We’ve all heard it – a dog howling at the top of its lungs. It is either out of pain, frustration, loneliness, or just simply trying to get someone’s attention.
But is it the same for pit bulls? Do pit bulls howl? And under what circumstances do they start howling? Well, let’s find out together.
Do Pit Bulls Howl?
Yes, pit bulls do howl, although they only do so under certain circumstances.
Generally speaking, Pitbulls are very quiet dogs. They rarely bark or make any vocal sounds. Which is why you may have yet to witness the sound of your pittie pup “singing a song” or howling.
However, when they sense danger, or trying to show extreme affection, they will start howling. Of course, there are other reasons as well that cause them to howl and we will go through them in the next part of the article.
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Why Do Pit Bulls Howl?
Basically, howling is one of the ways dogs use to communicate with each other. So, if your Pitbull suddenly howls, chances are they are just responding to the howling sounds made by other dogs in the neighborhood.
Simply put, your pittie are signaling their thoughts to the neighborhood dogs by howling. It can be that they’re agreeing with the dogs on what’s going on in the area, or just showing disagreement and want other dogs to be quiet!
Additionally, your Pittie will also start howling if they feel overly excited around other dogs. You can tell that they are feeling excited by the high-pitched, labored howl accompanied by fast rapid breaths.
Sometimes, your Pitbull will bark and howl in response to unexpected or unfamiliar noise, something that other dogs will also do. This often occurs during the festive season, where fireworks or parades might be going on.
Lastly, another reason for howling is due to health issues your beloved pup is experiencing. This howl is a little different. It sounds more like a cry, like asking for help on a physical pain that is from an injury, or emotional pain or distress. In other words, it’s pretty much like the Pit Bull is suffering a form of separation anxiety.
Why Are Pitbulls Generally Quieter?
Howling is a very specific sound that dogs make. It’s loud and low sounding, and the sound can travel over far distances of up to one mile.
Generally, when you think of a dog howling sound, people usually only think of Huskies, Greyhounds, or Basset Hounds. However, nearly every dog breed know how to howl and can howl, just that some just simply choose not to.
In most cases, dogs use howling to get attention and to warn against danger. With that being said, dogs that howl are historically bred Plus, dogs that howl were historically bred to get their owner’s attention or scare off predators.
As the name indicated, Pitbulls are a dog breed that bred to fight in an arena, a history that in some way gives a reputation of Pitbull being a dangerous dog.
Of course, this is untrue because Pitbulls are one of the sweetest dogs you can find. Anyway, due to their breeding reason, Pitbulls are typically not needing to howl to scare off predators.
Additionally, other dog breeds, like Huskies, were bred to keep in constant vocal connection with their owner or others in their pack whereas Pitbulls were not.
Final Thoughts
Knowing why your Pitbull might be howling will help you to help them and get them to stop if that is what you wish.
Howling can be an effective way for your Pittie to communicate an issue with you, so always pay attention to other warning signs that may indicate distress.
Depending on the situation, your pet’s personality, and their age, their howls could just be harmless ways for your Pitbull to get your attention.