If you’re the proud owner of an adorable dog, then we’re sure that you’ll want to do everything in your power to make sure that your dog is healthy and happy at all times.
However, if you’re beginning to notice that your dog is beginning to yelp or scream without any reason, then it’s important to try and get to the bottom of it as soon as you can.
This is where we come in to lend you a helping hand. To help you gain a better understanding of why your dog might be suddenly screaming randomly, then this article is for you.
Below, we’re going to be talking you through some of the possible reasons why your dog might be screaming, so that you can help to remedy the situation and find a solution. Read on.
13 Reasons Why Your Dog Suddenly Screams
1. Illness
First things first, one of the most common reasons why you might notice that your dog suddenly begins to scream without any indication as to why might simply be down to illness.
While this certainly might not be the case for all dogs, sometimes when a dog feels poorly or under the weather they might scream or yelp due to feelings of pain/discomfort, or even to try and alert their owner that they are not feeling well.
If you suspect that your dog might be randomly screaming due to an illness, then we recommend keeping an eye out for the following symptoms alongside the screaming:
Common Signs That A Dog Is Unwell
- Bad breath that may or may not be accompanied by excessive drooling.
- Itchy eyes (which can be spotted by your dog constantly trying to scratch their eyes with their paws) as well as eyes that appear to be either red or cloudy.
- Coughing, sneezing, and potentially even breathing that appears to be labored.
- Itchy or dry skin.
- Change in bowel movements from what is normal for your dog.
- Joint stiffness or pain.
- A change in appetite.
- Urinating more than usual and drinking more than usual.
- Sleeping for longer than normal.
If your dog is showing any of the above signs and you strongly suspect that your dog might have an illness, then it’s very important that you make sure to book a visit with your dog’s veterinarian who will be able to assist you further.
2. Anxiety
Another reason why you might be finding that your dog is suddenly screaming for seemingly no reason is because of anxiety. Just like us, anxiety can manifest in dogs in a variety of different ways, and every dog will experience feelings of anxiety differently.
Due to this, it means that dogs can sometimes express their feelings of anxiety in unexpected ways, such as yelping or screaming.
Anxiety can be mild to extreme and can be triggered by a variety of factors. For example, an unexpected stranger knocking on your door could instantly cause your dog to feel territorial and anxious, and this could lead to random yelping/screaming.
On the other hand, another example that might cause your dog to start screaming is due to something known as separation anxiety.
If you sense that your dog might be experiencing separation anxiety, which is an anxiety that is induced by being separated from its owner, then your dog will likely begin to display visible signs of distress (including screaming) whenever you or another family member leaves the house to go to work or even just to run errands.
In the case that your dog is struggling with this type of anxiety, we recommend that you make sure to take your dog to your vet so that your dog can be given the necessary treatment to help them overcome this as if separation anxiety is left to develop it can become quite serious and greatly impact a dog’s life.
3. Fear
Even though this point ties in closely to feelings of anxiety, we still think that it is important to talk about it separately. So, with that being said, another reason why your dog might be randomly screaming might be down to feeling fearful.
When a dog feels afraid for whatever reason, it will usually begin to show visible signs of distress including panting, barking, and pacing back and forth. Alongside these symptoms, your dog might also begin to yell or scream, as a way to display its fear.
If you suspect that your dog is feeling fearful, then the best way to help remedy the issue is to get to the root cause of the problem.
By taking the time to figure out what is triggering your dog and causing him to scream at random times, then you will be able to better understand what it is that triggers your dog’s fear response, which will help you to make sure that your dog stays as happy and relaxed as possible.
4. Attention
If your dog is screaming suddenly, then another reason why your dog might be doing this could be simply down to attention! Sometimes, the issue might not be such a huge cause for concern, because your dog could simply be trying to get you to pay attention to him.
One of the main reasons why your dog could be trying to get your attention could simply be down to wanting to be shown affection, or even because your dog is trying to communicate with you that they want to play with you.
In addition to this, another reason why your dog might be yelling at you randomly might be because of hunger, thirst, or even the need to go to the toilet!
For this reason, it’s important that you make sure that you are regularly allowing your dog to go outside at regular times throughout the day, as well as making sure that you are keeping your dog fed so that they won’t feel the need to try and get your attention by screaming/yelping.
5. Arthritis
While this point ties in closely with illness, we still think that it is important to mention as not all dogs will experience arthritis.
So, with that being said, if you happen to have an older dog who is beginning to show signs of old age, then one reason that your dog might be suddenly screaming could be down to arthritis causing them to experience pain.
If you feel that this might be the reason why, it’s very important to take your dog to the vet, who will be able to prescribe your dog the necessary medication/treatment to help improve your dog’s quality of life.
6. Excitement
If you happen to have a particularly sociable and energetic dog, then one reason that your dog might suddenly be screaming could be due to feelings of excitement!
If you’re noticing that your dog “screams” whenever you get home from work, or whenever they encounter a friendly face during one of their daily walks, then your dog might simply be trying to communicate that they are feeling happy, joyful, and excited.
As a side note, while this isn’t such a huge cause for concern, it should be noted that most dogs who display this intensity of emotion are typically seen in younger dogs and puppies, as well as in breeds of dog that are known for having very high levels of energy.
So, if you feel that your dog is acting out of character and you’re worried that your dog might need some help channeling their energy better, then you should consider going in for a check-up at the vets to make sure that everything is okay.
In addition to this, you should also make sure that your dog has plenty of toys and stimulating activities in his environment so that they will be able to channel their energy levels in other ways.
Additionally, if your dog is suddenly screaming and becoming very excited when you or another person enters your home and you want to diffuse the situation, we recommend that you do not respond to your dog until you can see that they have visibly calmed down.
Once your dog has relaxed, you should then go over to greet your dog as normal. By regularly doing this, your dog will begin to learn that they need to be relaxed and calm in order to be greeted/interacted with.
7. Boredom
As we have already touched upon above, if your dog has suddenly begun to start screaming throughout the day, then it might not always be such a major cause for concern.
In some instances, a dog screaming or frequently yelping could simply be a sign of boredom.
If you suspect that this might be the case, then it’s important that you try to remedy the issue by making sure that your dog has plenty of interesting and fun things to do that will help to keep him stimulated and engaged.
You should make sure that your dog has plenty of toys and chews to stay occupied (especially if you have to leave your dog for long periods of time throughout the day) while also making sure that you are giving your dog lots of daily exercises, with at least one walk.
In addition to making sure that your dog has plenty of toys and exercise, you should also do your best to make sure that your dog is given plenty of attention and TLC from you and other memes of your family.
By making sure that you are engaging in plenty of playtime with your dog, you will help to ensure that your dog feels happy and content – which will help to reduce unwanted behavior such as screaming.
8. Bee Sting Or Insect Bite
If your dog has been bitten by an insect or stung by a bee, then it’s highly likely that your dog will instantly respond by suddenly screaming or yelping in pain.
Both of these situations can become quite dangerous if the sting or bite is left unattended, so if you find that your dog is suddenly screaming for one of these reasons, check out the following steps below:
What To Do If Your Dog Has Been Stung By A Bee
- With some tweezers, gently remove the stinger, making sure that you are being gentle so that your dog does not become distressed.
- Once you have removed the bee sting, cover the area with some ice to help reduce pain and swelling.
- Then, immediately take your dog to the vet so that they can be given an antihistamine.
- During the next few days, make sure that you keep a close eye on your dog to ensure that they aren’t having an adverse reaction. If your dog is panting or their breathing seems labored, immediately take your dog back to the vet for an emergency appointment.
What To Do If Your Dog Has Been Bitten By An Insect:
- If your dog has been bitten by an insect, it’s important to make sure that you immediately take your dog to an emergency vet appointment, especially if your dog is screaming in pain.
- Alongside immediately contacting your vet, you should inspect the bite area to see if you can gently wash the wound to help prevent infection.
- Then, take a clean gauze pad to cover the wound temporarily, and if you happen to have an antibiotic cream suitable for your dog, we recommend applying a little bit until the vet has time to inspect it and treat it further.
9. Dreaming
If you’re suddenly beginning to notice that your dog yelps or “screams” during the day or even at night, then one of the most common reasons why this might be occurring might be down to your dog dreaming.
Just think about it – it’s not uncommon for dogs to yelp or even bark while they’re dreaming, and occasionally dogs can even move their legs just in the same way that they would while they are running!
With that being said, while screams/yelps might seem a little bit scary when they happen, they might simply just be indicating that your dog is having an exciting dream.
10. To Display Dominance
If you have a particularly territorial dog, then another possible reason why your dog might be suddenly screaming could be down to them trying to display their dominance.
This could be down to a number of reasons, but for the most part, most dogs will display their dominance in a variety of ways when they feel threatened or jealous of another dog.
As a side note, while it is natural for some dogs to display their dominance, it can sometimes grow to become quite an issue and lead to aggression, so it’s important to try and curb this behavior as soon as you can to prevent it from developing any further.
11. Syringomyelia
Another common reason that some dogs begin to suddenly scream is due to a condition that affects dogs known as Syringomyelia (otherwise abbreviated to SM).
Syringomyelia is a condition that can significantly impact a dog’s life and can sadly cause dogs to experience extreme pain that can cause them to whine, yelp and scream.
While this condition is not overly common, it does have a variety of other symptoms that can indicate a dog has it, which includes the following:
- Sleeping with the head held at a strange angle to help prevent feelings of pain.
- Whining and screaming for seemingly no reason at all.
- Very sensitive skin across the entire body, including the neck, chest, shoulder, back, and even the head.
- Repeatedly scratching, as well as phantom scratching a few inches away from the body.
12. Past Experiences
To follow, another reason that some dogs begin to display behaviors such as randomly screaming could be due to past traumatic events that could be having an effect on the emotional state of a dog.
While this is not the case for all dogs, it is relatively common for a dog that has come from a home or rescue facility to react to certain situations by showing signs that are typically associated with distress – including screaming.
In this sort of instance, it’s important to note that many dogs that have been rescued have come from traumatic backgrounds, and this could potentially have an effect on the way a dog conducts themselves.
If you feel that your dog suddenly begins to scream could be down to your dog’s background, then it’s important that you seek professional medical help to help get your dog back to full health and happiness.
You should be sure to take your dog to a veterinarian who will be able to prescribe an anti-anxiety medication (or an alternative kind of appropriate medication) to help soothe your dog’s feelings of distress, as well as potentially carrying out a behavioral therapy program that will work to address the root cause of the issue and help your dog to get over it.
13. Presence Of Strangers
As we have already touched upon above, all dogs tend to express feelings in different ways, and not all of them can always make sense to us. That’s why, another common reason that many dogs tend to scream or bark is due to feelings of discomfort around people that they are unsure or unfamiliar with, such as strangers.
So, if you are finding that your dog only ever “screams” when they are around people that they do not know, then it’s safe to assume that the reason why your dog is randomly screaming is due to the fact that they are being triggered by the guests/strangers in their environment.
To follow, if you do believe that this is the reason why your dog is suddenly screaming, then it’s important that you seek the medical advice of your veterinarian who will be able to assist you further.
This is because this type of behavior is not deemed as being a normal reaction for dogs to have, so it’s important that you make sure that you are getting to the root cause of the issue as soon as you possibly can.
By doing so, you will be ensuring that your dog is able to have the treatment needed to help prevent the screaming from returning, while also working to address the problem and improve your dog’s quality of life.
Wrapping Up
So, there we have it! You’ve made it to the end of the article. Now that you’ve taken the time to read through this guide, we truly hope that you’ve been able to gain a better understanding of what might be causing your dog to suddenly scream at random points throughout the day.
For the most part, even though screaming is not necessarily a normal behavior seen in dogs, it’s not always a huge sign of concern, and can often be simply down to wanting attention or being territorial.
Needless to say, while this might be the case, we still strongly recommend that you make sure to take your dog down for a visit to the vet just in case there’s an underlying issue, as your vet will be able to provide you with their professional opinion on what is causing your dog to suddenly scream.
From there, they will then be able to suggest a variety of treatment or therapy options to help your dog overcome this issue, while also working to get to the root of the problem to address what is triggering your dog to give this type of response.
Plus, alongside making sure that you take your dog to the vet where they will be able to be assessed by an animal medical professional, we also recommend that you make sure that you’re being the best dog owner you can be.
While you go down the journey of figuring out what is causing your dog to scream (as well as working on remedying the situation) you should also be making sure that you are regularly taking your dog out for daily exercise, schedule in plenty of bonding time to play and cuddle, while also making sure that your dog is getting plenty of nutritious food and a safe environment to relax and sleep in.
While you’re here, why don’t you give this page a bookmark? That way, if you ever need to come back and refresh your memory, you’ll know where this guide is. Thank you for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Stop A Dog From Screaming?
If you’re suddenly noticing that your dog is randomly screaming and you’re not sure why then the most important thing that you will need to do is to contact your veterinarian.
By reaching out to your veterinarian, your vet will be able to provide you with a professional opinion about why your dog might be randomly screaming/yelping, and help you to treat it so that your dog can get back to living its normal, happy life!
In addition to making sure that you are reaching out to your veterinarian and taking your dog in for a check-up to see what the issue might be, you should also make sure that you are thoroughly inspecting your dog’s everyday environment to see if there might be anything triggering your dog to scream at random points throughout the day.
We also recommend that you make sure that your dog is getting plenty of daily exercises, playtimes, and nutritious food to keep your dog as healthy as can be.
Why Is My Dog Randomly Screaming In Pain?
It’s hard to provide an accurate answer for what might be causing your dog to randomly scream in pain because it could be being triggered by a variety of different factors.
For this reason, if you’re currently noticing that your dog is randomly screaming in pain at different points throughout the day, then the most important thing that you should do is to take your dog to a veterinarian.
Once there, your vet will be able to provide you with their professional opinion on what the issue might be and help to remedy the screaming and find the root of the problem.
