Huskies whine, they bark, they howl, and they sing – but why do Siberian Huskies make all these noises? Why are Huskies so vocal? Are they trying to convey specific thoughts, or are they just vocalizing for the fun of it?
Huskies are a very vocal breed compared to other dogs. The Siberian Husky originated as a sled dog that would often pull in groups and thus had to use verbal communication among their kind. The trait stuck with them ever since.
Whether you’re thinking of adopting a Husky and you need to know their noise levels before you make up your mind or you own one of these great dogs, but you’re concerned about their sounds, this article is for you. I have plenty of useful information to share, so make sure you keep reading!
Why Does My Siberian Husky Make So Much Noise?
Okay, so your Husky dog isn’t making the Guinness Book of World Records for the volume of its bark in decibels like the Golden Retriever, but your canine companion is constantly being vocal.
Sometimes, it seems like it’s only when they’re sleeping and eating that you can get a reprieve. So why do Huskies make all the sounds they do?
It all goes back to the origins of the Siberian Husky.
The Husky was a sled-pulling dog for the Chukchi people in Siberia. Huskies rarely worked alone and would instead travel in packs.
Just as the Chukchi people would tell the dogs to mush, turn, or stop, the Huskies in the group would communicate with each other.
That’s likely why Husky vocalizing is about more than just barking. If anything, Huskies bark seldomly, certainly less so than your average dog.
Rather, they’ll howl, whine, and sing. I’ll tell you what these vocalizations mean in the next section, so be sure to check that out.
What Do the Different Husky Sounds Mean?
Without further ado then, let’s go over the list of Husky sounds and what each sound represents.
Barking
I mentioned before that barking isn’t a frequent vocalization from the Siberian Husky, but it is something you may hear from time to time.
A dog usually barks to convey something, such as someone being at the door or a squirrel climbing in the tree right outside.
Depending on the tone of the bark, it can be indicative of need, frustration, awareness, anger, fear, or joy.
You’ll have to use context clues to determine why your Husky is barking at you.
A lot of the time, this breed tends to bark out of excitement. The Siberian Husky is quite an excitable canine, and he will make his jubilation known loud and clear.
You’ll typically hear these kinds of happy barks when you’re taking your dog for a nice walk or playing with them in the yard.
Don’t assume that all barks are happy barks though. If your Husky is standing at his empty food dish and barking incessantly, you know what that means.
He wants you to feed him!
Howling
Dogs are descendants of wolves, and wolves are frequent howlers.
Mostly, howling is used to communicate amongst a group, but whether it could mean something else–such as emotional expression–is hard to say even to this day. The possibility exists though.
When your Siberian Husky howls, it’s to call to its pack. Its pack isn’t always dogs, especially if he’s the only pup in the house. You and the rest of your family could be perceived as your Husky’s pack.
Thus, your dog will howl the most often when left alone. If this is accompanied by crying, then your Husky is likely experiencing a form of separation anxiety.
This is worth addressing, as separation anxiety can cause your Husky to destroy your home in your absence. Plus, the nonstop vocalizing will not make you popular with the neighbors.
Do keep in mind though that a Husky doesn’t exclusively howl to call upon its packmates.
If you hear howling at various pitches and tones, this is the classic Husky “talking” sound that’s just an everyday means of communication.
Whining
Siberian Huskies like to whine, especially when they want something, and sometimes when they don’t want something too.
For example, if you want your dog to get off the couch and go take a bath but your Husky hates baths, you’re likely to hear some whining intermixed with crying.
Your dog is trying to tug at your heartstrings so you’ll put off his bath!
Huskies can whine to captivate your attention (which usually works), to indicate they want to play, to tell you they’re hungry or want treats, or that they need to use the bathroom.
Since a Husky can whine sort of manipulatively, you’ll have to get good at sniffing out when the dog actually needs something (like going outside to the bathroom) or just wants it (like extra treats).
Like some of the other Husky vocalizations I’ve discussed, whining can be an audible fear or anxiety response. Dogs with separation anxiety can whine as well as howl and/or cry when they’re alone for too long.
Further, if your Husky whines and is noticeably slower or is stumbling around, it could be in pain. Their eating habits might change, they may pant more, and they could become lethargic.
In a situation like that, an immediate trip to your vet is warranted.
Groaning
Does your Husky make it a point to groan a lot?
Like many vocalizations from this dog breed, you need to use context clues. Groaning can either mean contentedness or disappointment depending on the scenario.
For example, if your Husky settles into her favorite fluffy bed and she groans, then she’s not in pain (more than likely). Your dog is getting comfy and is audibly expressing it.
If your Husky pestered you to play but you were too busy, so she walks into your office and settles down dramatically with a big ole groan, your dog is mad.
Singing
A Husky singing isn’t really its own unique sound, but rather, a combination of sounds, as you can see in this adorable video from The Dodo.
Huskies will bark, howl, and whine to sing, raising and lowering their pitch as they see fit.
If your Husky is singing, the dog is usually quite happy and just expressing itself!
Sighing
The last type of Husky vocalization is sighing. This is even subtler than groaning but usually means about the same thing.
In an everyday setting, when your Husky sighs, you can bet your bottom dollar the dog feels contented.
When a Husky doesn’t get what he wants, he can also sigh dramatically to indicate his disapproval.
Can You Train a Husky to Be Quieter?
The Siberian Husky is a loud, vocal creature. Unless he’s sighing or groaning, you’re going to be able to clearly hear his sounds across the house…or the apartment.
It’s one thing if you’re a homeowner, but if you reside in an apartment complex, you could get complaints from the neighbors from all sides.
Can you train your Husky to be quieter?
Yes and no. If you want to reduce certain behaviors such as howling, you can train your Husky to do it less.
A word about that, though. Huskies are notoriously difficult to train. The dog is stubborn and willful, doing what it pleases.
Thus, even if you trained your Husky to howl less, if the dog still feels like he has to howl, then he’s going to howl.
That will especially be the case if your Husky has bad separation anxiety.
I must stress again that the Siberian Husky is a loud, vocal creature. It’s knitted into this breed’s DNA to verbally communicate.
You can only train that out of your Husky to such a point.
If you live in an apartment and you’re concerned that your neighbors will hate you for owning a Husky, then maybe rethink adopting this breed for now.
If you move to a home or a condo without neighbors living so close to you, you can get a Husky without worrying about aggravating your neighbors!