The Big Boom Theory
Dear Mr. Smart T. Pants:
I do NOT like loud noises like thunderstorms and especially fireworks. They really scare me. I don’t know where the sound is coming from and I don’t like the bright flashes of light. But there seems to be a lot of them when the weather gets warm. Do you have any advice for me that I can pass onto my humans about this fear? I would appreciate any help that you can give me.
Scared of Loud Noises
Dear Scared:
You are not alone. The fear of loud noses is pretty common among us canines. There are a couple of things that your humans can do in order to minimize those fears.
First - don’t take us to the fireworks. We do not care about them and all they do is scare us. Some of us will want to run away and hide. In fact did you know that more dogs are lost on the Fourth of July than any other holiday? So be sure all of our tag and microchip information is up to date.
What will help is before all the festivities begin or the thunderstorm approaches, take us for a nice long walk or play with us with one of our favorite toys. This way all of our energy is expended on something fun. Tire us out enough and we may even sleep through the noise.
Let us have someplace safe to go and let us stay there. Maybe our safe space is our crate or a special room. Some of us may want to hide under the bed or in a dark corner. It is okay. We feel safe there. Do not try to pull us out unless there is a danger of harming ourselves.
Have some other familiar noises going on such as a fan, air conditioner, radio or television. Be sure to put on a show we like - not a broadcast of the fireworks!
Try to act as normal as possible and keep to your routine. Now I will let you in on a little secret. Don’t make a big deal out of our fear and the behavior that goes along with it. If you start giving us extra pets, cuddling us and talking to us like we are your little baby - guess what - we like it!! It actually reinforces the fear behavior. So just act as normal as you can and try not to overreact yourself to the noise.
Finally, if the stress level is very high for your furry friend, talk to your vet. They may prescribe medication or some holistic remedy. I have heard that some dogs have success with a Thundershirt or an herbal dog collar.
Don’t worry Scared, everything is going to be okay. Once your pawrents check out my advice they will know what to do to quell those fears. Take care!
Mr. Smart T. Pants