Howling

Bacchus is now 11 mths and is and always has been crated at night. He's always keen to go to the crate and is usually in there waiting for his bed-time treat.

Last night he went to bed as usual, about 11pm. but we were awakened at 1am by him howling like a wolf. According to the OH this had been going on for a few minutes before I woke up. I got up and went downstairs, made no fuss, opened his crate, opened the back door and let him out. He just went out onto the back step, turned around and wanted back in. I put him back in his crate, again with no interaction just in case it was an attention seeking thing. He started again at 2.30 am but I ignored him and he stopped after a couple of mins.

He has never done this sort of thing before, only ever waking us up if he was desperate to go and even this I could count on one hand.

When I came down at my usual time of 6.45 am he was his usual lazy, reluctant to get out of bed, self.

Any ideas anyone ????

Possible something gave him a fright ... new noise perhaps? Something moving around outside? Could just be trying it out to see what the reaction/response will be too

aww poor bacchus & you, maybe something spooked him? or perhaps he missed you, or feeling a little off, cant think of anything specific, ive no experience with it, im sure someone will pop along shortly who may be able to help. 

No idea sorry but im sure its of course nothing to serious,i guess just wait and see if he does it again tonight.


You have a lovely dog btw nice face markings

How are his stools? Does he seem constipated at all? He might feel the need to go, but can't physically do it.

It's unlikely to be separation anxiety if he's been crated all his life.

Have there been any new additions to the house such as radios? These often set dogs off howling. So do police radios and sirens. He might also be howling in response to another dog he can hear.

If it continues, you might want to consider a vets trip just to make sure he's healthy. It can sometimes be an early sign of illness.

It's possible he just heard something outside, see how it goes tonight.

staffyforever wrote:No idea sorry but im sure its of course nothing to serious,i guess just wait and see if he does it again tonight.


You have a lovely dog btw nice face markings

Thanks.  His markings are unusual.  He has pieds on both sides of his pedigree.

Next door neighbour has two six month old collies.  She says they were having a carry on during the night, so we don't know if his howling set them off or vice versa.

I find Vinnie very acute to the change in weather ie if maybe there is thunder about or wind. I am sure He will be ok tonight if not perhaps a trip to the vets.

Don't think it's a health issue.  He's his usual self today.  Will see what tonight brings.

Dempsey went through a stage of doing this, but during the day. I took him to the vet & he was given a clean bill of health & we never found out what it was all about!

But as Eleanor says, howling can be an early sign of discomfort/illness so if he shows any other signs of being unwell pop him to the vets.

He was at it again about 5.30pm. sitting by the garden gate. Took him for a walk.  Poos normal.

Do you think it could be a bitch in season in the area??

No idea why he could be doing this, but Rocky is 5 months and the past few nights has been barking quite a bit after we put him to bed. Only lasts a few minutes then he quietens up again, probably a cat or odd sound he wants to scare off!

Hope you get it sorted soon and hope all is well with my little mate (who is not so little now )

Thinkling that he is just getting spooked by something and hope its no more than that

Tilly and Tommy sending big HUGS for their Scottish mate

reuben wrote:He was at it again about 5.30pm. sitting by the garden gate. Took him for a walk.  Poos normal.

Do you think it could be a bitch in season in the area??

Could be, but if that was the case, he'd probably be doing it during the day as well. My guess is that there could be something he's not used to in your neighbourhood - a sound, for instance. That could be a new dog barking, a high frequency radio, etc..

If it does carry on, I do think he should see a vet. Although it might not be health-related, it's a possibility.

usually a howl is a call or an announcment, "come back" or "I'm here". it travels further than a growl or a bark so its designed to call into the distance. If he is howling while you are around it doent sound like he is trying to grab your attention however mournfull it may sound.
Some dogs will do it when they are bored but as it is in the middle of the night i wouldnt think that is your issue. More likley he is answering something back which you cannot hear or as you say letting a female thats in season know he is in the area.
I came back one night from town and I could hear Marley howling in the house from about 3 mins walking away... I had my fingers crossed as soon as i heard it hopeing it wasnt him but it was, and it was 11:30pm and must have been doing the neighbours heads in. now if I could hear it from that distance lord knows how far a dog will hear it from and answer back.

Nathan wrote:usually a howl is a call or an announcment, "come back" or "I'm here". it travels further than a growl or a bark so its designed to call into the distance. If he is howling while you are around it doent sound like he is trying to grab your attention however mournfull it may sound.
Some dogs will do it when they are bored but as it is in the middle of the night i wouldnt think that is your issue. More likley he is answering something back which you cannot hear or as you say letting a female thats in season know he is in the area.
I came back one night from town and I could hear Marley howling in the house from about 3 mins walking away... I had my fingers crossed as soon as i heard it hopeing it wasnt him but it was, and it was 11:30pm and must have been doing the neighbours heads in. now if I could hear it from that distance lord knows how far a dog will hear it from and answer back.

Met one of the regular dog walkers this morning and his bitch is in season. Bacchus made every effort to mount her before I got him on the lead but she wasn't having any. The owner has just been walking her as normal so it's very possible Bacchus has been picking up the scent on our walks. The howling has only lasted a few minutes the last few nights but apart from the howling he has been very restless and whiny since Thursday which is not like him. I will be taking him to the vet on another matter next week and will have him checked out but I'm pretty sure the problem is the smells he's getting.

Got an appointment for Wed. a.m. to have the Wee Man checked out but I'm fairly sure it's a love thing as he spent the morning walk trying to hump his pal, Buster the boxer.