Signs That Your Dog Has a Noise Phobia
Understanding why your dog reacts to specific sounds can help you, and your dog both cope with these stressful behaviors. Here are a few signs that indicate that your dog is struggling with noise phobia.
Furthermore, look for subtle signs that your dogs body language will tell you. Pinned ears, lip licking, or dilated pupils can all tell you that your dog is in distress.
If this is a severe problem, your dog may even harm themselves or you in the process of escaping the noise.
Recognizing Noise Phobias in Dogs
The following behaviors may be displayed in noise phobic dogs when they hear sounds that scare them:
More subtle dog body language that pet parents should look out for includes pinned back ears, stiffened body position and dilated pupils.
In dogs with severe cases of noise phobias, they may cause severe harm to their teeth, nails, and other body parts when attempting to escape the noise.
Knowing which noises commonly scare dogs can help you manage your pup’s fear. Here are some noises that may frighten your dog:
Thunder noise is one of the most common scary sounds for dogs. But besides the loud booms that are caused by thunderstorms, changes in barometric pressure, the smell of rain, and the appearance of storm clouds may all be involved in causing the fear that is induced by storms.
Fireworks are likely the most common loud noises that scare dogs. Why is this? Likely because fireworks are really loud and their sounds are random and unpredictable.
Gun shots are very loud to human ears, which is why hearing protection is recommended at a shooting range. For dogs, who hear things at higher intensity, gun shots are extremely bothersome.
Dogs probably hate the sounds of these vehicles because they are loud but they also create a variety of high pitched noises such as beeping and screeching.
Some dogs cower when pet parents go to clean their carpets. Vacuum cleaners are really loud but they also move around your dog’s territory, likely adding to the fear they cause.
Skateboards can frighten dogs not only because they are loud but because they make erratic noises as they pass over bumps and as the skateboarder performs jumps and other tricks. A skateboard passing a dog may also initiate the dog’s chase instinct and cause the dog to run and bark after the skateboarder.
A wailing infant can sure produce loud and often high pitched noises that some dogs hate.
Jack hammers thwacking, tractors beeping as they move in reverse and hammers banging away make construction zones especially scary for dogs with noise phobias.
Car alarms are so loud that they often cause windows and door frames to rattle and may rattle your pup into a frenzy as well.
The loud and oscillating high pitched noises caused by sirens from fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars are frightening to many dogs.
If you live close to an airport you may notice that your dog behaves fearfully every time a plane flies overhead. This may be especially true if your dog was in a rural area as a puppy and never conditioned to hearing this loud scary noise.
The sound of an air conditioner or furnace turning on can send some dogs jumping. This is likely due to the sudden nature of this sound, causing them to startle.
Certain noises may have the opposite effect on dogs and may help to calm or soothe them when scary noises are going on around them.
Classical music has been shown to ease anxiety symptoms in dogs in loud shelter environments (3). Playing a sound machine with the sounds of waterfalls or white noise can also help to drown out fireworks or thunder. Pet parents can also find CDs or playlists online that were specifically developed to produce calming effects in dogs.
In dogs showing symptoms of fear and anxiety, people speaking around them should speak in low and slow tones.
The Sound Frequency that Drives Dogs Nuts
Because dogs are so sensitive to sound, loud noises, in general, can cause dogs to become uncomfortable. However, frequencies that are about 25,000 hertz are when dogs become annoyed by the sound.
The louder that these sounds become, the more uncomfortable your dog will be. The sound waves at this frequency are more difficult for dogs to hear than their human companions.
These high pitch noises are often associated with appliances that often will make your dog wine, shake, or just leave the room.
Furthermore, many dogs arent just sensitive to these types of noise. They often have a phobia of these sounds. Because puppies are very imprintable, sometimes a loud noise from their first few weeks will be enough to give them a fear of the thing forever.
For instance, a family dog might panic when you use the blender because one fell near them when they were young.
If your dog is sensitive to certain noises, its important for you to make sure they are never exposed to these sounds without having a positive outcome. For example, if your dog panics at the sound of the doorbell, then one day have a friend come over, ring the bell and then offer your pup a treat.
Pro Tip: If you will be getting a young pup, its best to expose them to everything possible when they are between twelve and fourteen weeks old. Puppies are the most impressional during this time.
FAQ
What sound annoys dogs the most?
- FIREWORKS. Explosion of rockets, firecrackers and fireworks puts even the most peaceful dog in turmoil. …
- AMBULANCE SIRENS. There are dogs that as soon as they hear the ambulance sirens begin to howl. …
- THUNDERS. …
- SCREAMS. …
- VACUUM CLEANERS AND HAIRDRYERS.
What sound frequency do dogs hate?
Because dogs are so sensitive to sound, loud noises, in general, can cause dogs to become uncomfortable. However, frequencies that are about 25,000 hertz are when dogs become annoyed by the sound. The louder that these sounds become, the more uncomfortable your dog will be.
How do you aggravate a dog?
Loud vehicles: car horns, garbage trucks, police sirens, snowplows. Gunshots. Alarms. Electronic noises.