by KYW's Nan Talleno
Dogs communicate in many ways through body language and vocal communication.
There are many ways canines communicate vocally including barking, whining, growling and howling. The history of howling has its roots in the dog’s wolf ancestry. It was used as a form of communication since wolves and dogs are pack animals and have the need to socialize and remain close to the pack. Like the wolf, a dog’s howl can be heard over long distances. The howl can run through various pitches, which aid in producing a long distance sound.
It was a way of identifying who is out there, a call for help, a warning of danger, but primarily unifying the pack to rejoin for safety. The howl was originally used by wolves for communication to synchronize and assemble the pack. The modern-day dog in a family setting has no need for the original purpose of the howl, however, when a dog feels isolated or lonely, he/she may feel the need to communicate that message of loneliness instinctively with a howl.
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