How to Calm a Dog Spooked by Loud Noises

A booming thunderstorm pealing across the horizon. The sudden pops and startling blasts of Roman candles, bottle rockets, and M-80s on a warm evening in early July. The irritating rat-a-tat of a jackhammer piling its way through the pavement.

While we are conditioned to accept or shrug off these noises as ordinary, everyday clamor, many dogs react to these strange and frightening sounds with whimpers, trembling, or worse. Because dogs have such an acute sense of hearing, it's natural for some dogs to respond fearfully to such stimuli, say the experts.

"This is extremely common, because your pet usually sits at home in a nice, quiet house most of the time," said Babette Gladstein, VMD. "The response is common in pets with separation anxiety. Sometimes it is traced back to a bad experience. Also, if the owner is nervous about loud noise and storms, the animal may be as well."

From a dog's point of view, an event like the Fourth of July "sounds like the sky is falling down. Why wouldn't they be scared?" said Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS, staff veterinarian at Doylestown Animal Medical Clinic.

The News Behind the Noise

Fear of loud noises may actually be a learned, reinforced response that worsens over time, Gladstein said. "We may condition them to this response by comforting them. Therefore, they get attention when acting fearful." Some dogs not only have more sensitive ears, but also more sensitive personalities for reasons that scientists don't understand, said Justine A. Lee, DVM, of the Pet Poison Helpline.

Steve Brooks, CPDT — trainer of Presley, the boxer who won CBS's reality show "Greatest American Dog" — said two things are at the root of noise-provoked fears in dogs: innate and learned behaviors.

"The former derives from genetics and is harder to fix, while the latter is from the dog's environment," Brooks said. Learned fear of loud sounds may arise "if the dog didn't get proper and early socialization and exposure to different environments as a puppy. A dog that is also clingy and overattached to its owner may exhibit insecurity problems like these, too."

Signs of a Petrified Pooch

Common behavioral symptoms associated with noise anxiety include:

• Hiding
• Cowering and trembling
• Urinating and/or defecating
• Panting
• Pacing and circling
• Digging or jumping in an attempt to escape
• Passing gas
• Barking and whining

Medication: Pros and Cons

Veterinarians sometimes prescribe medications that, used as directed, can help during a noise-driven anxiety episode — from sedatives to anti-anxiety drugs. "Any medication used to calm a dog is best given at least 30 to 60 minutes before the loud noises start," Benson said. "It can be useful to confine your dog in a dark room as far from the noise as possible."

Like many vets and dog experts, however, Gladstein is not a fan of drugs to treat doggie noise phobias. "Medicating your pet can actually make its fears worse," she said. Sedated pets "still experience the noise, but physically can't react. This continues the cycle and the need for drugs. Prescription drugs should be used only with behavior modification programs under the supervision of a trained veterinarian."

Instead of prescribed drugs, Brooks touts natural remedies, including lavender oil, geranium scent, chamomile, peppermint extract, and D.A.P. — dog-appeasing pheromone — to help relax dogs. "Having a trainer or behavioral specialist work with your pet is the best way to approach this from a behavioral point of view," Benson added, noting that herding breeds such as collies and sheepdogs are particularly sensitive to harsh noises.

Massage the Message

Brooks recommends massage therapy to condition your dog to relax during a loud event:

• Get your dog to lie on its side and give it a thorough massage.
• As you massage, let your dog smell lavender oil, which can induce a calming effect. Repeat once a day over a few days.
• Play a recording of sounds like a rainstorm or fireworks at low volume while giving the massage and letting your dog sniff the lavender oil. Gradually turn up the volume every few days.
• The next time a loud event occurs in the neighborhood, such as a thunderstorm, massage your dog and bring the lavender oil up to its nose.

If your dog continues to display signs of anxiety in response to noisy stimuli, don't reinforce the behavior by giving a treat, coddling, or reassuring your dog with sympathetic words. Instead, try to ignore the behavior; act happily and fearlessly. Praise and reward the dog with a treat when it displays signs of confidence and noise tolerance.

Gladstein also advises these steps:

• Introduce white noise of some kind (a noisy fan, for example), and gradually increase the volume over time to desensitize your dog.
• Try counter-conditioning: if your dog enjoys a car ride, take it for a spin during a loud event so it associates the noise with something it likes.
• Arrange a play date with other dogs on a day when you know a loud event is coming. Your dog may be so busy having fun that the noises won't bother it.
• Consider alternative therapies, including acupuncture and chiropractic treatment.

Forecasting Future Fears

It is possible for dogs to outgrow these fears if you work with them regularly, Lee said. "But the truth is that some dogs will always need some form of medical or behavioral therapy to cope with these issues."

Brooks said the key to preventing behavioral problems like noise anxiety is to start as early as possible. That means the next time you get a puppy, introduce it to various sounds, people, and environments, and train it to follow basic commands like "sit," "stay," "come," and "don't pull" on the leash.