What is Noise Phobia on Dogs & Cats?

The following information will help you to understand noise phobias and give you advice on helping your dog to overcome their fears.

What is noise phobia and why does it develop?

Noise phobia is the irrational fear of loud noises due to the perception that the noise is dangerous. When feeling threatened, fear is normal, but when this fear leads to a phobia of everyday things and your dog can’t cope, it’s time to take action.

Noise phobias can be caused by a lack of exposure to a sound as a puppy, traumatic interaction with a noise during the early stages of life or repetitive exposure leading to sensitisation.

Noises that are most commonly associated with a phobia in dogs include thunderstorms, fireworks, vacuum cleaners, sirens and lawn mowers.

Signs of anxiety

When dogs are scared they have a flee, fight, freeze or fidget response that can cause the following changes in their body and behaviour:

• Crouching, cowering, ears down or back, tail down or tucked under their belly
• Pacing or restlessness
• Vocalising (barking, growling or whimpering)
• Seeking comfort from the owner
• Hiding or escape attempts
• Self-trauma
• Destructive behaviour
• Yawning
• Licking lips, salivating or vomiting
• Urinating or defaecating, including house-soiling
• Panting
• Trembling
• Fast heart rate
• Disinterest in food, toys or usual routine

How to manage noise phobias

Be prepared

Dogs with a phobia don’t understand that storms pass and fireworks end – for them it’s a frightening experience associated with shrill winds, loud explosions and bright flashes. Although you can anticipate some loud noises, others may catch you and your pet by surprise, so here are some tips to help you stay prepared:

• Keep your dog’s microchip details up-to-date and make sure their collar tag has your current phone number so you can be easily reunited if they escape
• Create a hideout with a bed and blankets in a quiet room that your dog can always retreat to and include an unwashed item of clothing like a t-shirt, as your scent can be reassuring

Anticipated noises

Preparing for anticipated noises from thunderstorms, fireworks and parties is all about planning ahead and staying calm at all times. Here are some suggestions:

• Keep an eye on the weather forecast and local events in your area so you can make the appropriate arrangements
• Be calm – keep your voice tone normal and go about your regular activities
• If a storm is on its way, ensure outdoor furniture is safely secured, bring in anything that could fly around in the wind and close all windows, doors and gates so they don’t rattle and to muffle the noise outside – don’t rush around once the storm has arrived as this will only scare your pet
• Keep blinds and curtains shut to minimise the bright flashes during a storm or fireworks
• Tire your pet out before a storm rolls in or festivities begin with a long walk or a rigorous game of fetch

If you’re going to be out

Here are some additional things to consider if you won’t be home during a storm or fireworks:

• Ensure your dog can’t escape your yard or premises – make sure fences and gates are secure
• Take your dog to their safe, secure hideout before you leave
• Provide your dog with a distraction – the background sounds of a TV or radio or a food puzzle treat toy can help keep their mind off the noise
• Consider a pet nanny or family friend to stay with your pet while you’re out

Things to avoid

What can you do to help your pet?

• Don’t punish your pet for any damage or bad behaviour – they won’t understand why you’re upset and this will only make their fear worse
• Don’t rush around closing windows or frantically gathering washing and ask children not to jump or scream at the sound of thunder
• Don’t reinforce anxious behaviour by comforting your dog – instead carry on normally showing your dog that the noise isn’t a concern
• Don’t pick up or cuddle your pet during a loud noise or storm – this will only encourage fear and indicate that nervous behaviour is appropriate

Vets can prescribe anti-anxiety or sedative medication to help some dogs that are extremely fearful to cope with noise phobia. Alternatively, talk to your vet about pet massage, Thunder Shirts® and pheromone calming collars and infusers.

Desensitisation

For phobias of domestic objects like lawn mowers or vacuum cleaners, the first step is to simply show your dog the object without turning it on – if there’s no reaction then reward with a treat and slowly work up to using the object around them.

Until they’ve been desensitised to a comfortable level, your dog should be kept away from these objects in everyday action, as their fear will undo the desensitisation that has begun.

Depending on the severity of your dog’s phobia, CDs of the frightening noise may assist in desensitising your pet by exposing them to sounds at low levels that they can tolerate without fear.

This technique alone will not fix the problem but can be useful in conjunction with other strategies. Ask your vet or veterinary behaviourist about desensitising CDs or contact us directly for more information.