Dogs are cuddly animals and great pets.
They keep our homes safe and are our heroes for barking at suspicious characters.
But, if you've had your dog for a while, you must have noticed he too has his own fears.
Most dog owners know their dogs are afraid of thunder, fireworks, loud 'clangs' even in the kitchen, and other environmental sounds that we often don't notice as much.
It seems not only are some adults and kids scared of thunder but our dogs have the same response to it too.
It is common to observe dog noise phobia and see the signs of stress and anxiety in their behavior in response to loud environmental sounds.
Aside from running around, barking loudly, and whimpering in fear when there is thunder, you may also see them drooling, and uncontrolled urinating or defecating.
In severe cases, they may escape out onto streets and highways, running as fast as they can to get away from the loud noises because they are scared.
These are just some of the common behaviors that dogs scared of thunder and most environmental sounds show.
As owners we should not be angry at our dogs for being frightened.
Instead, we need to help them overcome their fear of environmental sounds, such as thunder, fireworks, and the likes.
If you're clueless as to what you can do to help your dog overcome its fear of loud environmental sounds,then read on to learn about some common techniques.
One common training method for curing the fear of thunder is by implementing desensitization.
This method slowly removes the sensation of fear that your dog feels every time he hears thunder.
To use this method you need to download an environmental recording that has the sound of thunder on it.
Play the recorded sound of thunder at a very minimal volume on day one.
Gradually increase the volume by just a few notches every couple of days or so.
Adjust the volume and turn it down to a level that your dog does not become startled or scared.
This method takes a lot of consistency and patience.
Do not rush the process or you may make your dog's fear of thunder worse instead of better.
Another common method that is successfully used by many is counter conditioning.
With this method, you condition your dog's behavior so that he learns to associate the fearful stimuli (thunder,fireworks, environmental sounds,etc.
) with positive memories and experiences.
Anytime sudden loud sounds like thunder abound, you simply give him lots of positive attention, his favorite chew toy or a special delicious treat.
Be sure to reward your dog positively only when he does not act fearful.
Otherwise your dog may misinterpret that his fearful behavior is being rewarded with positive attention and rewards.
This would encourage behavior you do not want from your dog.
Desensitization and counter conditioning can be used together for quicker results to end your dog's fear of thunder and other environmental noises.
They keep our homes safe and are our heroes for barking at suspicious characters.
But, if you've had your dog for a while, you must have noticed he too has his own fears.
Most dog owners know their dogs are afraid of thunder, fireworks, loud 'clangs' even in the kitchen, and other environmental sounds that we often don't notice as much.
It seems not only are some adults and kids scared of thunder but our dogs have the same response to it too.
It is common to observe dog noise phobia and see the signs of stress and anxiety in their behavior in response to loud environmental sounds.
Aside from running around, barking loudly, and whimpering in fear when there is thunder, you may also see them drooling, and uncontrolled urinating or defecating.
In severe cases, they may escape out onto streets and highways, running as fast as they can to get away from the loud noises because they are scared.
These are just some of the common behaviors that dogs scared of thunder and most environmental sounds show.
As owners we should not be angry at our dogs for being frightened.
Instead, we need to help them overcome their fear of environmental sounds, such as thunder, fireworks, and the likes.
If you're clueless as to what you can do to help your dog overcome its fear of loud environmental sounds,then read on to learn about some common techniques.
One common training method for curing the fear of thunder is by implementing desensitization.
This method slowly removes the sensation of fear that your dog feels every time he hears thunder.
To use this method you need to download an environmental recording that has the sound of thunder on it.
Play the recorded sound of thunder at a very minimal volume on day one.
Gradually increase the volume by just a few notches every couple of days or so.
Adjust the volume and turn it down to a level that your dog does not become startled or scared.
This method takes a lot of consistency and patience.
Do not rush the process or you may make your dog's fear of thunder worse instead of better.
Another common method that is successfully used by many is counter conditioning.
With this method, you condition your dog's behavior so that he learns to associate the fearful stimuli (thunder,fireworks, environmental sounds,etc.
) with positive memories and experiences.
Anytime sudden loud sounds like thunder abound, you simply give him lots of positive attention, his favorite chew toy or a special delicious treat.
Be sure to reward your dog positively only when he does not act fearful.
Otherwise your dog may misinterpret that his fearful behavior is being rewarded with positive attention and rewards.
This would encourage behavior you do not want from your dog.
Desensitization and counter conditioning can be used together for quicker results to end your dog's fear of thunder and other environmental noises.