming from another dog. It’s part of a dog’s innate behavior to howl along with the pack.

2. Disrupting an unpleasant sound

The dog might howl because he is trying to disrupt the unpleasant siren sound. The dog might find the noise frequencies of a siren irritating so they howl to try and offset the noise. While this reason is unlikely, perhaps the siren is also causing discomfort in the dog’s ear. The howling is a reaction to the discomfort.

3. Howling as a warning

The dog might consider the siren noise as a potential threat. Howling might be a way for dogs to warn others in the “pack” that the threat is approaching. This could be a potential reason if the dog isn’t used to the siren noise.

Do sirens hurt a dog’s ears?

While dogs are sensitive to noises, it’s very unlikely for the siren noise to hurt their ears unless the siren is super loud and the noise is generated right in front of the dog. You may, however, want to check with the vet if the dog shows other signs of distress. This may include lowered ears and tails tucked between the dog’s back legs.