High Pitched Sounds That Cause Dogs to Bark

Barking is the canine way of communication. Dogs bark for a variety of reasons: announcing a visitor at the door, trying to get their owner's attention or reacting to a sound outside of the home. Unfortunately, some high pitched sounds can cause dogs to bark excessively or uncontrollably.

  1. Emergency Vehicle Sirens

    • Sirens, such as those found on ambulances, police cars or fire trucks can all cause barking in a dog. Some dogs may even react to the whining siren and bark or howl along until it passes. Furthermore, some dogs will even react to the siren prior to their owner being able to hear it.

    Car Horns

    • Some car manufacturers use higher pitched car horns than others. Dogs who are startled by a high pitched car horn may start barking.

    Tornado Sirens

    • Many cities have tornado warning systems, such as outdoor sirens. Some cities will regularly test their sirens once a month to ensure that their sirens are in working condition, Depending on how long the tornado siren lasts, dogs can howl, whine or bark the entire time.

    Children

    • The high pitched squeal, laugh or scream from a younger child can cause some dogs to bark. The barking may be because they are startled or in some cases, because the dog is unfamiliar with or afraid of the child who is creating the noise.

    Whistles

    • Whistling, either from a person or from an actual instrument, can cause some dogs to bark. Dog whistles also create high pitched sounds that may cause some dogs to bark, though humans may not hear a dog whistle.

    Fire Alarms in a House

    • Homes that are equipped with a high pitched beeping or continuous-sound fire alarm may cause dogs both inside and outside of the home to bark.

    Other Dogs

    • Certain other breeds of dog can produce higher pitched barking or howling, which in turn can set off other dogs into a barking frenzy.

    Musical Instruments

    • Specific instruments, like the flute or the harmonica, can both produce high pitched sounds when played. Dogs who are unfamiliar with these sounds may react by barking or howling.

    Telephone or Cell Phone

    • Telephones or cell phones also produce high pitched sounds and this ringing of the phone can cause certain dogs to react by barking. However, many dogs will become accustomed to the sound of the telephone and can be trained not to bark every time the phone rings.