frisbeegirl Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Does anyones border collie's howl? A brief story. Had to attend a seminar the past couple of days. Keeva went to the farm for two nights. She gets to socialize with other border collies and is getting used to stock. So I picked her up this morning and I look over in the kennell and see the most beautiful border collie and I am like wow, thats my dog. At the same time this german sheperd starts howling and just like that my girl put her head up and let it rip. Never heard her do that before. It was kinda cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Agent Gibbs yodels quite a bit. It's a sign that he's happy, but he wishes his humans would hurry it up! Ruth and Agent Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 My father's old shepherd mix howled perfectly exactly one: in her sleep. A single, beautiful wolf-like howl. Never before and never after in 14 years. Buddy has occasionally in his sleep let out a near-howl. Never awake. Seems like they all have the wild in there, dormant. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEC Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 I was composing an email note to a friend about stopping by his place soon, a friend who my dog knows well, and likes. As I was writing, Josie stepped out on the back deck and began to howl for quite a long time. She doesn't do that very often, and usually in response to a siren in the distance or a dog's bark. Sent a little chill up my spine, as I couldn't account for her howl this time. I decided it was as if she was saying, forget email, there is only one good way to communicate with our friend over long distances, just point your nose in the air and let one go. -- TEC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 My dog howls in her sleep once in a while, but it sounds funny because she doesn't open her mouth. It's like a howl, but strained through tapioca pudding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Mine howl rarely and briefly. They yodel briefly and often. Mostly, they roo roo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mdaniels Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Bennie howls and Roos in the morning when he hears me get out of bed...funny, he seems to know the difference between my husband and I getting up, he only does it for his mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Torque does a lot of roo-rooing when he is frustrated - usually I am not moving fast enough for him (I want to go outside NOW! etc.) or I am keeping him from greeting a new friend (i.e. jumping in joy on the person as a greeting - which is why I keep him on a leash). Jovi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnLloydJones Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 My ex-foster, Rhys bach, would give a "gather the troops" howl when we were about to go out for our morning walk. It was quite special and I regret that I never managed to capture it on a camera. Others have howled occasionally, but never on the near daily routine of Rhys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthfieldNick Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 When I'm running Hoot at trials, that's not Nick doing a coyote impression in the handler's area. Oh no. Not my dog Yep, I have a howler. Interestingly, while Nick will howl with coyotes, he doesn't with wolves. On several occasions, we've been around a pack of captive/rescue/"domestic" wolves, and when they howl, my dogs go very, very quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEC Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Family gathered for a brief prayer-service on my father-in-law's passing after long illness. Undertakers were called, respectfully waited at the curb, and then came in to do their duties. Upon seeing the old gentleman's medium size mixed-breed pet dog in the living room, one explained that in his experience dogs often behave oddly as they leave the home, and to be prepared. I was too upset for his words to have any impact. But sure enough, as I watched them exit the front door with their charge, the little dog who was left behind howled in an extraordinarily grief-stricken way, mirroring everyone's feelings at that moment. It wasn't just a whine, wimper, yelp, or roo-roo, but a full head-in-the-air mournful and primitive howl. I'll never forget the incident or my father-in-law. -- TEC PS -- The little dog was adopted by a family member and did fine under the circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Stormy (mix) howls if you howl....his sounds like singing. We have quite a few howl-fests with him. Kylie (BC) only roos, and usually when she is greeting you. She does not take part in the howl-fest. Rusty (BC) is a barker when happy, but I can see he is starting to mimic Kylie with a half-a-roo. I think it will become a full roo eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Boots Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Boots and Renoir sort of have a howling routine at agility trials. We arrive at the site and let them potty first. Then load them back up and I'll head into the trial area to check-in etc. Probably 80% of the time the first time I leave the truck they will begin with a yip or two which quickly leads into howling; Boots is a pretty, deep, mournful howler; Renoir is squeeky, but tries. Baby Timber went to his first trial this past weekend to begin learning the ropes and work on socialization skills; as the howling departure began even he tried to join in from his crate in the camper; it was horrible sounding, like a dieing squeaker toy. Funny that they only do this the first time I leave them to go into the site. Most of our farm dogs have been howlers. Several years ago I had to make the hard journey with our old Sophie to the vet for the last time. She howled as we pulled out of the driveway; it was aweful and put me in immediate tears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frisbeegirl Posted October 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 In wolf society, the intent of the howl is to announce to the world, "I'm here!" Wolves use howling to let other pack members know their precise location, if they happen to get separated. A wolf's howl triggers members of the pack to howl back in reply – an acknowledgement that the sent message has been received. I guess I should have howled back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falon's Mom Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Sunday would howl every night as soon as the sun would set, the local coyote oack would howl back. As long as Sunday was alive we never had any issues with the pack on the street. He would also howl whenever I came home from work or from a SAR training session. Tessa on the other hand roo-roos every time I come home or we go to get my oldest from school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 I guess we all know where we are cause none of mine howl. The pup did once but i think she figured out it wasn't necessary cause she's never done it again. Today unusually, there were a bunch of sirens going by. No one even lifted a head. To bad cause I like a bit of howling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Gideon talks with his mouth full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speckle-legged dog Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Does anyones border collie's howl? A brief story. Had to attend a seminar the past couple of days. Keeva went to the farm for two nights. She gets to socialize with other border collies and is getting used to stock. So I picked her up this morning and I look over in the kennell and see the most beautiful border collie and I am like wow, thats my dog. At the same time this german sheperd starts howling and just like that my girl put her head up and let it rip. Never heard her do that before. It was kinda cool. Layla will howl if I am leaving the house at a time that she does not want me to. She will run up to the side window and howl at me pitifully as I go to my car. She's not a full BC (we don't think, we adopted her) so I didn't know if that was a BC trait or not. She certainly makes sure to target her howling so I that I have to endure the full effect as I leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setsail Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 My border collie/collie mix howls all the dang time lol. When he gets excited, when people sing, when he is playing with his sister. all the time, in any position lol. We actually put a cue on it and he'll sing on command with 100% success. He is also completely fascinated by music. He actively listens to the radio, he focuses on people playing instruments and will drag me to watch live music. The howling is kind of an extension of that because music will get him going every time. He is extremely vocal and his normal howl is more like a happy coyote instead of the mournful wolf howl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrid Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 My Border Collies howl every morning when the geese fly off. It may be more singing than howling as their sound is very high pitched. We live less than a mile from the fire department, so when the trucks go out with sirens blasting, my dogs howl / complain about the noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Cricket could compete in any wolf howl contest and win She is mournful when she howls - usually because I've decided to take a nice walk without her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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