Known for their loud personalities, huskies are no stranger to using their voices, but a video of a senior, deaf husky’s silent howl is proving that even without sound, the breed still speaks volumes.
Dog owner Jordan, known on TikTok as @jordanpupstylist, recently captured a video of her 14-year-old deaf husky, Scarlet, using her voice to get attention from the person sitting and eating on the couch. The senior canine lifted her head, letting out her “big howls,” or so she thought. Instead, silence filled the room. Her silent howl, paired with her determined eyes and wagging tail, made it clear she meant business.
Howling in dogs stems from ancestral roots, as canines are descendants of wolves. While domestic canines might not howl as often as wolves, they use it as a communication method. Newsweek previously reported that the howls could be used as a location signal, a warning for others to stay away, when they’re seeking attention or expressing they are hurt.
Although Scarlet’s once booming voice is no longer, the husky still managed to complete her goal: getting a nibble of food that the person was eating. Plus, she grabbed the attention of thousands online. The September 24 TikTok clip reached over 42,800 views and 5,421 likes as of Friday.
Newsweek reached out to @jordanpupstylist via TikTok for additional information and comment.
The Husky Howl
Siberian huskies are considered among the most vocal dog breeds. They’ll whine, howl, bark and even scream. But why do they “talk” more than others? The answer lies within how closely aligned they are with their wolf ancestors.
Wolves vocalize to communicate with their pack, and because huskies were developed to be working sled dogs, they learned to use vocal communication to survive, an article from the American Kennel Club said. As sled dogs, huskies might use a calling if they become lost or sense danger. Their cries could indicate the pack is hurt or in trouble. Some tones might indicate to the pack to slow down or speed up.
Those variations have carried over into a husky’s home life, since they view humans as their pack. These dogs will let you know how they are feeling through whining, crying and the often dramatic scream. They are trying to express their emotions, whether it be excitement, boredom or simply stubbornness.
What Do the Comments Say?
TikTok viewers found it impossible to critique this husky’s howls, or lack thereof. They weren’t going to break the dog’s heart by sharing that they could not hear her howls, especially since her message still came across loud and clear.
“They said she was howling in subtitles,” said a viewer, while a second added: “She’s on mute.”
Someone else wrote: “1000% efforts in the howls. Love it.”
A fourth commented: “Wants to appear big and powerful and just ends up being adorable.”
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