Thunderstorms & Fireworks

Training & Behaviour
Thunderstorms & Fireworks

Fear of loud noises such as thunderstorms, fireworks, or gun shots is quite a common complaint from dog owners of all breeds.

The worst times of year tend to be around New Year’s when there are lots of fireworks and in spring and summer when storms are more likely to occur. Local animal shelters brace for the flood of dogs the next morning as many dogs get so scared they scale the fences in their panicked attempts to escape the noise, and end up wandering the streets.

For some dogs the fear of loud noises is based on ‘one-event learning’ where the noise has been paired with a very frightening experience such as something falling on them during a storm.  For others the fear develops gradually with repeated exposures. Breeds that are particularly sound-sensitive, and those with genetic predisposition to anxiety are often over-represented in cases of noise fears and phobias.

A combination of this genetic ‘predisposition’, lack of early experience, learned aversion, as well as underlying medical reasons may all contribute to the development of the fear response. There may also be reinforcement of anxious behaviours by the owner in an attempt to calm or reassure the pet.

Surprisingly, many owners do not consider the welfare implications associated with their dog showing signs of distress during storms or loud noises. Some owners even consider the reactions of their dog ‘normal’ – ‘Oh yes he is dreadful during storms, hides, pants, salivates, but don’t all dogs do that?’ So it is not surprising that many owners do not think of seeking advice for this problem.

Usually owners only seek help if they have become aware that there are treatments, maybe from watching or listening to veterinary advice in the media, or when their dog’s reaction has become quite severe or exaggerated. Often the trigger point is the animal escaping and injuring itself, or damage to the owner’s house. Often by this stage the dog’s reaction is now very severe, and most owners are seeking assistance because the dog is harming itself, or causing a lot of damage.

Fear or Phobia?

In the early stages of fear, the symptoms displayed by the dog might include shivering, shaking, salivating and hiding. Some dogs become very clingy and will only settle when in the presence of their owner. These dogs will usually still accept food, and will often still engage in activities such as favourite games or play with toys if encouraged.  These dogs are classified as having a ‘fear of noises’.

The more severe reactions can be classed as a ‘noise phobia’. Phobic dogs lose control of their actions as ‘panic’ sets in. These dogs may still shiver and shake, but this is often accompanied by other actions such as trying to flee or trying to reach shelter. Dogs trying to flee will often escape their property and run from the fearful noise – sometimes leading to injury either in the escape process or when running onto roads. Others attempt to find sanctuary by trying to access the house or other buildings or spaces.  These dogs can do great damage to property and to themselves in the process.

For dogs with a fear of noises, a lot can be done to improve the dog’s response to the noise. Dogs with a phobic response are much harder to deal with and usually require medication to assist in reducing their anxiety. It is not uncommon for dogs with a true noise phobia to have other anxiety related behaviour problems (such as separation anxiety) and often require referral to a Veterinary Behaviourist to fully address their problems.

Avoidance of the Noise

With each exposure to the fear inducing noises, there is the potential for the animal to become more fearful, hence aggravating the problem. So the first step is to look at ways in which the fear-inducing noises can be avoided. This may entail moving the dog to a different place when there is a high chance of the noise occurring.  This strategy works well for predictable noises – fireworks on New Year’s Eve or Chinese New Year, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, starting pistols – but obviously is limited in regard to storms.

Options include boarding the dog (possibly in a rural area), taking it for a walk or to the park, or moving it to a place within the house where it will not be able to hear the noise. For distant noises, sometimes playing music that is not fear-inducing to the dog may ‘drown out’ the other fear inducing sound(s). You may have to do some fact finding so that you know when the noises are likely to occur (i.e. ask the council when the local athletics track is to be used if your dog is scared of starting pistols). You may also have to speak with your neighbours to help work out a manageable schedule so that you know when they are going to mow the lawn or use the whipper snipper.

There is also the possibility of avoiding some of the visual inputs that may be associated with the noise such as flashes of lightning. Having a dark place, or drawing the curtains can help. If your dog is crate trained, it may be possible to cover the dog’s crate with heavy blankets to both block out the light and deaden the sound. An alternate is to make the room very bright, so the flashes of light are less noticeable.

So what can I do to help my dog when he is fearful of noises?

Providing a ‘Safe Place’

As many dogs with noise fears tend to try to ‘hide’ when fearful, providing a ‘safe place’ for them to go when frightened is something that needs to be explored. This may be difficult to achieve outside in the back yard, although providing access to at least part of the house, or the garage may be an answer.

The dog will have already given you some hints about areas where it might feel safer. Some prefer small, dark, enclosed places. Others may prefer a place near their owner.  Sometimes the place chosen by the dog does not suit the owner, so it is up to you to provide an alternate place where the dog can go when it is frightened. One option is to teach the dog to use a crate, or provide another dark, enclosed space for the dog to curl up in.

Teaching the dog to be Calm on Cue

You need to start to watch your dog’s body language closely. We want to be able to recognize when the dog is calm and relaxed, and also learn what the dog does when it is starting to get anxious.  Once you can recognize the early signs of anxiety it is possible to step in and work towards calming the dog down (teaching it to relax on cue) and also you can avoid inadvertently reinforcing anxious behaviour.

The first step to teaching a dog to calm on cue involves selecting a ‘safe place’ then teaching the dog to go to this place when there are no scary noises. The safe place might be a crate, a special bed or a mat in a certain room. Use treats to reward calm and relaxed behaviour. The crate/safe place can be made inviting with soft bedding, things to chew on such as a pig’s ear, and can be scented with essential oils to provide a scent cue for ‘calm’. Lying down and sitting are both ‘calm’ positions – it is very hard for a dog to be reactive when he is sitting or dropped – so teach the dog to lie down at its safe place.

With lots of repetition, the dog learns that every time he goes to this place, he relaxes. This way, when a storm does come, or there are fearful noises, the dog can be taken to his ‘safe place’ and encouraged to lie there. If using a crate it can be covered to further insulate it from the noises and to block out visual stimuli.

Make the scary noise a cue for a favourite game or activity

For dogs who are showing only the milder symptoms of anxiety, it may be possible to pair the fearful noises with treats, walks, or games that the dog really enjoys. Behaviours like play, eating and relaxation are incompatible with fearful behaviours. Whenever they hear the noise, the game begins, so soon they associate the noise with the onset of a pleasant experience.

Desensitisation using recordings

There are a number of recordings available on the market that aim to simulate the sound of thunder, as well as other percussive noises such as gunshots and fireworks. The idea behind these is to desensitise the dog to the noise, starting the recording at a level where no fear is elicited. Counter conditioning techniques are then used and the volume is gradually increased over a number of sessions. At all times care must be taken not to sensitize the animal to the sounds by turning up the volume before an animal is ready for it.

I have tried lots of things, but the dog will not settle

If you have tried providing a safe place, playing games or desensitization and your dog’s fear is still quite marked it probably needs help to reduce its anxiety. The first step is to speak to your vet about your dog’s reaction to noise. If indicated they may prescribe a short-acting anti-anxiety medication to help calm your dog. They will also perform a full examination and possibly suggest blood tests before they prescribe medication to ensure there are no other physical reasons for your dog’s reaction.

Medication is designed to lower anxiety and prevent the worsening of the fear over time. There are a number of medications used for noise fears and phobias, so you will need to discuss this with your veterinarian. If your dog’s reaction is severe, then you may want to ask for a referral to a Veterinary Behaviourist. These are veterinarians who also have a behaviour qualification and are experienced in seeing dogs with severe reactions to noise. Phobic dogs often need life-long medication and behaviour modification so that they can learn to better cope when there are loud noises.

Meet our dogs ready for adoption

All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.

Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Name

0 Years Old

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.

Learn more
Available

Wolf

3 years old

Meet Wolf! He is a young boy who can be a bit unsure of new environments and situations. Once he is comfortable, he allows his true colours to shine through and is puppyish, playful and affectionate. Wolf appears to have some issues with his vision, so he will need a special home who can manage this over the course of his life. Wolf may suit living with or without a canine pal of similar size and older children aged in their teens. Wolf has low vision, which isn't expected to get any worse. He doesn't require medication for this. He will be adopted out with a approval for a follow up appointment with an eye specialist, paid for by GAP.
Learn more
Available

Jett

4 years old

This boy is ready to Jett his way into your heart and onto your couch! Sweet Jett is an incredibly friendly and outgoing boy with a puppy like nature and loves nothing more than a cuddle and play! Due to his excitement towards life Jett would be best in a home with a family who is experienced with large breed dogs! He may suit a home with another medium or large canine companion who likes to play as much as he does. He may be best suited to a home with children 10+ who can also keep up with him!
Learn more
Available

Angus

4 years old

If you're looking for an enthusiastic young boy to be part of the family then look no further than Angus! Angus is an awesome outgoing and lovable goofbag that would love to be your new best friend. He absolutely loves toys and treats and would benefit from an adoptive home who will include him in all the day to day activities. He would be best suited to a home with a backyard as he loves to stretch his legs! He may suit a home with full time workers and children in their teens Angus is very special needs, he has retinal atrophy, he is looking for a special person, he has significant loss of sight now and complete vision loss over time is expected, he can learn to navigate in a stable environment and live a wonderful life with the right owners who are mindful of this. Talk to our adoption team to learn more about him.
Learn more
Available

Stevie

4 years old

Our wonderful Stevie boy is ready to win hearts. Stevie is a lovely and friendly boy who can charm anyone with his outgoing and affectionate personality. He loves his toys and may be best suited to a home with children 10+ and would enjoy having another dog to be his buddy. We could all use a bit of Stevie love in our lives! Stevie would also love a backyard to run and play in. Stevie has spent some time in foster care and his foster carer said that he is a "...happy, big goofball, eager to please, cuddler and leaner. sleeps all night. plays with every toy likes soft toys and chew toys, favourite is the snorting pig and chasing ball. loves digging them all out of the basket. would be great with another large dog or by himself as long as he has things he can play with." Stevie has some osteo arthritis from an old injury, but this doesn't stop him from being his bright, bubbly self.
Learn more
Available

Esmae ARP

2 years old

Esmae is everyone’s friend! She is sweet, funny, personable and puppyish. She loves being around other dogs and people and would love to find a home with another dog bestie to spend her days hanging out with. She loves to lean on anyone that wants to give her pats and attention. We think Esmae will best suit living as an only dog as she does not want to share the love, she would also suit children 5 and over. Esmae may even suit living with fulltime workers.
Learn more
Available

Poppy

9 years old

Meet Poppy, the lovely and endearing greyhound lady who's ready to bloom in her forever home! This gentle soul is as sweet as can be, with a heart of gold and a desire to please. Poppy loves people and enjoys human interaction, making her a fantastic companion for families and individuals alike. Poppy has been through behavioural rehabilitation, which has helped her become a confident and well-adjusted greyhound. She's perfect for families with kids aged 10+, who will adore her calm and gentle nature. Poppy would most likely love to live as the only furry friend or alongside respectful medium to large male dog. She is a perfect lady on the lead and walks quietly by your side. Poppy has Inflammatory bowel disease, but this doesn't stop her happy go lucky attitude.
Learn more
Available

Dwight

4 years old

Dorky Dwight is in the search for his forever family! This boy is incredibly affectionate and has nothing higher on his wish list than someone who can provide bum scratches. When he isn't requesting affection, he is showing off his goofy and puppy-like side that is sure to make you laugh! Due to his playful ways, he may suit a home with children 10+ who can play with him! He may enjoy a medium or large canine sibling but may also like being the star of the show as a solo pooch! His playful nature means he wouldn't do best in a home with small dogs or cats, and will need some space to run, therefore wouldn't suit apartment life.
Learn more
Available

Mia

7 years old

Meet Mia, a friendly and affectionate greyhound who's bursting with enthusiasm! This extroverted girl loves people and can't get enough attention - she's always eager to please and shower her humans with affection. With her bubbly personality, Mia's sure to bring joy and excitement to her forever home. Mia's looking for a household where she can be the only dog, and she's suitable for families with or without kids aged 10+. While she's a wonderful companion, Mia's still working on her manners, so she'll need a patient and understanding owner to help her learn and grow. If you're ready to provide Mia with love, guidance, and a forever home, she'll reward you with loyalty, affection, and plenty of personality!

Learn more
Available

Meeko

3 years old

Meet Meeko, the charming and playful greyhound gentleman who's ready to capture your heart! This friendly boy has a delightful puppyish streak, loving nothing more than seeking attention and playtime from his favourite humans. Meeko's unique trait is his love of seeking eye contact, often gazing adoringly at his people to connect and show affection. Meeko is perfect for families with kids aged 5+, who will adore his energetic and loving personality. With his outgoing and affectionate nature, Meeko promises to bring joy and companionship to his new family. If you're looking for a loving and playful buddy, Meeko is ready to be your new best friend! Meeko has an old hock fracture which has healed well, without any hardware present. Meeko needs a home with another dog for company, and can also be a bit anxious in new situations.
Learn more
Available

Shelby

6 years old

Meet adorable Shelby, who has the best ears going around. Sweet Shelby is a fun and confident girl who loves water and cuddles; she is incredibly affectionate and outgoing and is sure to become your best buddy! Shelby may enjoy having a medium or large canine sibling but may also enjoy being the centre of attention as an only dog! Due to her energetic ways Shelby may do best with a home with children 10+ who can keep up with her and wouldn't suit a home with a small dog or cats.
Learn more