Some dog’s might hate harmonicas and some might love them. Dog’s have sensitive hearing and can hear sounds that we can’t.
It is possible that the sound of the harmonica is hurting your dog’s ears or making her feel anxious.
Read further to find out why your dog might be scared of the harmonica, if musical instruments can hurt a dog’s ears and why dogs howl.
Why Do Some Dogs Hate Harmonicas?
Dogs have their own taste in music and while some dogs will love the sound of a harmonica, others might hate it. If your dog howls along while you are playing the harmonica, let him join in and have fun. If on the other hand, he hates the sound because it scares him you can try to train and desensitize him.
Your dog is your best friend and you should take his needs into consideration so if he really does not like the sound of a harmonica, you can try a different instrument or play it when he is enjoying some outside time.
Why Do Some Dogs Hate Harmonicas?
If your dog gets scared and tries to run away and hide when you play the harmonica it means that he is feeling anxious.
It could be because he doesn’t like the sound the harmonica makes.
If your harmonica makes your dog anxious you should make sure that your dog is in a different part of the house when you are playing it.
Why Do Dogs ‘freak Out’ When They Hear Harmonicas?
Different types of music affect dogs in different ways. Harmonica’s in particular have a pitch that appeals to dogs.
If your dog is scared it means he does not like the sound the harmonica makes.
Signs of a scared or anxious dog:
- If our dog’s tail is tucked between his legs he is definitely scared.
- Trembling is a huge giveaway that your dog is afraid of something.
- Cowering is another definite sign that your dog is feeling scared.
- If your pooch is hiding or trying to escape she is feeling afraid of something and trying to get away from it.
- Accidental urination can also happen if your dog’s fight or flight response is triggered.
- If your dog is avoiding eye contact and trying to look away he might be feeling scared.
- Another sign of a scared dog is panting and drooling, this is a hard one to recognize as dogs pant and drool for other reasons as well.
- If your pooch’s ears are pulled back flat against her head she is feeling scared.
If your dog is freaking out in a different way, such as howling and barking, he might actually be excited by the sound of the harmonica.
How Do I Train (Counter Condition / Desensitize) My Dog To Not Hate Harmonicas?
Training your dog not to hate a harmonica might be difficult but it is possible. Follow these steps to desensitise your dog.
- Calm your dog – If your dog is scared, you should make sure to calm her first. A scared dog is never going to learn new behaviours. Remove your dog from the situation and help her to calm down by sitting with her for a while.
- Distract your dog – Once your dog is calm, distract her by playing a game or asking her to do a certain behaviour and rewarding it with a treat.
- Make sure that you stay calm throughout the process and be patient.
- Expose her to the harmonica – Slowly expose your dog to the harmonica. You can sit on one side of the room and your dog on the other side. Do not play it but make sure she sees it. Do this for a couple of minutes a day for a week. Give your pup a treat once you are done with the exercise.
- Play the harmonica – Once your pup is comfortable with seeing the harmonica you can start to play it for small amounts of time. Only a minute or two will do. Make sure to stay on the other side of the room. If your dog gets scared, repeat the first two steps to calm her down.
Your dog will get used to the harmonica by slowly introducing it to her in a controlled environment. Stay patient as it might take some time and always reward your dog for good behaviour with a treat or some cuddles.
What Not To Do With A Dog Who Hates Harmonicas?
Do not force a dog that hates the sound of a harmonica to listen to you playing it. Also don’t force your dog to interact with you while you are playing the harmonica.
You can try to desensitise your pooch to not hate harmonicas but you should be careful when doing it.
Never punish your dog for being scared of a harmonica.
Should You Comfort A Dog Hates Harmonicas?
You should never comfort a dog that hates harmonicas while they are feeling scared. If you comfort a scared dog, you are encouraging the behaviour. Your dog might learn to associate being scared with getting treats or attention and start acting scared all the time.
Instead, create a safe, quiet environment for your dog where she can go to relax.
What Exactly About Harmonicas Does My Dog Hate (The Noise? Vibrations?)
If your dog hates your harmonica it is probably the high pitched frequency that is scaring him or hurting his ears.
My Dog Is Getting An Increasingly Dislike Of Harmonicas
If your dog’s dislike of your harmonica is getting worse you have four options. Firstly, the easiest thing to do will be to quit playing the harmonica.
Secondly, you can play your harmonica in a certain area of the house while your dog is playing outside. Your pooch might still be able to hear it but it could possibly help.
The next option is to try to desensitise your dog to the harmonica.
Your last option is to hire a professional trainer to help you train your dog not to hate the harmonica.
What Best Alternatives To Harmonicas That Dogs Do Not Hate?
There are many musical instruments that you can learn to play. The guitar, piano, drums and violin are some popular instruments that your dog might like.
Dogs, like humans, have their own taste in music and what one dog likes, another may not.
The best thing you can do is to play these musical instruments to your dog and see how he reacts.
Do Harmonicas And Other Musical Instruments Hurt Dogs Ears?
Harmonicas and musical instruments do not hurt your dog’s ears, it is the volume of the music that might hurt your puppy’s ears.
Dog’s have extremely sensitive hearing and can hear sound frequencies much higher than we can.
Some dogs do however love music and will even howl along. If you enjoy playing musical instruments or listening to music, it should be just fine. You and your pooch can enjoy it together, just don’t put it too loud or you might cause damage to your dog’s hearing.
Why Do Dogs Howl At Harmonica Sound?
It is possible that dogs howl when somebody plays the harmonica because they enjoy the sound and want to join in on the fun.
How To Stop My Dog Howling At The Harmonica?
If your dog’s howling is distracting you while playing your harmonica you can train him to be quiet.
Some easy behavioural training techniques like ‘speak’ and ‘quiet’ will help you in this instance.
Do Dogs Like Accordions?
As with all kinds of instruments, some dogs might like the sound of accordions, while others hate it. There is no way to know how your dog will react without actually playing an accordion for him.
Is My Dog Singing Or Crying?
If your dog is whining only when you play music and looks excited, the odds are that he is singing along and enjoying the music.
There are many reasons why a dog can whine and you have to be careful and observant to make sure your pup is okay.
If your dog whines continuously with no real reason for the behaviour there is a possibility that your dog is feeling sick or suffering from a mental illness like anxiety.
Always take your dog to the vet if you are unsure why your dog is crying. A vet will be able to run some tests and give your dog the appropriate treatment if necessary.
Why Does My Dog Cry When I Sing?
Your dog loves you and the sound of your voice. If she cries when you are singing it might mean that she wants to join in and sing along.
It is also possible that your pitch is off and your dog does not like the sound of you singing.
Why Do Harmonicas Make Dogs Howl?
Harmonicas make sounds that dogs are sensitive to, some of these sounds are high pitched and intriguing to your dog.
Dogs enjoy music just like humans and when they hear your harmonica, they get excited and want to sing along.
Do All Dogs Howl At Harmonicas?
Not all dogs will howl when you play your harmonica. Some dogs are natural howlers and others are more quiet.
Dogs like Huskies like to howl at everything and probably think they are singing along to the music you are making.
Do Flutes Hurt Dogs Ears?
Playing a flute should not hurt your dog’s ears unless you are playing the music extremely loud.
Does Howling Hurt Dogs Ears?
Wolves howl to communicate and so does your dog. Howling is normal behaviour for dogs and will not hurt their ears.
Is Howling Singing For Dogs?
Howling is programmed into your dog’s DNA. Your dog’s ancestors in the wild howled to communicate with each other.
Dogs can hear much higher frequencies than humans and can differentiate between genres of music.
It is possible that your dog enjoys a certain type of music and when it plays he howls along. For dogs, howling is kind of like singing.
Sources
https://www.wagwalking.com
https://www.akc.org
https://www.petmd.com