Why Do Dachshunds Howl?

Dachshund howling is a problem that many dachshund owners face once in their lives. And wonder about why do dachshunds howl. Are there any specific reasons for this, or do they do it randomly? Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals.

They are independent, confident, with their strong sense of hunting underground living animals. Howling is the most important trait that makes them a perfect underground hunting dog. In this blog, we will know why dachshunds like to howl and what the relationship is between their howling behaviour and their ancestors’ history.

Reason behind the dachshund’s howling behaviour

Hunting Instincts

Dachshunds’ primary reason for howling is their hunting instinct. They were bred 300 years ago to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals. Their long body and tiny legs made them perfect hunter dogs for underground. Howling is the most important skill for that; this can be useful during hunting underground. Howling helps to provide an exact location to the hunter who is on the surface of the land. These howling traits are deeply hardwired in their brains and have not changed until now.

When dachshunds were chasing animals underground, hunters found it hard to know the location of prey; dachshunds used howling to show their hunter companions the accurate location of their prey. This helps hunters to know where to dig and where not. After knowing the exact location, they easily catch it. Howling traits play a significant role in hunting prey and other burrowing animals, and from that time, dachshunds have used howling when they need to communicate with their owner or hunting companions.

Pack Communication

Dachshunds are social dogs, they were also hunted in groups, which made them a pack instinctive dog. When they need to communicate with their companion during hunting time, they tend to howl. Their howl works as a vocal GPS for their group’s members.

Their howl is also important when they are lost, when they howl, and their group members know their location accurately. This helps keep them together, especially when they are separated. Howling also creates a sense of unity in the pack when one howls, other often joins the group and help to strengthen group bonds if your dachshund is howling.

Sometimes when they feel alone, they may howl to call their owner. This is normal behaviour of a dachshund. Howling is a natural things that predict their emotional condition. Sometimes when we see our dachshund howl and we think this is a random thing, this is not normal for everytime, sometimes this sign may mean your dog has emotional problem.

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety can be a cause for your dachshund’s howling. I previously said dachshunds are pet that loves to be social and form a strong bond with their owner. When they are lefted alone, they feel anxiety. They mostly depend on their caretaker, and when a dog did not see their owner for a while, it feels uncomfortable. This is called separation anxiety in dog.

Howling is a common symptom of separation anxiety, especially in dachshunds. When they don’t see their favourite person around them, they feel incomplete and anxious and howling to call you in the hope of returning to you.

In addition, they can also show various symptoms of separation, such chewing random things, excessive barking and potty accidents.

In this situation, you need to take action to reduce anxious behaviour when you’re going out of your home.

Territorial Behavior

Dachshunds are small in size but big in personality, they are naturally territorial. Being territorial is a natural behaviour of many dog breeds, including the dachshund. When they feel threatened and in danger to their habitat and owner, they tend to be aggressive. This is an example of their territorial behaviour.

Their territorial behaviour also leads them to howling. When they see other dogs, animals, and person(less common) near their living environment, they tend to howl. This is a way of warning and saying This is my area, you can’t enter my area.

Boredom or Lack of Exercise

Dachshunds need plenty of exercise to feel fresh and well. When they don’t get enough daily exercise, they may feel bored and overenergetic. In this situation, they are likely to howl to balance their energy.

To reduce dachshund boredom, you need to provide them plenty of exercise for dachshund daily, We wrote a detailed blog about dachshund exercise by considering their back problem; you can check it out after reading this.

After providing enough exercise every day, your dachshund is less likely to show howling behaviour because they are not overenergetic, they are tired after exercising, and a tired dog is less likely to howl.

Attention-Seeking

They are social and dogs with a strong bond with humans, which makes them attention-loving dogs. Attention works as a reward for a dachshund. When they need attention, they simply howl and seek attention. When you give attention to dogs’ howling, they are more likely to repeat howling in the future because you give attention when they howl. Not giving much attention when your dog is howling is the best way to deal with this issue. I also use this technique on my dog, and this works well for me.

conclusion

A dachshund’s howl can signify various things. They are energetic, independent and confident dogs. They are bred to hunt badgers, their howling behaviour can seem irritating. Before we take it as a problem, first we need to understand its reason of howling a dachshund howls for various They are sensitive to separation anxiety; if they have it, they may howl in hopes of their owner’s return. When we fail to provide them enough exercise in this situation also they may also show howling behaviour. When your dachshund shows howling behaviour occasionally, but when they show this behaviour frequently, many times in a day, in this situation is problematic. You can reduce dachshund howling by detecting their main cause of its howling. Whether its can be separation anxiety, boredom or external sounds like sirens.