subject: Fear of Thunder and Noise in Dogs [print this page] Thunder and loud noises can provoke very strong reactions in many dogs. Even large, usually brave dogs can be reduced to a quivering mess by the sound of a thunderstorm. Fear of loud noises is common in pets and it can turn into a phobia. Unfortunately it's very hard to train a dog to tolerate loud or scary sounds after they have become afraid of them.
Dogs become more and more afraid of a loud sound the more they hear it and this fear may even generalize to include other sounds. For example dogs that are afraid of the sound of thunder may also develop a phobia to the sounds of cars backfiring or fireworks.
A dog that is experiencing fear will salivate, tremble, pace, pant, freeze, and try to escape or hide. Some dogs will even injure themselves while trying to escape. Dogs have been known to jump through glass in an attempt to escape.
If the frightening noise occurs when you are away or the dog is alone in the house, you may come home to a scene of destruction as the dog will have frantically been trying to escape or hide. Accidents on the floor will also be a manifestation of the phobia as some dogs will defecate or urinate involuntarily when scared.
If your dog has a noise phobia you should try to enlist the services of a veterinary behaviorist who may recommend medication to help calm your dog in these conditions. If you're at home and your dog begins exhibiting fear in this manner, the last thing you should do is to try to reassure him. Petting and trying to reassure your dog at this sensitive time will only serve to enforce his fear as you are in simple terms rewarding his fearful behavior. The best way to help your dog handle this stressful situation is to behave in an upbeat and happy way around the dog and try to divert his attention. Try to grab your dog's attention and keep him busy with any task.
In severe cases, desensitization programs may be tried, in which taped recordings of the sound that frightens your dog is used at low volume initially. You can gradually increase the volume of the sound, stopping when the dog becomes fearful. A dog behaviorist or veterinarian may be able to offer you extensive advice on how to devise a desensitization program that is appropriate for your dog's particular phobia.
