My Dog Is Scared Of Loud Noises - What Can I Do?

The fear of loud noise is a common problem for dogs of all shapes and sizes. It is normal for dogs to respond to a loud noise with fear – as long as they bounce back to neutral quickly. However, when a dog has repeated negative exposures to a sound, they may become sensitized to the noise and become unable to bounce back. For many dogs, the fear response to sounds is so crippling that it may last for hours.

Common sound triggers for dogs

A severe fear response is usually to loud, unexpected, disruptive,or high-pitched sounds, but some dogs may have a crippling response to a seemingly normal sound. Here are a few common sound triggers:

Fireworks
Thunderstorms
Gunshots
Construction vehicles
Fire alarms
Emergency vehicle sirens

Fear usually develops in puppyhood during the most critical socialization/development period (1-6months). During this time it is incredibly important to positively socialize your puppy to as many new sounds as possible. Early positive exposure to a variety of sounds will help build a strong, confident dog. However, dogs can develop a fear response to sound at any age. Keeping an eye out for any developing fears is key as they will likely worsen if left untreated.

Symptoms of noise phobias in dogs

The symptoms of noise phobias are wide ranging; being on the look out for any major behavioral changes in your dog after a new or surprising sound is a crucial preventative measure. If you have a puppy, stay vigilant in socializing them to sounds. The sooner you can identify the sound trigger, the better.

Some of the most common symptoms/behaviors of noise phobia include:

Low or tucked tail position
Refusal to eat
Pacing or inability to settle down
Excessive drooling, panting, or sweaty paws
Abnormal urination or defecation in the house
Shaking
Destructive behavior like chewing or scratching
Abnormal barking, howling or crying
Attempts to escape, hide or burrow
Freezing or inability to move

How to deal with your dog’s noise sensitivity

Now that we’ve established what noise phobia looks like, let’s move on to treatment methods. When treating noise phobias it is best to use a multifaceted approach with environmental management, desensitization, and counterconditioning.

Environment

The goal of environmental management is to set your dog up for success when they have to face the sound they fear. These are all preventative steps to keep your dog comfortable, safe and in a positive mindset during sound triggers.

Regular exercise: A tired dog is a happy dog! Don’t underestimate the power of a long walk or epic play session when it comes to sound triggers. The increase in exercise will help to reduce anxiety and fear.
Reward calm behavior: Reward your dog for being calm without the trigger sound present. This helps teach the dog it pays to be relaxed. When your dog is laying down, hips out or fully laying on their side, reward with food or verbal praise.
Crate training: A crate gives your dog a safe and happy place to go during a sound trigger. Giving your dog a yummy treat in the crate like a filled Kong is a wonderful distraction for most dogs.
Calming music/white noise: Calming, classical or harp music is helpful for some dogs during sound triggers. White noise machines are also a good solution to mitigate some noise triggers.
Stay relaxed: Make sure you’re letting your dog know there is nothing to worry. We want the dog to understand the sound doesn’t mean anything.
Do not pet or coddle your dog during triggers: This rewards your dog for being fearful. Think of it as you telling them ”yes, you should be scared of that sound” rather than the intended comfort. We want to ignore the response they are having because there is nothing to fear. Only reward calm behavior.

Desensitization

With the environment under control, it is time to start working on changing the dog’s response to the sound trigger. This first step is desensitization. The goal of desensitization is to slowly – and at a low volume – expose your dog to the trigger sound, helping them make a positive association. For some dogs, this is a quick process taking only days, while other, more sensitive dogs might need months of desensitization. Be patient and appreciate the small successes.

Start with a recorded sound – make a recording of the trigger sound and play it on the lowest volume. If the dog stays calm give a high value treat or toy. Next, increase the volume and continue to reward as long as the dog continues to remain calm. Keep training sessions short and fun while you make positive associations with the trigger sound. If the dog’s behavior changes and they start to show fear, we’ll take a step back on volume in the next session. Continue this process until the dog is no longer showing fear around the recording at a moderate volume.

Counterconditioning

Once the dog is comfortable with the sound as a recording, it’s time to focus on counterconditioning in the real world. The goal of counterconditioning is to replace the fear response with a positive or neutral response to the sound trigger. Keep all training sessions short and fun!

It’s important to address fear as quickly as possible, with a patient and positive outlook. Loud or high-pitched noises can induce fear in many dogs, but following the plans outlined in this article can help your dog to overcome the issue. If you find yourself struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional dog trainer for assistance.