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Why does my dog howl at sirens, and what training can help him stop?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 3 years and 10 months old | 23 lbs

There are at least a dozen dogs in my neighborhood, but mine is the only one that howls when he hears a siren. Even my other dog doesn't. Why does the sound disturb him and how can I help him?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA

Veterinarian

Published on August 26th, 2017

Dogs howl at sirens for a variety of reasons. Some dogs associate the sound of a siren with a bad memory and howl at the siren to "chase" it away. Other dogs instinctively howl at sirens because to them it sounds like a pack call. Whether or not your dog howls at sirens depends on his breed, age, comfort and security and of course hearing. However, research has shown that even though dogs hear very differently from people, the sound of a siren does not in fact hurt their ears.

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    Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I am sorry that Donino is howling and is barking too much. First of all rest assured that this is a common problem. Unfortunately the tactic of yelling or stomping at Domino won't help the problem, as he will think that you are merely joining in the activity of "make loud noises at the door." It actually can contribute to the behaviour. This is the tactic I recommend though it may seem funny you have to start by Teaching your dog the "quiet" command. Give Domino the command to "speak." Then wait for him to bark two or three times, and reward him with a treat in front of his nose and verbal praise. When he stops barking to sniff the treat, praise him and give him the treat. Repeat this many times until he starts barking as soon as you say "speak." Once your Domino can reliably bark on command, move on to teaching him the "quiet" command. In a calm environment with no distractions, tell him to "speak." Then when he starts to bark, say "quiet" and stick a treat in front of his nose. Next Praise him for being quiet and give him the treat. Here is an Example of how this will work when someone is at the door; When the doorbell rings or a siren goes by, your dog alerts you to the presence of an "intruder" by barking very loud and repeatedly. After you've taught your dog the command "quiet" in a calm environment, practice in increasingly distracting situations. Do this until your dog can immediately stop barking when asked to, even when that "intruder" arrives at the door. I would suggest reading this article and keeping it as a reference as you move forward with your training. I wanted to share this article with you: http://www.petcoach.co/article/why-does-my-dog-bark-so-much/

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