Why Do Dogs Fear Loud Noises And What Must You Do?

Loud noises, while irritating to people, spell danger for dogs. Most dogs react to loud noises in some way, and for a large percentage that reaction is one of fear even terror.

If your dog is one that suffers from such an intense fear of noises, you know first hand just how devastating it can be - both for you and for your pet. Terrified dogs, just like frightened humans, may give in to destructive behavior such as peeing on the carpet, chewing on things, barking franticly, or even attacking anything that moves. And when the dog's owner isn't home, such behavior esclates.

People forget that dogs aren't little people - they are animals with alien minds who doing think like humans do. This disconnect causes people to treat their dog like they would a child - holding the dog as if it were a baby, stroking its fur, talking to it in a soothing tone of voice. For children being held and rocked is comforting but dogs aren't children even though people tend to imagine them as such. Dogs are animals and being petted, talked to in a soothing tone of voice and sitting on their human's lap is rewarding - something they get if they have done good things. Those are the exact same things the owner would do if the dog did something good, after all. So the message that is sent to the dog is "Good boy (or girl) for acting afraid. Good dog. Peeing on the carpet is good." Which is exactly the wrong message to send. This teaches the dog to repeat whatever it was he did while genuinely frightened - except that now he'll be peeing, chewing or barking in order to get rewarded again.

The hardest thing to do, but the absolutely BEST thing to do, for dogs that don't like loud noises but that aren't terrified of them is to totally ignore the dog when he s frightened. Keep an eye on your pet and make sure that he doesn't get hurt but that's all. leave the dog alone. He is capable of dealing with the situation on his own no matter how back you might want to help, so allow him to do so. Ensure that your dog can't get under anything and get stuck. You never know when loud noises are going to happen.

If your dog is terrified of loud noises however, then get used to confining him to a small room or a crate. Humans tend to think of crates and small confinement areas as punishments but dogs aren't humans. They think of such things as warm, cozy dens. Curled up in a den, protected from the loud noise and its cause will make the dog feel safe and secure.

You will also want to try to desensitize the dog - which is a fancy way of saying get him used to noises in small doses. For example, you might record thunder or buy a tape of a thunderstorm. Wait until the dog is calm and relaxed then turn the tape on but keep the volume low. Let him get curious. Raise the volume a bit and allow the dog to become used to it then raise it a bit more. Over time he'll get used to the idea that it's nothing bad and begin to ignore it. Keep working with this until you can plan the tape at full volume without the dog reacting.