Beagles are one of the most popular dog breeds worldwide. They are also one of the most vocal breeds that exist.
They are also known for their vocal nature. Like most dogs, they are adventurous and curious, and when they are excited, they might howl.
Sirens in particular set off a lot of dogs, because the sound usually blares at a frequency that is very alarming.
This is of course by design to let people know of a nearby emergency, but a downside to this loud blaring is that it can upset a lot of dogs, and even cause them to emit their own siren-like howls.
In this article, I’ll go through the reasons that beagles often howl at sirens, and what you can do to try to calm them down after they get too worked up from a nearby siren.
I’ll even share some tips on how to train your beagle to not even react to sirens in the first place! Read on to learn more.
Reasons Beagles Howl At Sirens
The Volume Of The Siren
A siren’s volume is very alarming to dogs; after all, it is meant to attract the attention of humans who might be in a dangerous situation.
Any loud noises can be quite startling to dogs of all breeds, and beagles will often react to this high volume out of either discomfort or fear, trying to alert their owners of what potential dangers could be causing a noise this loud.
They’re Mimicking The Siren
Dogs use sounds from one another to communicate to each other. They also mimic sounds in order to get attention and affection from their owners.
While some dogs are better at hiding their emotions than others, other types of dogs, especially beagles are just more vocal than others.
There’s also an instinctual element of howling at sirens. If you’ve ever seen or heard wolves howl in unison, you’ll know that dogs love to mimic each others howls as a way to communicate and feel part of a pack.
Your beagle may just think that these sirens are another dog, or even a group of dogs, and instinct is simply kicking in telling them that they need to share their own noises too.
They Were Bred To Howl At Certain Noises
As hunting dogs, beagles were bred to be particularly vocal when something important happens, like if they find an animal that needs to be retrieved, or if they get separated from the rest of the hunting pack.
Because of this propensity to frequently vocalize, your beagle may think that they’re doing the right thing when they start howling at the first sign of a police or fire siren.
This can be particularly frustrating for you as the owner, as it’s difficult to try and train out a behavior that’s so heavily ingrained in your dog’s own genetics.
Later on in this article, I’ll dive deeper into how exactly you can work to try and correct this behavior.
Do Sirens Hurt My Beagle’s Ears?
Beagles are particularly sensitive to sound, and any sudden noise can be especially alarming to them. Because of this sensitivity to sound, loud sirens can indeed hurt your dog’s ears if they’re close enough!
If your dog experiences frequent prolonged exposure to sirens or similarly loud noises, it could even cause light to moderate hearing damage.
A lot of dog owners will fear with this knowledge that the slightest howl indicates that their beagle is in pain. Usually though these sirens are only short-lived, and are not occuring right next to your dog’s eardrums.
Fortuantely there are a few telltale signs in dogs that can help you discern if your beagle is distressed, vs if they’re just howling out of instinct. These include:
- Compulsive Lip Licking
- Shaking
- Whining
- Cowering
- Hiding
- Excessive scratching
- Walking in circles
- Panting
These are all common signs of stress that could indicate hearing damage. If your beagle is expressing one or more of these symptoms, you should promptly schedule a vet appointment to get them checked out.
Because beagles have limited ways of showing us that they are in pain or are stressed, the above symptoms could also be stemming from a variety of other potential ailments, so it’s better to err on the side of caution and visit with your vet to rule anything serious out and get a proper diagnosis.
How to Calm Your Beagle Down When Sirens Go Off
Now that we’ve established that your beagle is distressed by the sirens, we can talk about the best ways to calm them down and get them to stop howling so frequently. This is particularly important if your dog is sensitive to noise, or if they’re located on a busy street that is constantly exposing them to loud sounds.
There are a few main ways to try to minimize your dog’s anxiety over sirens. These include:
Provide Physical Comfort
Beagles, like humans, can use physical comfort to relax and calm themselves down. Physical comfort can include petting, sitting near and cuddling with your dog, or giving them a chew toy.
Our beagles have a few chew toys that we rotate through their kennels that they only get at bedtime, so we’re able to soothe them when the sirens are ringing at night.
Other times I’ll sit with one of them and pet them while gently, rubbing their back for several minutes.
Beagles are very similar to humans in that their brains release similar hormones when they experience physical affection, including the ones that relieve stress and tension.
If you and your beagle have a good emotional bond, this can be a great way to calm them down after a sound startles them.
Try A Calming Vest (Or Thunder Coat)
Now this won’t necessarily calm your beagle down immediately, but wearing a calming vest or thunder coat can help reduce their anxiety in situations with loud noises that they don’t fully understand (like loud thunderstorms or fireworks).
The theory is that by providing your dog with a constant pressure against their skin, it re-trains their nervous system to no longer perceive loud noises as threatening.
There are a variety of calming vests and coats that you can use to help ease the anxiety from loud noises. We personally use this Thunder Shirt from Amazon for our two beagles.
They all generally produce the same affect, and they can be very beneficial for dogs that are prone to anxiety.
Consider Calming Supplements
Some supplements can provide similar effects to calming vest and coats, such as L-theanine, hemp, or chamomile. These supplements can provide a natural alternative to calming collars or calming pills that can have undesirable side effects in dogs.
They can also help avoid tummy issues that come with the drowsiness that often comes with calming medications and collars as wel.
CBD is another type of supplement that is harder to find online, because it contains non-psychoactive traces of THC, but nevertheless they can be very effective when used to treat anxiety or stress in dogs.
We’ve had the most luck with these NaturVet Calming Chews. I find that my two beagles love the taste out of these the most, and tend to be really relaxed for a few hours after taking them.
Consider Moving Them To Their Crate
Crates can be incredibly effective tools for managing stress and anxiety in dogs, especially in response to aggressive stimuli like loud noises.
If you start your crate training when your beagle puppy is a young age, you’ll find that they’ll come to love their time in their crate, and view it as their own special den.
This can be great for when you need to calm them down after they get riled up from loud sirens, as they’ll already be conditioned to feel calmer and safer once inside.
Ignore Them Completely
There is a chance that they’re simply howling to try and get your attention. By ignorning them and continuing on with what you’re doing, you may be helping them calm down and avoid getting upset by a sound that seems to be scaring them.
To a certain degree this can be a hard thing to do. You’re mostly walking a fine line of being supportive and comforting while still maintaining a sense of authority.
But you have to realize that if you live in a city with frequent sirens, you may have to act colder to your beagle to discourage a potentially frequent problem behavior.
How to Train Your Beagle To Not Howl Reactively.
Now that we’ve discussed why your beagle howls at sirens, let’s dive deeper with how specifically to train your dog to NOT react to sirens at all.
As with any training though, you have to be consistent and attentive with your dog. If you take breaks in your training, your dog will eventually revert to their old ways.
Teach The Quiet Command
One of the main things you need to do in the early stages of training is work on teaching your beagle to stay calm in situations where loud noises occur. Start with teaching a very simple “quiet” command.
Teach your dog to sit quietly on command whenever they’re too noisy, starting actually with a bark command.
It may seem counterintuitive, but by teaching them to bark and then stop with a ‘quiet’ command, you’ll be able to command them to be quiet when they get worked up and start barking on their own.
Try Counter Conditioning
Another tactic to try is counter conditioning your dog to act like it’s not freaking out when they hear a siren or sound that scares them. Basically you have to teach your beagle that the sound isn’t dangerous at all, and to suppress their fear response by associating it with a reward, like a treat or praise.
To do this, start by luring your beagle into a quiet spot with a loud siren playing in the background. Then use a positive reinforcement like a treat or praise to get your dog to calm down to the stimulus of that siren.
Eventually you can slowly fade out the siren until your beagle is behaved and calm when they hear one.
For some more context on this method, check out this great video by DGP Dog Behavior Videos
Final Thoughts
Beagles can actually hear more frequencies than humans can, which makes it very easy for them to pick up auditory stimuli like sirens. This can lead to a fearful response in many dogs.
Ultimately you have to remember that you and you alone are in charge of whether or not your puppy remains calm and obedient. If you’re patient and consistent in your training, you’ll be able to teach your pup to be brave in the face of loud situations like sirens.