How to Train a German Shepherd to Not Howl

A German Shepherd dog (GSD) is a guard dog by nature. This means they are prone to vocalizations, usually barking, but sometimes howling as well. In addition, German Shepherds are high energy dogs that can suffer from heightened emotional states. These heightened emotional conditions can lead to boredom and anxiety howling in a GSD. Reducing your dog’s emotional state by addressing his physical and emotional needs can reduce howling. Also, putting vocalizations on command is useful for controlling howling behavior. Although this may sound counterintuitive, by teaching your dog to howl when you ask him to and rewarding him, you can also teach him that howling when he is not asked, does not result in a reward, which usually has success in extinguishing a behavior. Suddenly it’s not fun if you don’t get a treat! You can also reinforce quiet to stop your GSD from howling. Your goal will be to get your GSD to ignore stimuli that set him off howling, or to be calm when left alone and not start howling as a way to release pent-up nervous energy.

If boredom or anxiety is a factor in your GSD's howling behavior, you may need to use some creative solutions to provide activities that engage your dog's mind and body to meet his needs and alleviate stress.  Putting vocalizations on command will require positive reinforcement, this usually means lots of treats, but a favorite toy and play for your high energy GSD may also be a suitable reward. Time will play a big role in resolving the behavior; you will need to be consistent and not allow howling to go on, as it is a self-rewarding behavior that provides comfort to a stressed dog, or communication with other canine friends, thus getting a social reaction. Be prepared to spend some time capturing and correcting the behavior.