It’s easy to assume that all dogs howl like it’s second nature, especially when movies and cartoons make it look like they’re born serenading the moon. However, not all pups are ready for center stage. Some take their sweet time. Seven years, in one fluffy pooch’s case. Fortunately, all it took was a trip to Italy and a well-timed church bell performance to awaken the Samoyed dog’s inner tenor, as seen in a viral Instagram video.
Samoyed howls on his trip to Italy after many failed attempts in viral video
Boomer the Samoyed, known online through his Instagram account @life.with.a.landcloud, finally let out his first proper howl. The reel starts with on-screen text explaining how his owner had always hoped he would one day learn to howl. It then cuts to a montage of Boomer’s earlier attempts over time. Instead of howling, the fluffy pup either barked or made short, confused noises.
However, during a recent trip to Italy, everything changed. While out on a walk with his owners, Boomer suddenly paused. The camera shifts to reveal church bells ringing nearby. As if answering their call, Boomer lifts his head and lets out a strong, clear, and unexpectedly beautiful howl. It’s a moment that clearly surprised the owners, as the caption read, “Just needed to take this Landcloud to Italy I guess.”
The Samoyed’s rare howl drew widespread attention, garnering over 638K views and nearly 97K likes on the dog video. Commenters joined the fun, with one writing, “He says he only howls in Italian.” Many shared touching anecdotes of their own dogs’ reactions to similar sounds, like church bells. “My heart melted the first time [my dog] did that,” said one user. Another commenter voiced interest in the science behind it all: “I would fund a study that examined why church bells and sirens make dogs howl.”
As it turns out, dogs often howl in response to high-pitched, sustained sounds like sirens or bells because it taps into their instinctual communication behavior. Howling is a natural form of vocalization among dogs, especially breeds with strong pack instincts like Samoyeds. Sounds like church bells mimic howls in pitch and tone, triggering a response as if another dog is calling out. It’s not unusual for dogs to react emotionally or instinctively to such sounds, even if, like Boomer, it takes years for them to do so.
