Up next in 10
Fear of Noises in Dogs: Why Certain Sounds Scare Your Dog?
Nov 27, 2025
Dogs have an acute sense of hearing, far superior to ours, which means they pick up on sounds we might not even notice.
The fear of noises in dogs isn’t just about volume, but it’s about unpredictability, pitch, and past experiences.
Research shows that high-frequency sounds, like alarms or squeaky toys, can trigger anxiety in some dogs, while deep rumbles (like thunder) unsettle others.
Discover more by reading the full article at Doggozila Magazine on the link below: 👇🔗 👀
🔗 https://doggozila.com/fear-of-noises-in-dogs/
👆 📺 👀
#dogfear #scareddog #anxiousdogs #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #petlove #dogtraining101 #doggielife
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Ever watched your dog, your fun-loving,
0:02
happy golucky buddy just completely
0:04
transform in an instant because of some
0:06
everyday sound? You know, a door slams,
0:09
thunder rumbles way off in the distance
0:11
or you turn on the vacuum and suddenly
0:13
they're terrified. It's a really common
0:16
thing and honestly, it can be pretty
0:18
baffling for us owners. Or maybe it's
0:20
the 4th of July, the fireworks are going
0:22
off and your dog is just in a full-blown
0:24
panic trying to crawl into the bed or
0:26
behind the sofa. If any of this is
0:28
ringing a bell, trust me, you are so not
0:31
alone. So, let's dive in. We're going to
0:34
break down the science behind why this
0:36
happens. And this is the important part.
0:38
We're going to give you a real action
0:40
plan to help your dog feel safer and a
0:42
whole lot more confident in our very
0:44
noisy world. To really get why they're
0:47
so scared, we've got to start with their
0:48
ears. Because their sense of hearing,
0:50
it's nothing short of a superpower. I
0:53
mean, look at this difference. It's just
0:54
staggering. We humans, we top out at
0:56
around 20,000 hertz. But dogs, they can
0:59
hear all the way up to 65,000. That
1:02
means they're hearing a whole world of
1:04
sounds that we're completely oblivious
1:05
to. The high-pitched wine from our TVs,
1:08
the buzz from the lights, even the low
1:10
frequency rumbles of a storm that's
1:12
still miles away. For them, it can be
1:14
like a constant sensory overload. And
1:16
this is not some rare unusual problem. A
1:20
big study from the University of Bristol
1:21
found that almost half, 49% of all dogs
1:25
show some kind of sensitivity to noise.
1:27
So that feeling that you're the only one
1:28
with a dog who trembles during a storm,
1:30
yeah, millions of other dog owners are
1:32
going through the exact same thing. So
1:34
where does this fear even come from?
1:36
Well, it's not just one thing. It's a
1:37
complicated mix. Genetics definitely
1:39
plays a role. Hurting greeds like border
1:41
collies are often just wired to be more
1:43
reactive to sound. For rescue dogs, past
1:46
trauma can create these really powerful
1:48
negative associations. Sometimes it's
1:50
just a learned behavior. One single bad
1:53
experience as a puppy can create a
1:54
phobia that lasts a lifetime. And then
1:56
there are these key developmental stages
1:58
like the second fear period that hits
1:59
when they're teenagers where they can
2:01
suddenly become scared of things that
2:02
never bothered them before. Okay, so our
2:05
dogs can't just come up and tell us,
2:06
"Hey, that sound is really freaking me
2:08
out." So it's up to us to become experts
2:11
at reading their signals, at
2:12
understanding their body language. Let's
2:14
get into what to look for, starting with
2:16
the biggest culprits. And no real
2:19
surprises here, right? Fireworks,
2:20
thunderstorms, and vacuum cleaners are
2:22
the big three. But you have to remember,
2:24
for a dog, it's so much more than just a
2:26
loud noise. Fireworks are these sudden,
2:29
unpredictable explosions in the sky. A
2:32
thunderstorm brings changes in air
2:34
pressure and static electricity that
2:36
they can literally feel in their fur.
2:38
And the vacuum, it's a roaring monster
2:40
that's invading their home, their safe
2:42
space. I'm betting at least one of these
2:45
hits pretty close to home for you. But
2:47
you know what? Recognizing the enemy is
2:49
always the first step in figuring out
2:51
how to win the battle for a calm, happy
2:53
dog. When a dog gets that terrified,
2:56
their body goes into pure fightor-flight
2:59
mode. You'll see the physical stuff, the
3:01
panting, the trembling, maybe even
3:03
drooling. Then come the behavioral
3:05
reactions like desperately at a
3:07
door or chewing on the furniture. And
3:09
it's so important to remember that's not
3:11
them being bad. That's a genuine escape
3:13
attempt. And of course, you'll hear it,
3:15
too. The whining, the non-stop barking.
3:18
It's a full-blown panic attack. All
3:21
right, we've talked about the why and
3:22
the what. Now, for the most important
3:24
part, the how. What can we actually do
3:27
about it? This is your toolkit, your
3:29
action plan for helping your best friend
3:32
feel safe and secure. The gold standard
3:34
here, the strategy that really works for
3:36
the long haul is called desensitization.
3:39
The whole idea is to slowly, carefully
3:41
change your dog's mind about a scary
3:43
sound. You're basically rewiring their
3:45
brain to think, "Oh, that boom doesn't
3:47
mean danger. It means I'm about to get a
3:49
piece of chicken." It takes time. It
3:51
takes patience, but it absolutely works.
3:54
Every single dog needs a safe space,
3:56
their own little den. This could be a
3:58
crate covered with some heavy blankets,
4:00
a walk-in closet, maybe even an interior
4:02
bathroom with no windows. The most
4:04
important thing is that it's their
4:06
choice to go there. You can make it even
4:07
better by adding a fan or a white noise
4:09
machine to help drown out the scary
4:11
sounds from outside. It becomes their
4:13
personal sanctuary. Here's another
4:15
powerful tool. Gentle, constant
4:18
pressure. It's the same idea as
4:20
swaddling a baby. Products like the
4:22
Thunderhirt give your dog a feeling of
4:23
being held, which is incredibly calming.
4:26
And get this, one scientific study found
4:28
that a whopping 80% of dogs showed
4:30
improvement during storms when they wore
4:32
one. It's definitely something to look
4:34
into. You can also fight sound with
4:37
sound. A good white noise machine is
4:40
amazing for masking those sudden sharp
4:42
bangs from fireworks. And here's a fun
4:44
fact for you. A study found that
4:46
classical music and believe it or not,
4:48
reggae were both particularly good at
4:51
lowering stress hormones in dogs. For
4:53
really extreme cases, you can even get
4:55
noiseancelling headphones made just for
4:57
pups. Look, I know all of this can feel
5:00
like a lot and it can be a bit
5:02
overwhelming. So, let's look at some
5:04
proof that these techniques can make a
5:06
massive difference. So, meet Rusty.
5:09
Rusty used to bolt and run for miles at
5:11
the very first pop of a firework. His
5:14
family decided to try a six-month sound
5:16
buffet. They played firework sounds
5:18
starting super quiet and paired them
5:20
with his favorite thing in the world,
5:21
steak. The result? By the next 4th of
5:24
July, those scary booms meant a party
5:26
was starting. And now he just wags his
5:28
tail, waiting for his treat. And then
5:30
there's Pico. Pico is a tiny 4-pound
5:33
Chihuahua who had a massive grudge
5:35
against the vacuum cleaner. I love this.
5:38
His owner said he had full-blown
5:40
appliance rage. Their solution was just
5:43
brilliant. They basically turned the
5:45
vacuum into a game. First, he got treats
5:47
for just looking at the vacuum when it
5:49
was off. Then they'd turn it on in
5:51
another room while he was playing his
5:53
favorite game. The final step, he was
5:55
promoted to cleaning supervisor. When
5:57
the vacuum was running, his job was to
5:59
collect the cleaning tax. A steady
6:01
stream of treats dropped right near the
6:03
machine. He went from mortal enemy to
6:05
happy co-orker. So, what's the bottom
6:08
line here? Let's boil it all down.
6:09
First, empathize. Remember that their
6:12
incredible hearing can also be a huge
6:14
burden. Second, explain. Understand this
6:17
fear isn't their fault. It's a
6:19
deep-seated mix of instinct and
6:21
experience. And finally, and most
6:23
importantly, empower. know that you have
6:25
the tools and the ability to make a huge
6:28
positive difference in your dog's life.
6:30
So, I'll leave you with this to think
6:32
about. What's your dog's number one
6:34
noise trigger? What's that one sound
6:36
that just sets them off? And based on
6:38
everything we just talked about, what is
6:40
one small, manageable thing you can do
6:43
starting today to begin changing that
6:45
story and making their world feel just a
6:47
little bit safer?
#Pets
#Dogs
#Dogs