Behavior Challenges: Decreasing Fear of Loud Noises
Thunder, fireworks or other loud sounds often scare pets, even if a pet hasn’t had a negative experience tied to the loud noise. This is entirely understandable! Imagine hearing loud booms outside and not knowing where they came from. You would likely be on edge too, right? With patience and understanding, you can make your pet more comfortable with these sounds and help them manage their fear. It’s better to help them with their fear sooner rather than later, as their fear can become even worse if left untreated.
Fear Responses
The most common reactions pets have to loud noises are destruction and attempts to flee. When pets become frightened, they will instinctually try to reduce their fear. They may try to escape to a place where the sounds of thunder or firecrackers are less intense. If escape is effective in calming the pet and reducing fear, then escaping as a coping mechanism becomes reinforced, and it is more likely to happen again in the future.
For some pets, just the activity or physical exertion associated with fleeing or being destructive may be an outlet for their anxiety. But these behaviors can be unpleasant for you at best, and may result in physical injury or loss of your pet at worst.
When your pet is startled by a sound, they may associate the environment with their fear. For example, pets afraid of thunder may later become afraid of the wind, dark clouds and the lightning that often comes before the sound of thunder. Dogs who are afraid of firecrackers may become afraid of the person holding them or become afraid to go into the yard where they’ve seen them. Over time, these fearful reactions can transform into undesirable behavior if left unaddressed.
What You Can Do To Help
Create a Safe Place
Your pet will appreciate a place to go when they hear noises that frighten them. If possible, choose a safe space that your pet already finds comforting. If they are trying to get inside the house, create open access to the home through a pet door. If your pet feels safe under your bed, give them access to your bedroom. Once you establish a safe space, you can add a fan or radio to help block frightening noises. Encourage your pet to go to this space when thunder or other noises occur. Use treats and food to create a positive association with the sounds. Ensure your pet can come and go freely from their safe space — they should not feel confined or trapped.
Distract Your Dog
A safe space will work for most pets, but some pets require activity when they are frightened. When your pet begins to show signs of anxiety, encourage them to engage in an activity that captures their attention and distracts them from behaving fearfully. Play fetch indoors, let them chase you or encourage them to chase a long rope toy. Give your pet lots of praise and treats as they pay attention and follow directions.
If loud noises, such as a storm, continue to build, you may be unable to keep their attention on the activity. A distraction will help delay any fearful behavior, even if it cannot stop it completely. If you can’t keep your pet’s attention, you should stop the distraction process. If you continue, you may accidentally reinforce some fearful behaviors.
Behavior Modification
Behavior modification methods called counter-conditioning and desensitization can be successful in reducing fears and phobias by teaching your pet to respond in neutral or positive ways to noises that have previously frightened them. 
How to:
- Find a steady soundtrack of thunder or fireworks where the volume level does not vary. We like Calm Pet: Desensitizing Sounds for Animals, Album 1
- Play the recording at a low volume so your pet doesn’t respond fearfully. During this time, reward your pet with food, a treat or a game. Set the tone by using some of these vocal exercises to add calm interest to the training environment.
- On the next occasion, increase the volume slightly if your pet seems comfortable and calm listening to the sounds.
- If your pet seems comfortable and is not showing you any stress signals, continue increasing the recording volume through ongoing sessions over a period of several weeks or months. If at any time your pet displays fearful behavior or moves away, STOP. Resume your next session at a lower volume that doesn’t produce anxiety, and proceed slowly.
- Always aim to end a session on a good note!
- Working with a professional, certified trainer to help reduce your pet’s fear and build their confidence is strongly recommended! It can be challenging to do this on your own, even if you’re an experienced pet parent.
When to Consult a Professional
If your pet has severe fears and phobias, and you do not achieve success with the techniques outlined here, you should consult with a certified trainer or your veterinarian. Medication may be an option that can make your pet less anxious for short periods. Your veterinarian is the only person who is licensed and qualified to prescribe medication for your pet. (Don’t attempt to give your pet any over-the-counter or prescription medication without consulting your veterinarian. Animals don’t respond to drugs the way people do, and a medication that may be safe for humans could be deadly to your pet.) Drug therapy on its own won’t reduce fears and phobias permanently, but a combination of medication and behavior modification can be effective in extreme cases.
What Not to Do
-
Don’t ignore your pet. Fear is an emotion, not a behavior. If your pet seems to be soothed by you laying near them or petting them, this is perfectly fine and may make them feel even better.
-
Don’t lock your pet in a crate during a thunderstorm. Your pet will likely still be afraid and could injure themselves trying to escape the crate. However, you can provide them the option of going into their crate while leaving the door open as their safe space.
-
Don’t punish your pet for inappropriate behavior when they are afraid. Punishment is not a successful way to modify fearful behaviors and could worsen phobias and behavior. Suppressing their fearful behavior through punishment - like using a shock or e-collar - can lead to other problematic behavior instead as your dog tries to find other ways to express or process their fear.
-
Don’t force your pet to stay in a situation or environment with frightening noises: this could lead to aggressive behavior in your pet’s attempt to escape the situation.