Help Your Dog Overcome Noise Anxiety

Ordinarily, Robert would have to whistle for his dog Sausage to come in from the garden. Sometimes he had to go out and rescue a mouse from her jaws...except when there was a thunderstorm. At the first crackle of thunder and flash of lightning, Robert always knew where he could find Sausage: trembling and panting under the bed.

Robert tried coaxing Sausage out with treats. He tried cuddling her while she shivered. Nothing seemed to help. In fact, Sausage's fear of thunder increased over time. She began to associate darkening clouds with thunder before it even happened.

Sausage faces the very common problem of severe noise anxiety. Many dogs react not only to thunder but other loud noises as well, such as fireworks, vacuum cleaners, car alarms and sirens. Animals in the wild run from noise but find safety in natural hideaways, such as dens or burrows. But dogs in the home are confined and can't seem to get away from the noise. Other dogs may have associated a certain noise with a terrifying experience from earlier years. Whatever the cause of the noise anxiety, you can take definite steps to cure your dog from this fear.

Start with the Veterinarian

There will be no doubt in your mind when your dog is distressed from loud noise. Your dog may hide, shake violently, bark, cower, and occasionally be destructive by chewing through screen doors to escape to safety. Your dog can also injure his paws and nails with this behavior. " I have also heard of dogs who get so scared," says Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, Ph.D., director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, that they jump through a window and then get hit by a car."

The first step for your dog is to take her to the veterinarian. Noise sensitivity can be due to various medical conditions. Ironically, if your dog's hearing is diminishing, a sudden loud noise that he can hear may make him jump. If the noise problem is medical and treatable, your dog's noise anxiety should be solved.

If not, then you have to tackle the problem through a behavioral approach.

What you should not do

Before you start reconditioning your dog, there are two steps not to take because these mistakes may actually make things worse. The first is "never reprimand or punish your dog for being afraid," says Dr. Houpt, "because this will increase his anxiety." He may misunderstand and think the noise is making you angry. He can't stop the noise, but he can behave submissively (fearfully) to try and calm you down.

Second, don't comfort your dog. While this is an controversial issue among animal behaviorists, some experts believe it acts as a reinforcement for the fearful behavior-just as praise does for something you want your dog to do. Therefore, even though it may be hard to do, restrain yourself from cuddling and reassuring him. "And if you do," says Dr. Houpt, "what happens when you're not home? If comforting does not immediately stop your dog's fearful behavior, then it's not a good idea."

Positive steps to take

Your first move is to confine your dog where he feels safe and can't harm himself or your property. A crate is a good place for a dog to feel secure. But don't wait for a storm to put your dog in the crate the first time. Try well before storm season to get your dog accustomed to his comfortable place. Hopefully, when a storm does arrive, your dog will feel he has a safe haven to go to. "And be very careful," says Dr. Houpt, "that he does not injure himself trying to escape."

Other safe places include the bathtub and shower stall, suggests Dr. Houpt. "When dogs are surrounded by metallic 'containers', it seems to help decrease the effect of the loud noise or possibly static electricity," she says.

Another thing to try is an anxiety wrap (available from anxietywrap.com) which is made of an elastic material. You put it on your dog and it holds him tight around his chest, supposedly making him feel more secure.

There's another method called Dog Appeasing Pheromone treatment (DAP Comfort Zone). You plug in a diffuser (which can be purchased at your pet shop or veterinarian's office) that releases DAP-a calming chemical for your dog. "It's a synthetic reproduction of a pheromone that is produced from the skin of dogs' mammary glands," says Dr. Houpt. "It can make your dog feel as secure as when he was a puppy." Plug in the diffuser when a storm is predicted.

In severe cases, your veterinarian may prescribe anti-anxiety medications or antidepressants for your dog to curb the intense fear of noise.

The best step: desensitization

Desensitization is a behavioral technique to help your dog overcome his fear of disturbing noises. First, you need to recreate the noises. Many music stores have soundtracks of fireworks, thunderstorms and heavy rain. Or you can tape record the loud noises yourself.

Start by playing the tape or CD at a very low volume. Your dog's keen ear will pick it up, but your dog should not show signs of fear at this volume. Gradually over time, increase the volume by tiny increments until your dog is used to hearing the sounds at full force. If your dog shows fear at any point, decrease the volume and proceed a little more slowly. (For CD's that can help you in desensitizing your dog, check out www.soundscary.www.snd www.mastersvodce-dog.om.

This method will work if you combine it with distraction. While you play the tape, engage your dog in performing tricks and his favorite indoor games. The whole point is that is hard for your dog to worry about the thunderstorm outside when he is busy with activities inside with you. Of course, shower your dog with affection and some treats when he accomplishes this feat.

No matter what method you use, however, the key to any desensitization program is to begin very early. "Don't wait until thunderstorm season in June to start," says Drr. Hopt. "Start in January." Realize, also, that one or two training sessions won't do the trick. You'll need to have patience and be consistent. It may take months of training, amounting to ten minutes a day of your time with your dog.

But if it works, your dog's fear will be gone and you will both be able to sit on the comfy couch together, riding out the storm.

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This article originally appeared in a 2005 issue oof DogWaDogWatchr.