The superstition of a dog howling at night is that it is a warning of death. This superstition is thought to have originated in ancient times, when dogs were often used as guard animals. If a dog howled at night, it was thought to be a warning that someone was approaching or that there was some other danger. Postupem času se tato pověra spojila se smrtí, protože se věřilo, že pes vytí varuje před blížícím se zánikem někoho.
In some cultures, it is believed that a dog howling at night is a sign that a person's soul is leaving their body. In other cultures, it is believed that a dog howling at night is a sign that a person is about to die. Ať už je jakýkoli specifický význam pověry, je jasné, že existuje rozšířená víra, že pes vytí v noci je známkou smůly nebo smrti.