Know all about your furry little wolf
While little Huskies are not able to howl, they do start making grunting noises when they are about two to three weeks old. This is the age at which they start observing their surroundings and beginning their interactions. Different Huskies start howling at different times. Although it is a generalization that all Huskies howl, not all Huskies are really into that habit.
So when do Huskies start howling?
Typically, a Husky puppy starts howling when they are between six to seven months of age. Note that all Husky puppies are not inclined towards howling. Some might take a longer time to show this trait while others might never howl. The Huskies that grow around other Huskies are more likely to howl.
If it is meant to be, you would notice your little wolf attempting to howl when they are about three to four months of age. It has been observed that most Huskies start howling by the time they are eight months of age. If eight months have passed and your Husky doesn’t seem to be interested in howling, they might not be into it.
Little Huskies cannot howl for a reason
Little Husky puppies, younger than five months of age make a soft noise that appears like a howl. Although howling is an instinctive trait in Huskies, it is definitely not a suitable behavior for little vulnerable babies. Howls are loud sounds and they are heard over large distances. If a little Husky puppy howls, they’d only make themselves exposed to dangerous situations. There could be lurking predators that they should be protected from.
The presence of other Huskies would encourage howling
All little creatures follow the footprints of their elders. If your little Husky puppy has another elder Husky to look up to, they’ll probably learn many new things from them. The company of other dogs is a defining characteristic in the development of dog behavior.
A puppy growing up along with a pack of Huskies will grasp their distinctive traits sooner than a puppy growing up without them. A pack of Huskies follows the patterns of a pack of wolves. This pack is expected to communicate by howling. So the little ones might learn this earlier.
Husky puppies growing up without other Huskies might never howl
Howling is most predominantly seen in Huskies. Other dogs do not howl as often as they. If the dogs around your Husky puppy do not resort to the howling tendencies, your Husky will not get to learn this trait. Then they might just learn to bark like the rest of the dogs. But sometimes, it happens that the Husky proves to be the alpha and teaches all the other dogs to howl like them.
Huskies are more inclined towards howling than other dogs
Huskies are more closely linked to their wolf ancestors than most other dogs. That is why they resort to howling. Unlike popular beliefs, wolves are not the common ancestors of all dogs. Many dogs are descendants of bears and foxes. This is why Huskies carry many traits that are typical of wolves.
The parent breed of Huskies was referred to as Chukchi in Siberia. They were working dogs that helped the Chukchi people in hunting and pulling sleds. Huskies have been very affectionate and playful since the start and they offered rightful companionship to these people in the icy Siberian lands.
Huskies have been built to survive in the incredibly harsh Arctic environment. Huskies are very closely related to wolves and their breed wasn’t altered to enable their survival in the bitterest conditions. Huskies are quite powerful and have just the right amount of fur and toughness to brave the icy cold realities of lands like Siberia.
Wolves howl as a means of communication
Wolves exist in packs and use howling as a means of communication. They travel up to large distances at a time. Howling serves as the right tool to communicate across such gaps. Each pack has a specific frequency of howl that they use to identify their members. Wolves are always aware of each member’s position because of this gift.
The highly developed sense of smell does have its merits at short distances. But nothing compares to the benefits of a howl and its reliable tracking mechanism when it comes to wolves.
Huskies howl and carry forward their legacy from wolves
When Huskies live with humans, they try to establish a pack behavior. They will sometimes howl as a means of communication with you. There can be many reasons behind the howling nature of our pet Huskies, but it is definitely a legacy they are carrying from their wolf ancestors.
It is okay if your Husky doesn’t howl
Not all Huskies are inclined towards howling, especially if yours has not grown up in the presence of other Huskies. The Huskies who do howl tend to indulge in howling more frequently only when they are worried or anxious.
Some Huskies are not meant to howl
Because howling is an intrinsic and certainly genetic trait amongst Huskies, it may be possible that some members of the breed may be more predisposed to this habit than others. This implies that the genetic differences between the different members of the breed may predispose some of them to howl more than others.
Some Huskies have a quiet personality
Not all Huskies are loud, whiny, and demanding. Just like some humans, some Huskies are necessarily quiet. It is also possible for some Huskies to be more inclined towards barking than howling.
Maybe your Husky hasn’t learned it yet
It is possible that your Husky yet hasn’t learned how to howl. If your Husky hasn’t grown up amongst other Huskies, they may require some more time to figure out that they should howl.
Maybe your Husky has bad trauma related to howling
If you have adopted a Husky, it is possible that they have some bad memories associated with howling. In such a scenario, they shouldn’t be forced to howl. You should instead heal their trauma by giving them all the love and affection they rightly deserve for who they are.
Maybe your Husky isn’t comfortable
If you have recently shifted the Husky to a new environment, they might not be comfortable so soon. Give them time to accommodate. They’ll probably howl their heart out when they are comfortable.
Maybe they are ill
It may be possible that your Husky has some injury or that they aren’t feeling well. If they show other symptoms of sickness, get them checked by a veterinarian.
You can try to make your Husky howl
Huskies are very energetic, playful, and independent. So unless they are adequately trained, they cannot be expected to follow and become cooperative. Just like you teach them all the other responsibilities, you can also teach your likeness of a wolf to howl. Note that it is important to teach them this stuff when they are little and yet impressionable.
Howl at your puppy
Huskies tend to observe their family as a pack. Howling is a means of communication amongst the members of the pack. Huskies are known to make several weird sounds. Many times it appears that they are actually speaking. Amongst the numerous sounds Huskies make, one can certainly be a howl.
It is recommended that you softly howl at your puppy and observe their reaction. With time, they’ll learn to communicate with you by howling back. This could be the beginning of your Game of Thrones cosplay.
Employ positive affirmation
You ought to repeat the howling exercise often. Whenever your puppy succeeds at howling back, you can affirm their correct behavior with the help of positive affirmations. You can do this by giving them a treat. Your curious Husky will attempt at howling more often to get more treats.
Use specific prompts for howling
It wouldn’t be very attractive to witness you and your dog howling back and forth at each other. It is recommended that you assign howling to a special hand signal that your dog can follow. Train your Husky to recognize this gesture and encourage their correct behavior with the help of positive affirmations.
Teach your Husky to stop too
Training Huskies is not a piece of cake and it would certainly take much effort and time. But if you commit to it, your little wildling will soon learn to follow commands and howl when told to. One added benefit of teaching your Husky to howl is that they can also be told to stop howling on command.
This is very important since many Huskies resort to uncontrollable howling when they are bored. If your Husky knows the commands when they are older, it would help you a lot in understanding and managing their behavior.
Conclusion
Most Huskies start howling by the time they are eight months of age. But it is okay even if your Husky doesn’t howl. It is not a certain trait.