Howling is a part of the canine vocal repertoire, along with the more conventional bark, growl and whine. This plaintive and haunting call is an evolutionary gift from wolves. The midnight howl of the wolf has long evoked fear and superstition in people. The howling of one's pet dog, by contrast, prompts anything from curiosity to consternation. Why do they do it?

Howling evolved as a long-distance call among wolves. Roughly translated, means “I'm here!” A wolf might howl to signal his or her precise location to the rest of the pack, a sort of canine GPS locator. Pack members would then howl back to acknowledge the message. An alpha male wolf might howl to assert his claim on a parcel of territory, warning others to stay away. Howling might be a way of saying “I'm lonely.” Or it might be a sort of reunion call to the rest of the pack after an absence.

Acoustically, a howl is perfectly calibrated to travel over long distances. Unlike the bark, which is relatively monotone and choppy, the sustained “Arooooo!” of a howl swings through a wide range of pitches, which maximizes its range. Acoustic studies show that each wolf has a unique howl, a sort of auditory fingerprint, which pack members use to identify each other. Howls can also have different shades of meaning. Thus a “lonesome howl” might differ from a “puppy howl” which would differ from a “confrontational howl.”

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