This is a true story. Yes it is.
I think it was around 1996, when my aunt’s pet dog was still around. And believe it or not I was trying to practice the recorder (for school)…
And the dog howled…
Too bad I can’t see what response it will give when I play the whistle…
True Story:
Even though I may get stoned for saying this, I bought a sopranino recorder off of ebay about two weeks ago. sigh I don’t know what I was thinking. Not to worry. The day I got it in the mail, I opened it, looked away, looked back, and the dog had already eaten it. No kidding. It’s like he was saying, “Uh, NO YOU DIDN’T.”
So I agree.
Joey
The howling isn’t necessarily disapproval of your playing; it’s a pack thing. The dog may think that you are howling (and who says dogs are musically discerning anyway?), and they’re just joining in.
I’ve seen the same thing happen with fiddle and accordion playing.
speaking of dogs howling, my aunt has a cocker spaniel…and everytime we play “zombie”, the cranberries song..the dog howls with the chorus 
i think it’s neat. unfortunately, when i start the whistle and flute…they run away. but i think it’s only because they’re jealous they don’t have lips and not because of their super powered hearing.
cheers
My dog howls all the time - accompanies me on the guitar on Clementine. (seems to like american folk) Doesn’t seem to like whistles though - just vanishes. Now I know why (he has no lips!)
My dog/dogs never howled… They just looked at me and gave me one of those bored looks like “whatever…” and went back to sleep.
My Mom’s lovebird, on the other hand, thinks it’s another bird talking and finds it necessary to exercise her lungs/vocal chords in response…
My grndparents had a dog who howled whenever a certain tenor (I forget his name) sang on Lawrence Welk, which, being grandparents, they watched religiously.
Last week a tiny dog from Worms has won a singers contest on TV (or was it on the radio?) It went like this: everyone who felt like it could call the station and sing. The audience then could phone and vote him/her away. The singer who stays on air for the longest duration would win the first price of 2500 Euro. A lady has entered her dog who has also the habit of joining in on certain songs, and this dog actually made the first price. - Wish I could sing like that dog…
Wilfried