Canine Behaviour Foundation Course
Module 2 - Section - 10 A - Firework and Noise Fear/Phobia
Module 2 - Section - 10 A - Firework and Noise Fear/Phobia
1. General
2. What causes the fear
3. Can this be prevented?
4. What age does it start?
5. Signs of Noise fear.
6. Modifications
7. Counter Conditioning & Desensitizing
2. What causes the fear
3. Can this be prevented?
4. What age does it start?
5. Signs of Noise fear.
6. Modifications
7. Counter Conditioning & Desensitizing
1. General
A dog having a fear or full blown phobia regarding noises, is not exclusively related to Fireworks - although this is the most common - a dog can develop a fear to just about any noise from the sound of its food bowl, to the dustbin truck, to the sound of gunshot, loud motorbikes, cars or trucks, fire or burglar alarms, and even the noise of airplanes going by. We have worked with a good number of dogs that lived close to the airport where this fear had become extreme.
In research on this subject that we read in 2015, it was estimated that in America (love countries that keep statistics!) there are between 5 million to 15 million dogs that are treated for this fear on an annual basis. Unfortunately the stats were not obtained from on source, rather in general. Even so this shows just how many owners do go to their vets for help with this condition.
Just as with Storm Fear, one thing for certain is that if the fear is not addressed, it will worsen and there is a good chance that the dog will start to become sensitive and then fearful to other noises.
2. What Causes the Fear
Additionally, we think two factors could be as in Fireworks:-
3. Can this be prevented
Although you may have some breeds (such as above) that seem to be more prone to loud noises that other, we do feel that early habituation to as many different noises as possible, especially in the 5 - 20 week puppy stage will go a long way towards preventing these fears from occurring. With stats from USA as above, it would be interesting to see how many of these 5 - 15 million dogs suffering from various noise phobias attended a good puppy school where noise desensitizing was used and also how many owners continued to expose their dogs to noises on an ongoing basis.
We would definitely suggest that all owners of pups do habituation to as many different noises as possible, plus expose the pups to loud traffic, motor bikes etc. Items in the home such as drills, lawn mowers, weed eaters, banging in the garage etc, etc should also be considered.
The owners reaction to the dog is of vital importance as well. An owner should never pander or try to comfort a fearful dog as this will result in reinforcing the fear - the dog was picked up and comforted and perhaps the dog thinks that the manner in which the owner is acting indicates that they too are scared.
The next step in preventing, is that if the dog does receive a large fright, that immediate desensitizing is started to prevent the fear from becoming entrenched.
4. What age does it start?
In one report, the age at which dogs were presented for this problem ranged from one to 11 years. However, 78 percent of the cases presented were between the ages of one and five years. We dont really believe that age is a factor where this condition is concerned, other than as it tends to get worse as the dog gets older, perhaps more dogs end up receiving medication as they do get older and also dependant on when the 'senior' years start in that particular breed.
5. Signs of Noise Fear (virtually identical to Storms)
Different dogs will exhibit different signs of noise phobia, and in varying degrees. Here are some points to look for:-
As the fear intensifies so too will the dogs reactions to the fear.
6.Modifications – mostly a duplicate of those done for Storm fear, however we have featured them in both sections for ease of accessing.
The sooner modifications are brought in, the better and the ideal time to start this work is before the storm season starts.
With Storm Phobia we suggest the use of the Avalon Pure Storm Fear Spray, however with fear of noises they have a different product which is very specific to actual noises and this is Avalon Pure Noise Phobia. In some instances where you have a dog that has a fear of both, then both the products can be used. As in Storm Phobia the learned behaviour needs to be changed. An example of this is that lets say that the dog always goes and hides behind a couch - still allow the dog to hide behind a couch, but restrict access to the couch the dog normally hides behind and make another area available. Another example is where CC has been done in the past and the dog is coping - instead of engaging in the game normally played, perhaps put the lead on and invite the dog to come and sit on the couch next to you with a nice bone to chew on. By doing something along these lines you are changing the habitual response and breaking the pattern.
House Rules – Ignoring, Attention on owner’s terms, NRM, Work to earn general and specific– would normally recommend the Sit unless there were other exercises that needed to be brought in as a quick way of raising the owner in the combined human/canine social structure and making the dog feel more secure. As mentioned before in other sections, if the dog feels that the owner is in charge of the combined human/canine social structure, the dog is more likely to be more relaxed and trust the owner, so bringing in House Rules can go a long way to help the dog feel secure around the owner can to cope with the fear better.
Dog’s Needs- Ensure that these are being met, especially shelter during storms – preferably inside. If a garage or storeroom is left open for the dog, to place inside a kennel (wooden if possible as these seem to reduce the noise of the storm more) and that a blanket is left partly over the top of it to provide a safe hidey-hole.
Place a wad of newspapers on the floor to further deaden the noise. This area is sprayed daily with the Avalon Pure Storm Phobia Spray before the owner goes out.
The dogs that I have personally come across where the behaviour has not improved as much as it should have, is dogs that cannot get inside. I personally believe that all storm phobic dogs must be allowed inside the home during a storm.
Don’t pander to the behaviour -The most important aspect is not to pander to the dog during the storm with any excess of attention at all – all this will do is make the dog think that there really is a problem and be more likely to reinforce the fear. I am not saying ignore the dog – of course not, it is scared stiff – rather just have the dog with the owner, sitting next to them, walking with them etc. I have found that with some dogs doing a bit of TTouch while the storm is on is really beneficial but it must be done in a casual manner – not paying any more attention or showering the dog with love and cuddles. Reward the dog with praise and treats for any lessening of the fear behaviour.
Create a Safe Place - This would only really apply in the case of Fireworks where the noise would be continuing for a period of time. This is based on a dog’s natural ‘den’ instinct. Under no circumstances should a dog be forced into a safe place, it must be the dog’s choice. Place a blanket or an old item of clothing of yours in the safe place and spray this item with the Avalon Pure Storm Phobia spray. Dogs often feel more secure when they can be near our scent. Ideas for safe places – bathroom, in a cupboard, under a bed, behind a chair or curtains, in a crate.
Ensure that the dog has easy access to this safe place at all times and get into the habit of allowing the dog to chew there on a nice bone, such as a cow femur, which it is only allowed to have when in the safe place - even when fireworks are not around - this will make the dog more likely to start chewing on it while Fireworks are around and the safe place will be associated with comfort and safety. This will not work with all dogs however especially if the fear is extreme. Remember also that chewing can actually lessen the amount of stress that a dog is experiencing.
Exercise - According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK, exercise increases brain serotonin functions in humans and it is believed that it has the same effect on dogs.
Serotonin is a brain chemical that assists in passing messages to the nervous system and performs many functions including the regulation of mood, and during exercise serotonin levels are increased. As fireworks tend to be let off at certain times of the year (and for a few days either side by idiots) you have a much better idea of knowing when they will happen than with when storms will hit, so walk the dog daily before it gets dark during the period the fireworks are expected.
Owners Stress
An owner with a seriously noise phobic dog will be stressed as they know what the dogs reactions is going to be. So in addition to the two points below, suggest that while the owner is bringing in the desensitizing and counter conditioning that they engage in some positive affirmations of 'every day in every way you are getting better and better'. Not only will this help to change the owners labelling of the dog being fearful it will impact on the dog as well.
It would be a good idea for the owner to consider taking something to help them to relax as well as their anxiety will affect the dog as well as they definitely do pick up on our emotions, especially where fear is concerned.
Neighbour Management
Do suggest to clients to go and visit as many neighbours as possible and explain what happens to their dog during fireworks being let off, and request that if they are going to let off fireworks could they please do it somewhere else.
Location Management
Suggest to clients that they plan weekends away at Diwali, Guy Fawkes and New Year. There are umpteen places that are dog friendly not far out of our big towns.
White Noise -The sound of music or a TV is often helpful in assisting a dog to cope with storms, so too is laughter and singing, so sing along to the music. It has been proven that when humans smile and sing our own stress levels are lowered and this, in turn, will help your dogs. Some dogs seem to prefer happy, upbeat music and others more on the classical side. There are even Lullaby CD’s you can buy for dogs on the internet.
Curtains - simply closing the curtains to keep out the flash of lightening can help many dogs, especially if accompanied by White Noise as above. Try taking the dog to another part of the home where it may be further away from the effects of the storm.
7. Counter-conditioning & Desensitizing.
Counter-conditioning – During the stage the CC and DS is being done it is important that the dog is not exposed to this perceived fear – this is why it is always better to undertake initial modifications when fireworks not scheduled and if TTouch is going to be brought in, best time to start it as well.
What we are doing here is to get the dog to engage in an acceptable behaviour rather than an unacceptable one and by doing this we are turning the approach of a storm into a pleasurable experience, rather than a fearful one.
In a situation whereby owner has already done CC and more modifications are brought in such as the use of the Noise Phobia spray, the use of a pheromone collar, Clomicalm etc, owner to change the current CC and do something else instead. No matter what the dog is currently doing when there is a storm, the current behaviour must be changed – if the dog is hiding behind the couch – block access to couch and have another chair available instead and as the example of Brady in the storm section - always get the dog to do something else.
Desensitizing – here we are going to lower the dog’s reactions to the noises of the Fireworks by using a CD or noises of Fireworks downloaded from YouTube. Although desensitizing
does not work very well where storm fear is concerned, it has a much better effect where noise fear is concerned, as we are able to control the noises the dog is fearful of, the distance from the noise and also the intensity of the noise.
What you would do here is when the CC is being done the CD is put on at a good distance away from the dog and at a very low volume. As the owner is playing with the dog with perhaps throwing inside balls in the lounge or a game of pullies, and the dog is coping well, then the sound is very slightly turned up. You would work with one aspect at a time – first the distance away from the CD and then when at full ball, start again this time with the dog being taken closer and closer to the source of the noise. The end result will be that the owner can engage in CC with the CD blasting close to the dog – with no reaction. Refer back to your notes on CC and Desensitizing necessary in Module 1 Section 14
We have found that with dogs with severe fears that you may not be able to keep the dogs attention for a long period of time, and what is helpful is to do the counter-conditioning with more than one item - the changing results in keeping the dog intersted for longer. Remember that what is important is that these particular items are not used any other time to keep them high value.
If the dog has a problem with other noises such as metal food bowels, IBR, dustbin trucks etc then consider management in the way of a food bowl that is plastic being used instead. We would however, still desensitize the dog to the perceived fearful item otherwise the fear is not being dealt with – just avoided. In a case such as this, food could be used for the desensitizing as in the example in Module 1, Section 14.
With a dog that is fearful of traffic, trucks etc, desensitization is undertaken in exactly the same manner with a slight variation – a busy road is used instead of a CD and the dog starts to approach the road from a distance, tossing pieces of tasty food in front of the dog, perhaps playing with a ball and/or a game of tuggies – anything can be used that makes the dog associate the experience as pleasant. This is done in stages and in a manner the dog can cope with, the same as dealing with pups fearful of objects. We have found that when dealing with fears such as traffic that occur outside the home, it is a good idea to take the dog for a nice long walk beforehand.
A dog having a fear or full blown phobia regarding noises, is not exclusively related to Fireworks - although this is the most common - a dog can develop a fear to just about any noise from the sound of its food bowl, to the dustbin truck, to the sound of gunshot, loud motorbikes, cars or trucks, fire or burglar alarms, and even the noise of airplanes going by. We have worked with a good number of dogs that lived close to the airport where this fear had become extreme.
In research on this subject that we read in 2015, it was estimated that in America (love countries that keep statistics!) there are between 5 million to 15 million dogs that are treated for this fear on an annual basis. Unfortunately the stats were not obtained from on source, rather in general. Even so this shows just how many owners do go to their vets for help with this condition.
Just as with Storm Fear, one thing for certain is that if the fear is not addressed, it will worsen and there is a good chance that the dog will start to become sensitive and then fearful to other noises.
2. What Causes the Fear
- Unintentional Reinforcement - without doubt, an owner comforting and often picking up a dog that has shown fear. This is very often paired with the point below.
- One Event Learning - the dog received an extreme fright and from then on whenever the dog hears this particular noise goes into fearful mode. Scotty treated a Staffie some years ago with noise fear towards anything that was metal, however you could make any other noise that was not based on the noise of anything metal and the dog did not react. This is a sure sign that One Event Learning took place, however not a guarantee - it would depend on when the owner sought help as fear of other noises may have already started
- Lack of Early Exposure - as you saw above that 5 - 15 million of people sought help for their dogs, the important of early habituation to noises is crucial.
- Genetic - studies have shown that some breeds such as Golden Retrievers, Collies and German Shepherds have a higher incidence of noise anxiety than other breeds. In our own experience we would definitely add in the JR breeds due to the number of them that we have worked with exhibiting this condition as well as the Husky breed.
- In some cases, especially with dogs living together, there could well be an element alellomimetic behaviour (mimicking) occurring wherein one dog is already suffering from the condition and the other dog starts to react to that dogs fear. Interestingly enough, this does. on occasion work the opposite way around, especially where storms and fireworks are concerned! It would normally be the case that a new dog is brought into the family to where the existing dog has a mild fear and due to the new dog exhibiting no fear when a storm occurs, the existing dogs fear decreases. There have been instances where this occurred, although not many.
- Where fear of Fireworks is concerned, although there are no scientific studies to confirm same, it is thought that the smell of the sulphur and / or gunpowder may be a contributing factor.
- It has also been suggested that the noise some of the Fireworks make triggers an instinctive response in dogs to flee as in the case of a forest or bush fire - as above there is no scientific proof of this and we do not think it has been studies at all.
Additionally, we think two factors could be as in Fireworks:-
- As we age our sensory tolerances decrease. So if we relate this to a human, at age 16 -30 we may enjoy loud harsh music, but as we age, we seem to prefer softer tones. This could well be the same situation with dogs.
- Many dogs, such as the Border Collie’s will run outside and bark at the fireworks (as mentioned previously) and it could be a case that when they get older, the previous behaviour of coping as described above, no longer has the same coping effect, and other behaviours, more in the recognizable fear behaviours start to be exhibited.
3. Can this be prevented
Although you may have some breeds (such as above) that seem to be more prone to loud noises that other, we do feel that early habituation to as many different noises as possible, especially in the 5 - 20 week puppy stage will go a long way towards preventing these fears from occurring. With stats from USA as above, it would be interesting to see how many of these 5 - 15 million dogs suffering from various noise phobias attended a good puppy school where noise desensitizing was used and also how many owners continued to expose their dogs to noises on an ongoing basis.
We would definitely suggest that all owners of pups do habituation to as many different noises as possible, plus expose the pups to loud traffic, motor bikes etc. Items in the home such as drills, lawn mowers, weed eaters, banging in the garage etc, etc should also be considered.
The owners reaction to the dog is of vital importance as well. An owner should never pander or try to comfort a fearful dog as this will result in reinforcing the fear - the dog was picked up and comforted and perhaps the dog thinks that the manner in which the owner is acting indicates that they too are scared.
The next step in preventing, is that if the dog does receive a large fright, that immediate desensitizing is started to prevent the fear from becoming entrenched.
4. What age does it start?
In one report, the age at which dogs were presented for this problem ranged from one to 11 years. However, 78 percent of the cases presented were between the ages of one and five years. We dont really believe that age is a factor where this condition is concerned, other than as it tends to get worse as the dog gets older, perhaps more dogs end up receiving medication as they do get older and also dependant on when the 'senior' years start in that particular breed.
5. Signs of Noise Fear (virtually identical to Storms)
Different dogs will exhibit different signs of noise phobia, and in varying degrees. Here are some points to look for:-
- Hiding – under beds, behind chairs and couches and in the toilet, in cupboards and darkened places.
- Seeking out owner and not letting them out of their sight.
- Trembling/shaking
- Pacing and sometimes walking in circles
- Panting
- Drooling
- Ignoring owners requests
- Vocalizing (whining, barking)
- Vocalizing – dog may run outside and bark at storm – unfortunately some owners don’t think the dog has a problem with storms, rather the opposite. Not so, the dog is not coping.
- Refusing food
- Dilated Pupils
- Trying to escape (digging under fence, going through windows, over gate, running away
- Urination
- Defecating
As the fear intensifies so too will the dogs reactions to the fear.
6.Modifications – mostly a duplicate of those done for Storm fear, however we have featured them in both sections for ease of accessing.
The sooner modifications are brought in, the better and the ideal time to start this work is before the storm season starts.
With Storm Phobia we suggest the use of the Avalon Pure Storm Fear Spray, however with fear of noises they have a different product which is very specific to actual noises and this is Avalon Pure Noise Phobia. In some instances where you have a dog that has a fear of both, then both the products can be used. As in Storm Phobia the learned behaviour needs to be changed. An example of this is that lets say that the dog always goes and hides behind a couch - still allow the dog to hide behind a couch, but restrict access to the couch the dog normally hides behind and make another area available. Another example is where CC has been done in the past and the dog is coping - instead of engaging in the game normally played, perhaps put the lead on and invite the dog to come and sit on the couch next to you with a nice bone to chew on. By doing something along these lines you are changing the habitual response and breaking the pattern.
House Rules – Ignoring, Attention on owner’s terms, NRM, Work to earn general and specific– would normally recommend the Sit unless there were other exercises that needed to be brought in as a quick way of raising the owner in the combined human/canine social structure and making the dog feel more secure. As mentioned before in other sections, if the dog feels that the owner is in charge of the combined human/canine social structure, the dog is more likely to be more relaxed and trust the owner, so bringing in House Rules can go a long way to help the dog feel secure around the owner can to cope with the fear better.
Dog’s Needs- Ensure that these are being met, especially shelter during storms – preferably inside. If a garage or storeroom is left open for the dog, to place inside a kennel (wooden if possible as these seem to reduce the noise of the storm more) and that a blanket is left partly over the top of it to provide a safe hidey-hole.
Place a wad of newspapers on the floor to further deaden the noise. This area is sprayed daily with the Avalon Pure Storm Phobia Spray before the owner goes out.
The dogs that I have personally come across where the behaviour has not improved as much as it should have, is dogs that cannot get inside. I personally believe that all storm phobic dogs must be allowed inside the home during a storm.
Don’t pander to the behaviour -The most important aspect is not to pander to the dog during the storm with any excess of attention at all – all this will do is make the dog think that there really is a problem and be more likely to reinforce the fear. I am not saying ignore the dog – of course not, it is scared stiff – rather just have the dog with the owner, sitting next to them, walking with them etc. I have found that with some dogs doing a bit of TTouch while the storm is on is really beneficial but it must be done in a casual manner – not paying any more attention or showering the dog with love and cuddles. Reward the dog with praise and treats for any lessening of the fear behaviour.
Create a Safe Place - This would only really apply in the case of Fireworks where the noise would be continuing for a period of time. This is based on a dog’s natural ‘den’ instinct. Under no circumstances should a dog be forced into a safe place, it must be the dog’s choice. Place a blanket or an old item of clothing of yours in the safe place and spray this item with the Avalon Pure Storm Phobia spray. Dogs often feel more secure when they can be near our scent. Ideas for safe places – bathroom, in a cupboard, under a bed, behind a chair or curtains, in a crate.
Ensure that the dog has easy access to this safe place at all times and get into the habit of allowing the dog to chew there on a nice bone, such as a cow femur, which it is only allowed to have when in the safe place - even when fireworks are not around - this will make the dog more likely to start chewing on it while Fireworks are around and the safe place will be associated with comfort and safety. This will not work with all dogs however especially if the fear is extreme. Remember also that chewing can actually lessen the amount of stress that a dog is experiencing.
Exercise - According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK, exercise increases brain serotonin functions in humans and it is believed that it has the same effect on dogs.
Serotonin is a brain chemical that assists in passing messages to the nervous system and performs many functions including the regulation of mood, and during exercise serotonin levels are increased. As fireworks tend to be let off at certain times of the year (and for a few days either side by idiots) you have a much better idea of knowing when they will happen than with when storms will hit, so walk the dog daily before it gets dark during the period the fireworks are expected.
Owners Stress
An owner with a seriously noise phobic dog will be stressed as they know what the dogs reactions is going to be. So in addition to the two points below, suggest that while the owner is bringing in the desensitizing and counter conditioning that they engage in some positive affirmations of 'every day in every way you are getting better and better'. Not only will this help to change the owners labelling of the dog being fearful it will impact on the dog as well.
It would be a good idea for the owner to consider taking something to help them to relax as well as their anxiety will affect the dog as well as they definitely do pick up on our emotions, especially where fear is concerned.
Neighbour Management
Do suggest to clients to go and visit as many neighbours as possible and explain what happens to their dog during fireworks being let off, and request that if they are going to let off fireworks could they please do it somewhere else.
Location Management
Suggest to clients that they plan weekends away at Diwali, Guy Fawkes and New Year. There are umpteen places that are dog friendly not far out of our big towns.
White Noise -The sound of music or a TV is often helpful in assisting a dog to cope with storms, so too is laughter and singing, so sing along to the music. It has been proven that when humans smile and sing our own stress levels are lowered and this, in turn, will help your dogs. Some dogs seem to prefer happy, upbeat music and others more on the classical side. There are even Lullaby CD’s you can buy for dogs on the internet.
Curtains - simply closing the curtains to keep out the flash of lightening can help many dogs, especially if accompanied by White Noise as above. Try taking the dog to another part of the home where it may be further away from the effects of the storm.
7. Counter-conditioning & Desensitizing.
Counter-conditioning – During the stage the CC and DS is being done it is important that the dog is not exposed to this perceived fear – this is why it is always better to undertake initial modifications when fireworks not scheduled and if TTouch is going to be brought in, best time to start it as well.
What we are doing here is to get the dog to engage in an acceptable behaviour rather than an unacceptable one and by doing this we are turning the approach of a storm into a pleasurable experience, rather than a fearful one.
In a situation whereby owner has already done CC and more modifications are brought in such as the use of the Noise Phobia spray, the use of a pheromone collar, Clomicalm etc, owner to change the current CC and do something else instead. No matter what the dog is currently doing when there is a storm, the current behaviour must be changed – if the dog is hiding behind the couch – block access to couch and have another chair available instead and as the example of Brady in the storm section - always get the dog to do something else.
Desensitizing – here we are going to lower the dog’s reactions to the noises of the Fireworks by using a CD or noises of Fireworks downloaded from YouTube. Although desensitizing
does not work very well where storm fear is concerned, it has a much better effect where noise fear is concerned, as we are able to control the noises the dog is fearful of, the distance from the noise and also the intensity of the noise.
What you would do here is when the CC is being done the CD is put on at a good distance away from the dog and at a very low volume. As the owner is playing with the dog with perhaps throwing inside balls in the lounge or a game of pullies, and the dog is coping well, then the sound is very slightly turned up. You would work with one aspect at a time – first the distance away from the CD and then when at full ball, start again this time with the dog being taken closer and closer to the source of the noise. The end result will be that the owner can engage in CC with the CD blasting close to the dog – with no reaction. Refer back to your notes on CC and Desensitizing necessary in Module 1 Section 14
We have found that with dogs with severe fears that you may not be able to keep the dogs attention for a long period of time, and what is helpful is to do the counter-conditioning with more than one item - the changing results in keeping the dog intersted for longer. Remember that what is important is that these particular items are not used any other time to keep them high value.
If the dog has a problem with other noises such as metal food bowels, IBR, dustbin trucks etc then consider management in the way of a food bowl that is plastic being used instead. We would however, still desensitize the dog to the perceived fearful item otherwise the fear is not being dealt with – just avoided. In a case such as this, food could be used for the desensitizing as in the example in Module 1, Section 14.
With a dog that is fearful of traffic, trucks etc, desensitization is undertaken in exactly the same manner with a slight variation – a busy road is used instead of a CD and the dog starts to approach the road from a distance, tossing pieces of tasty food in front of the dog, perhaps playing with a ball and/or a game of tuggies – anything can be used that makes the dog associate the experience as pleasant. This is done in stages and in a manner the dog can cope with, the same as dealing with pups fearful of objects. We have found that when dealing with fears such as traffic that occur outside the home, it is a good idea to take the dog for a nice long walk beforehand.
- Assignments
- What is the biggest difference between modifications for Storm Fear and Noise Fear?
- What is the difference between Counter Conditioning and Desensitizing?
- Give a brief description as to how you would desensitize a dog to Fireworks and use counter conditioning at the same time as if you were explaining to somebody who wanted to know more - no need to go into actual step by step modifications.