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You might find yourself in a situation where there is no time for training, and instant measures have to be taken to decrease the possibility of your dog becoming afraid when they hear the scary sound. This could be if your neighbour decides to have a spontaneous party with fireworks or a big thunderstorm is rolling in fast or you are frantically reading this on the day before new years eve.
It is hard to know exactly what our dogs are afraid of. Yes, we know that our dog is afraid of fireworks, thunder or a certain noise in our home, but what exactly is it that makes it scary? Is it just the sound or maybe also the flashes or the smell, or a combination of all. For thunder it could be the sound, lightning flashes, the lower barometric pressure, the smell of ozone, electrostatic charges, the boom of thunder with possible vibrations or all in a great big mix of overload of the senses, what is also called trigger stacking. When we are trying to help our dogs become less afraid we can therefor try to remove some of the triggers to decrease the fear.
This is also why, when helping your dog with their noise sensitivity or noise phobia there is a bit of trial and error you have to do. Below you will find many different methods on how to help your dog. Some methods might work and some might not on your particular dog. Try the ones you find most plausible to work for your dog, or that you believe might work.
It has been found though that a combination of different methods has given the best results.
It is important to note that if your dog suddenly starts to be fearful of noises or react in any way that is outside of his/her normal behaviour, then it might be due to undiscovered pain or illness and a visit to the vet is recommended to rule out any physical ailments.
Setting up the environment
When the outside world is scary it is good to have a safe, predictable and comfortable environment. One of the first things you should therefor do is set up a calm and safe environment. Do not ever leave your dog alone when they are afraid, this could escalate the fear rapidly and go into a full panic.
Creating a safe haven
- Go to the room that blocks the sound the best. Basements and bathrooms often have good sound insulation. Keep in mind not to confine your dog, but let him/her move around as she wants, maybe they feel safer in another location. Let your dog chose.
- Make a spot or a cave for your dog, depending on their likes. Then fill that spot with thick blankets and also put a clothes item with your own scent to make your dog feel safe. The dog should be able to move around as (s)he pleases and have a choice about where to be.
- Mask the incoming sounds as best as possible by putting pillows or thick blankets on the windows. You can also turn on other devices like the TV, dishwasher, laundry machine to mask the noise
- Use scent to create a calm atmosphere. There are Adaptil difusers, collars and sprays that has proven efficient. Even chamomile and lavender scents has shown to have calming effects, specially for dogs that bark.
- Mask potential incoming flashes by drawing the curtains and make the room as bright as possible by turning on as many lights as you can.
