Howling at Lola

[Autumn & Lola]

A few weeks ago I was being silly with Lola. I howled in a funny way. She was immediately at my side, paws on my lap, tail wagging, body wiggling all over. We thought it was funny.

 

Since then I've been conducting an experiment. Whenever I howl (and to a lesser extent, whenever Nick or Mathew do it), Lola comes running regardless of where she is or what she is doing.  I howl, she comes running and again, paws on my lap, wiggling and excited. If I howl once she is already doing this, she gets even more wiggly and excited, really pawing my lap and licking whatever skin she can reach.

 

What gives? Any insight?

[remltr]

Dad just howled at me and I gave him a look like what is your problem. Back to chewing on my carrot filled kong toy.

 

Sassy

 

 

 

Autumn, not a clue, maybe you are just a pitch perfect human cairn.

 

Dad

[shergry]

I love doing this myself.  Really gets Sulley excited and howling along with me.....I am not the best by far!  Then Betsy gets excited too....Ashes just goes back to sleep.  He seems to just ignore this...has not been a howler his whole life.

Sulley was a GREAT big surprise!!!  I have never had a Cairn howl.  No matter what was playing or going on outside....i.e. EMS, fire truck, police, etc.  So we (hubby and I) got REAL excited when this happened.

The actions you speak of sound like Lola heard something in your tone that said "PLAY"!!!!!  Or YOU FINALLY GET ME!!!  Her actions speak excitement all over her body...wiggles are the best!

We don't howl to much....mainly because we want to keep that special bond special.  Don't want to wear out the good times!

The licking suggest you said something in your tone....suggesting PLAY!  I have seen Betsy do this to Sulley many times...usually Sulley gets up from her sleep and give a little romp around to help the youngster feel good. 

Have a GREAT HOWLING time!! 

[hheldorfer]

I'm not sure what's going on with Lola but I'd sure love to see a video.

[hheldorfer]

OK, we had to try it.  Buffy reacted the same as Sassy - looked at us strangely and went back to staring out the window.  

[Dempsy's Mom]

You must be saying something in Lola talk that she likes.  Happy Howling you guys!  .... wonder what the neighbors think. Ha

[Autumn & Lola]

Mind you, Lola doesn't howl at all. It was just me. LOL!!  I hope the neighbors DID hear me. I have to listen to their screaming kids all day now that summer is here and the windows are open. (Hey, if they didn't call the cops on me for singing the Star Spangled Banner rather loudly the other night before the soccer game, they won't call over a bit of howling. )

 

(Even further off-subject: I told Nick the other night that all Americans MUST stand, put their hands over their hearts, and sing the National Anthem whenever it is played. It is a law. I think he believed me. )

 

Anyway, I guess Lola just likes it for some reason and probably does think it is a call to play. I will use it sparingly though, now that I know it gets her attention!

 

Nobody's getting a video of me howling. I know it would go all viral and I would be the next internet sensation and frankly, I cannot deal with the paparazzi.

[Dempsy's Mom]

What!?  No video!  Very disappointed. I would of loved to see you and Nick howling while Lola cocks her head from side to side.  We wouldn't let it go viral ....

[_whits_]

It's completely unfair (and completely ridiculous) of me, but sometimes I start barking just to get Addie all excited. Doesn't matter where she is or what's she's doing, she runs to my side and starts barking herself. "WHAT'S GOING ON? WHO IS IT? WHERE ARE THEY? I'LL STOP 'EM MOM." What can I say, I like my entertainment cheap. 

[Dempsy's Mom]

Addie - afraid she's missin' out.

[remltr]

 

 

Nobody's getting a video of me howling. I know it would go all viral and I would be the next internet sensation and frankly, I cannot deal with the paparazzi.

 

You can do a video without showing yourself. Plus the audio will give the rest of us an opportunity to see if it works on our little ones and also a chance to mimic your voice to see if we can get it work for us. 

 

Whose with me on this? I am guessing just about everyone except Autumn.  

[tlwtheq]

Holdsworth, Shadow and I used to have howling sessions...all three of us at the tops of our lungs.

I think we all enjoyed it.

 

My current trio has never been interested.  They just think MB is weird. 

[Dempsy's Mom]

Yes, it could be like a training video.

[Hillscreek]

I tried but Angus just looked at me like I'd lost it.

A video would be very helpful!!!!

[Autumn & Lola]

 or to guide a wayward wolf back to his pack."

 

 

Well, that's what I'm doing, isn't it? I'm calling her in from the yard, the top floor, etc. 

 

 

 

 

Nobody's getting a video of me howling. I know it would go all viral and I would be the next internet sensation and frankly, I cannot deal with the paparazzi.

 

You can do a video without showing yourself. Plus the audio will give the rest of us an opportunity to see if it works on our little ones and also a chance to mimic your voice to see if we can get it work for us. 

 

Whose with me on this? I am guessing just about everyone except Autumn.  

 

 

Oh Lordy. We'll see. Truth be told, we don't know how to upload a video. Brad will remember how long it took me to manage uploading photos.

 

hheldorfer - et tu, Brute?

[hheldorfer]

hheldorfer - et tu, Brute?

You bet!  I'd pay to see this video! 

[bradl]

I'm in as a backer

[tlwtheq]

I would not howl at a dog, even in a playful manner, you may be causing the dog unnecessary distress:  "In the wild, a howl usually relays one of two messages: either to tell a rival pack that they're encroaching on forbidden territory or to guide a wayward wolf back to his pack."

http://www.livescience.com/34616-why-dogs-howl-sirens.html

 

Just my 2 cents

 

Actually I can feel my children's moods; the guys I used to howl with loved it.  My recent three don't really care one way or another.

I would know if they were distressed.  Boy oh boy is it obvious when one or more are distressed.

 

Oh, and "howling at" is a misrepresentation (all apologies Autumn);  it's a matter of communing, as in "howling with". 

 

Additionally, it was Shadow who even gave me the idea when he was a puppy.   I was hiding my head while playing with him and he couldn't get to my face in any way; he put back his head and howled.  We all had a lot of fun howling together.

Love you Shadow.

Edited July 2, 2014 by tlwtheq

[Lupinegirl]

Having had a husky, I can tell you that howling, for some dogs, is FUN! My husky would come running whenever my family sang together. His favorite song to sing along to was "Steady As The Beating Drum" from Pocahontas. As soon as I started playing or singing the chorus, he'd run from wherever he was in the house to come sing with me.

I've also studied wolves for twenty years. (Not in person. I didn't do well enough in my science classes to become a wildlife biologist so I've just been a distant fan for most of my life.) I've been to a few wolf rescue sanctuaries and the caretakers at the sanctuaries all said that the wolves will howl for many more reasons than the two listed in that article. A leader (usually the father of the pack) howls to gather the family around him whenever he wants them to suck up to him or get them ready to go look for food. They howl if they get excited about a sound or smell or if the mood suits them. I think some captive wolves have been observed celebrating winter's first snow fall. Different tones in howls communicate different things. Howls can be used as a warning or to communicate grief, loneliness, or even boredom.

I think Lola interpreted your howl to mean "Come see me!" I also think that when she puts her paws on you, she is trying to reach your chin to lick it the same way a wolf would.

The next thing a wolf would do is go run around the territory (yay! Fun!) or engage in a little bit of play wrestling (again, Fun!) and after everyone feels good and close knit as a family, the pack would go look for food and refresh their territory markers. Howling usually means good things are going to happen.

As for the dogs who aren't impressed by our human howls, maybe the difference is the way we smell or sound? I don't know. I know I can get Nikki excited by "playbowing" at him like a wolf or dog would, and slapping my hands on the floor as an invitation to play. I usually pretend to pant at him and make playful noises. That would be enough to make him do the zoomies. Now that he's turned into an old fuddy duddy, he comes over for a scratch or brings me a toy and then sits at my feet for a scratch after a couple of half-hearted fetch attempts.

For the record, I have heard Nikki howl. It wasn't a long howl, but it was a definite howl! He did it when he was left alone in the house and he thought I had left him. He did not know I was by the garage pulling up weeds. If he knows I can hear him, he will bark and scream. Ugh. I'd rather hear him howl.

[arseovrteakettl]

These days in my neighborhood we have some dogs that will howl with the test sirens every Saturday noon. it's funny.

[Malcolm's Dad]

Malcolm likes to howl with Oscar the parrot. Doesn't happen often darn it. Oscar hollers a lot especially when he hears someone at the door. Parrots can be good watchdogs. Every now and then Malcolm joins in letting out a soft high pitch howl. If I can figure out the camera I'd love to record it.