If you love teaching your faithful friend new commands and having a singing dog you don’t mind on command, in this guide you will find some simple tips to teach Fido the art of singing!
Many dogs naturally howl, and it’s really adorable to hear a dog sing! In fact, singing can be pleasant and fun for your four-legged friend and .. also for your neighbors, if you can teach your pet not to raise his voice too much!
Can a dog be taught to sing?
Yes, it is absolutely doable to teach your dog to sing. Even if this requires some effort, with patience and love you can do it without too much difficulty.
Teaching a talkative dog how to howl on command or sing on cue is usually not very difficult. However, if your dog isn’t naturally very vocal, this trick can be a challenge for both of you!
In this guide, we’ll go through the step-by-step process of teaching your dog to sing or howl, but only when the time is right, that is, when you ask them to!
For a vocal dog who already likes to make noise, your main job for this trick is twofold: you need to reward your favorite howl, and then you need to employ it at the right time (such as when music is playing).
Singing dog: how to teach him?
The best way to teach a dog to sing is through positive reinforcement training. Before that, follow these general dog training tips:
- Keep training sessions short (around 10 minutes)
- Don’t force your dog if he doesn’t like it
- Make training fun and enjoyable for Fido
- Reward him when he obeys and learn a new command
- Don’t punish your dog if he made a mistake
Depending on the time and resources you have, you can choose from several methods to get your dog to sing, suitable for both vocal dogs and less talkative dogs.
Vocal dog: dog singing with music
Generally, when teaching a dog to sing, the first training technique is to teach Fido to bark at a certain beep.
This method is pretty easy if your dog is vocal by nature.
Start by getting your pet used to the instrument of your choice, such as a bell or tambourine. As soon as the dog howls, he plays the instrument giving the command “Sing!” (or “Sing!”) and give him a reward.
If you are the proud owner of a Husky, you are in luck! Siberian Huskies are a breed famous for their singing abilities. Seeing is believing:
Non-vocal dog: stimulate him to bark
You can achieve the same result by stimulating your canine friend’s bark or howl yourself.
If your dog isn’t talkative on his own, teaching him to sing will be a little more difficult.
Try to stimulate Fido’s vocalizations by making some noise or making sounds. As soon as he responds with his voice, give him the command “Sing!” (or “Sing!”). This step will have to be repeated as many times as necessary, until the animal associates the word with the action of “singing”.
After that, if your dog has achieved the goal, reward his behavior with a treat or snack.