Why Do Dogs Howl When Someone Dies?

While there is no evidence to suggest dogs have any supernatural ability beyond the material world, the answer to the question of whether dogs can sense death is not a simple one. While we are able to study a dog's perceptions to a certain extent, this is limited by factors such as the restricted communication between dog and humans. This does not mean we understand nothing about canine perception.

In terms of a dog's senses, it is important to remember that canines have some sensory ability which is much more acute than our own. This is particularly seen in their sense of smell. Dogs have many thousands more olfactory receptors than humans, making their sense of smell one of the most powerful in the animal kingdom. While their vision differs from our own, they are also able to see well in certain environments and have very good hearing.

Dogs are also very observant animals. The domestication process of dogs originated from early civilizations using dogs for protection, in addition to various other working roles. While it will differ according to the individual animal, dogs constantly assess their surroundings and are attuned to even minute changes which we cannot determine.

When a human is unwell, they may be giving certain signals which are hidden even from themselves. Since dogs are always monitoring their families, it is possible their perceptiveness allows them to notice signals which others cannot. These can be signs of weakness, instability, altering breathing or other symptoms which a dog may perceive as being a problem.

In this way, a dog may not even know that death is imminent. However, they are able to sense the changes in normal behavior which imply serious illness or death. For a dog to assimilate this information correctly, they will need training. Otherwise, they are simply responding to certain stimuli, physical alterations in the human organism or changed circumstances.

Learn more about a dog's sensory ability in our article explaining what can dogs sense?

We have already mentioned that dogs have a much more acute sense of smell than our own. Such olfactory ability is very useful for their species. Since they can detect hormonal changes, this allows males and females to sense each other when they are fertile. This precedes mating and allows the animals to continue their lineage. For this reason, we should be unsurprised that dogs are able to detect hormonal changes in humans via smell.

Necromones are a type of pheromone which are released by decaying animal tissue. Cadaverine and putrescine are two such necromones which are formed by the breakdown of amino acids after death. These necromones are very important as they allow other animals to sense a decaying body, something which provides health risks in the wild.

While dogs are very able to detect necromones after the death of a human or animal, this does not mean dogs can necessarily use necromones to predict death. Necromones are only released after the death of living tissue when these biogenic amines are released as byproducts of amino acid decomposition.

Although necromones are released when tissue dies, this does not mean the entire organism has died. For example, a person may be affected by localized necrosis which releases these pheromones, but it will not necessarily spread. When a dog senses these smells, they can have an adaptive reaction. This means they sense something is wrong and will act accordingly, although the nature of this reaction will depend on the individual animal.

Other hormones are released when a person's health is in danger. For example, metabolic processes may change and cause hormonal imbalances. These can be picked up by a dog, although the animal will not always be able to process that it threatens the life of their human companion. For example, a person will release various hormones such as cortisol of inflammatory cytokines when having a stroke. The dog can smell these hormones, as well as detect the behavioral and gestural changes in the person.

A dog's response to a life-threatening or potentially fatal situation will depend on their experience and training, among other factors. Some dogs may howl when they sense a person is in danger. This is an important response which is related to the canine social group, something about which we explain more in the sections below.

A dog's sensory perception is not only related to negative health issues. Learn more with our article on why my dog won't leave my side during pregnancy.

If we find a dog howling when a person is dying or has died, it is often a manifestation of important social behavior. Dogs are pack animals and they will howl if one of their number is in danger. Howling is also related to emotional well-being. With this in mind, we can say dogs howl when someone has died for the following reasons:

• Communication: the primary and most primitive driving force behind howling is to alert the pack. This is seen in wild canid species such as wolves. Howling is a canine vocalization which is used to communicate over long distances. It also may be used to communicate specific information which cannot be communicated by other vocalizations such as barking.
• Emotional expression: too many of us minimize the emotional ability of canines. While not as emotionally advanced as ourselves, dogs are able to sense many emotions, including fear, happiness, stress and sadness. If a dog has realized that their beloved humans has died or is about to die, they may howl as a way to express their sadness. It is a similar behavior when dogs howl due to separation anxiety since there is no more permanent a separation than death.

As we have explained, dogs can smell hormonal changes when a person is about to die. If they have acquired previous experience with death, they may have assimilated these smells with the absence of a person. Due to this association, they may howl for the above reasons.

When a dog loses a human companion due to death, their emotional response can vary. The nature of this response is often a sign of the strength of their bond together. If a dog has not had the opportunity to develop a close bond with a person, their reaction to their death will likely be different to someone with whom they are very close.

As we have explained above, howling in dogs can occur both as an escape valve for the discomfort caused by their emotional suffering or as an attempt to alert others in their group. This happens during the moment of death when the dog detects these changes.

Even after death, the dog may respond to the changes in their environment after the loss of a companion. The family dynamic changes after the passing of a loved one. This can have a negative impact on their emotional balance, leading to howling to express their distress.

When a dog's owner passes, they will no longer be able to carry out the activities they enjoyed such as walking, playing or being affectionate together. If a dog was once walked by a beloved companion every day at 8 pm, it is understandable a dog may howl at this time when it does not happen. While we can expect some level of grief, some dogs can develop serious issues with stress after the passing of a human guardian.

In these cases, it is essential we provide support to the dog. While we will need to respect the dog's space and time, we should also carry out the following to help them manage their emotions:

• Inviting them for walks and play sessions
• Pampering them with lots of affection and encouraging words
• Treat them with a delicious home-cooked meal or a new toy

The death of a family member will be difficult for all who was close to them, not just their dog. Fortunately, helping a dog to recover from their grief can be mutually beneficial, allowing others in the family to process their loss.

Some dogs may need more specific treatment to overcome the negative emotions triggered by death. If you notice that your dog is very depressed, refuses to eat or keeps howling for no apparent reason, it is best to take them to a veterinarian. They can assess their physical health. If the problem is not physical, they can recommend a canine ethologist or provide practical help to manage the dog's emotions.

Howling is a behavior which does not only accompany the loss of a loved one. Learn about why dogs howl to songs in our related guide.

There is another, simpler reason why dogs howl when someone dies or is about to die. This is related to the emergency response which occurs in these situations. The sirens of ambulances, fire trucks or police vehicles are sounds which often provoke strong reactions in dogs.

Dogs hear frequencies which we cannot, being particularly sensitive to high frequencies. Dogs are able to perceive sounds up to 60,000 Hz, while human hearing can only detect sounds up to 20,000 Hz. Sirens are not only very loud, but they have high frequencies to pierce through environmental noise and alert others of an emergency. Dogs can find these sounds particularly worrying.

Finally, it is also possible that the sound of the siren reminds them of another dog howling. Since various sirens have long and droning sounds in a high pitch, they can sound like another dog howling. The dog may misperceive these sirens and howl as a response.

Discover more detail about this behavior with our article asking why does my dog howl at sirens?

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