Fear, stress or unmet needs are usually responsible for howling at night. In individual cases, whining can also indicate pain, poisoning or even neurological diseases.
While barking sometimes has positive causes, a yelp is almost always a whine. The same goes for whining and whining.
Humans seem to be particularly susceptible to this type of noise. Studies show that the howling of dogs triggers us just as much as the cry of a baby. [1]
Then let's look at the 10 most common causes together with a magnifying glass.
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#1 Fear
Puppies, very old dogs and some breeds are particularly sensitive. Even the smallest things can cause them great anxiety at night:
- Heavy rain or thunderstorms
- Overnight visit
- Lack of socialization
- Solitude and silence [2]
If fear is the cause of whining at night, you can usually tell by the body language and behavior:
The solution here is to find out the corresponding cause. Instead of avoiding the trigger, I advise the dog to get used to it proactively and gradually.
Not only does this prevent him from whining, but it also strengthens his confidence for future moments of fear. Medication can also help with anxiety disorders.
Severe anxiety can cause dogs to start whining in the middle of the night. In young dogs, separation anxiety is usually responsible. Attention can help in the short term. In the long term, it is important to strengthen the dog's self-confidence.
#2 Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. The disease causes mental performance to progressively decline. Old dogs in particular are often affected.
According to studies, ⅓ of all dogs over 11 years old and around ⅔ of all four-legged friends over 15 years old suffer from dementia. [4] Typical symptoms here are:
- Loss of orientation in your own home
- Barking or whining at the family
- Restless wandering
- Sudden aggressiveness
- Unusual stubbornness [5]
Yelling at night can be an expression that your dog has forgotten where he is. Because memory deterioration often triggers anxiety.
Alzheimer's is currently considered incurable. However, the progression of the disease can be slowed down through mental training and medication. Intelligence toys like these are ideal for this.
Alzheimer's is one of the most common mental illnesses affecting dogs. From a certain level, affected individuals often forget where they are and their own family. The fear this triggers causes them to start wailing desperately at night.
#3 Attention
All lap dog breeds and puppies require a ton of daily attention. If this falls short, it usually manifests itself as follows:
- Hyperactivity
- Dog constantly jumps on people
- Yelling and whining
- Constant search for physical contact
- Barking at the master [6]
In addition to a lack of attention, it can also be due to insufficient physical and mental activity. Whining at night can therefore also indicate boredom.
This is particularly common with active breeds such as hunting dogs and sheepdogs that are kept in big cities or small apartments.
In the case of very jealous dogs, the whining may also be because you have been paying a lot of attention to another animal or a stranger.
Toys like these are ideal for solving this problem. You can also arrange regular playdates with your neighbor’s dogs – an absolute win-win.
Lack of attention and activity can cause dogs to complain loudly with whining both during the day and at night. This is very often the case with active dog breeds. New toys can be a solution here.
#4 Stomach pain
Dogs generally only show stomach pain when it is really serious. This is because domestic dogs originally descended from wolves.
And wolves usually hide their pain to protect themselves so as not to become prey to other predators. Typical causes of stomach pain are:
- Cleaning products
- Food allergies
- Motion sickness
- Bacterial inflammation
- Old leftover food [7]
Even though many dogs eat everything, their digestive system is far inferior to ours. Digestive problems are therefore much more common.
If the dog eats relatively late in the evening, the pain can also manifest itself in howling at night. Other typical symptoms of this are:
- Restless behavior
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Dog humps cat
- Bloated stomach
- Avoiding physical activity [8]
If this happens once, then it is usually no reason to worry. If you have regular symptoms, I recommend changing the food and contacting the vet.
Dogs have a much more sensitive digestive system compared to humans. Stomach pain is therefore part of everyday life for many dogs. If these occur at night, it can also be reflected in constant whining.
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#5 Unmet needs
Similar to humans, dogs also have certain needs that must be met daily. What manifests itself as crying in babies is often howling in dogs.
The following needs are most often neglected:
- Urge to defecate
- occupation
- Thirst or hunger
- Attention
- sex drive [9]
A squeezing bladder is usually responsible for this at night. In this case, dogs usually whine at their owners and don't stop until the need is satisfied.
In mature and unneutered dogs, sex drive can also be responsible. Here the four-legged friends usually run along the door or window.
The solution here is to first identify the need and then satisfy it. In individual cases, ignorance can also be the appropriate method to show your dog boundaries.
Unmet needs in dogs can manifest themselves in howling both during the day and at night. In this case, the whining usually stops when the need is satisfied. However, ignoring them can also make sense when raising young puppies.
#6 Toothache
Dogs are known for putting almost anything in their mouths and nibbling on them. Bone, glass and wood splinters are therefore the most common causes of toothache.
In addition, tooth holes, excessive tartar or inflamed gums can also be responsible for the pain. Other typical symptoms include:
- Very careful chewing
- Sensitivity to touch on the muzzle
- Yelling and whining
- One-sided chewing
- Bloody tongue
- Avoiding dry food
- Sudden drooling [10]
If it is a splinter, it can be partially removed with tweezers. However, many dogs react aggressively when they are in pain.
In order to avoid unnecessary suffering, it makes sense to visit the vet. The cause can be easily identified and treated using local anesthesia. [11]
When dogs suddenly start whining at night and at the same time avoid touching their muzzles, toothache is usually the trigger. In simple cases, the cause can be resolved yourself. In an emergency, the vet is the right person to contact.
#7 Dreams & Nightmares
According to studies, dogs go through the same sleep phases as humans. And yes, that also means that dogs can dream just like that.
The dreams here serve to satisfy suppressed longings and to mentally process what has been experienced. And this can be noticeable both physically and verbally:
- Sudden muscle twitches
- Barking in sleep
- Moving eyes
- Howling in the night
- Nocturnal restlessness [12]
Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to find out exactly what triggers the whining. Your dog is probably dreaming about contact with other dogs.
If your dog is very restless and constantly changes where he lies, this can also indicate nightmares. However, that is no reason to worry.
Because having dreams is generally considered an indication of good health – both physical and mental. [13]
Both dreams and nightmares can cause dogs to start whining at night. Muscle twitching and barking are also common here. There is no urgent need for action here. If necessary, the dog can simply be woken up here.
#8 Poisoning
According to statistics, poisoning is one of the most common reasons dog owners go to the vet. In most cases, swallowing the following is responsible:
- Cleaning products
- Rat poison
- Xylitol
- Medication
- Insecticides
- alcohol
- Poisonous plants [14]
The consequences of this depend heavily on what exactly was swallowed. In some cases there is also a delay, so that the following symptoms can only appear at night:
- Sudden vomiting
- Coordination and orientation problems
- Excessive panting
- Yelling and whining
- Lack of energy [15]
The veterinarian should be consulted immediately. Poisoning can also be fatal, among other things. The therapy is aimed at the corresponding cause.
Poisoning from cleaning products, poisonous plants, or insecticides can cause dogs to experience severe pain. In individual cases, the symptoms may appear late, so that dogs suddenly start howling at night.
#9 Ear infection
According to studies, one in 10 visits to the vet for dogs is due to an ear infection. This is especially true for dogs with floppy ears. [16]
In most cases, moisture is the cause. For example, if the ears were not completely dried after bathing or swimming.
Among other things, allergies, injuries, fungi, viruses, parasites or even autoimmune diseases can also be responsible. [17] Typical symptoms here are:
- Redness in the ear
- Lateral head posture
- Sudden stagger
- Severe itching
- Touch-sensitive ear
- Yelling and whining
- Coordination problems [18]
If the pain is very severe, it often leads to insomnia and whining at night. This is a cry for help.
A simple look at the vet is often enough to make a diagnosis. The ear is then usually professionally cleaned and appropriate medication is prescribed.
Ear infections are one of the most common complaints in dogs and can be responsible for, among other things, howling at night. Affected four-legged friends often hold their heads to the side…