Loud noises

Many animals become distressed and anxious with loud noises. What a dog is afraid of, what will make him nervous varies from one dog to another. It depends greatly on what they're accustomed too.

However most animals will find certain load noises, for instance fireworks and thunderstorms, very disturbing. If a dog hears loud noises they're not accustomed to, they will show fear by hiding. They may seek shelter with you, be shaking and even whimper if extremely distressed.

Other dogs can seem destructive, scratching at doors or screens. They are simply trying to escape the loud noises, and find safer territory. A perfectly natural reaction, for a dog, if you can avoid a situation like this, do so. Put him in a comfortable room and turn the TV up, if you can.

You may think the best thing to do is pet your dog when they are distressed by loud noises. However, this is actually telling your dog there is a reason to be afraid. Therefore, enforcing the fear they already have, punishing a dog, or getting angry, is not a solution either.

This will simply make the dog more confused and more afraid. Remember, the dog can not help feeling afraid. Most dogs respond this way to loud noises, only dogs who have been trained not to, won't. For instance, gun dogs, police dogs, and dogs for the blind. There is a training technique called Desensitization for this.

Desensitization works on a fairly simple principle. It involves subjecting the dog to low levels of the same loud noises you wish them to ignore. For example, gun shots, crowds, car horns etc at the same time, they are shown that the owner remains calm and there is nothing to worry about.

This technique is not just good for working dogs, some pets develop phobias to everyday loud noises in the home, like a vacuum cleaner, record the noise of the cleaner. Put your dog in comfortable surroundings and play, tell the dog everything is ok. Do not talk to him baby style, just normally, continue to turn the volume up. If the dog reacts, wait until it understands things are calm, and turn it up again. Your dog will get used the loud noises.