Is your dog afraid of things that go BOOM! in the night? How to deal with anxiety in the face of summer storms and fireworks.

            It’s that time of the year again… the July 4^th celebrations are coming up in just a few short weeks, and we’ve already experienced our first few storms of the season. If your dog suffers from phobias or anxiety about the sounds of fireworks and thunder, summer isn’t always as fun as it should be. We have some tips, based on advice given in a recent seminar by veterinary behaviorist Debra Horwitz (DVM DACVB), that might help you get through this year’s noisy nights more peacefully.

            First, recognize that a pet who panics is not misbehaving on purpose. Some dogs become so terrified that they lose control of their bladder or bowels, and others might dig or chew at doors and windows in their frantic attempts to escape. Some have anxiety that is less severe, but they might still pace around the house nervously, and/or whine and vocalize. Do not punish your pet for exhibiting any of these symptoms; if your dog was able to make himself feel better and behave normally, he would already be doing so. Phobias are no fun, and stress is involuntary. Punishment (even relatively mild punishment like scolding) will only add to your dog’s stress, and is likely to make the problem worse instead of better. If your dog’s symptoms are relatively mild, try to just ignore them while you work through the tips below. For more severe cases, a full professional consultation with a qualified trainer or veterinarian is advised.

-- Provide a “safe place” for your dog. You could think of this as a doggie panic-room. An ideal safe place would be dark, quiet, and sheltered, with few or no windows. Many dogs (and most cats!) already seek out such places, and will retreat to the closet, a bathroom, their kennel, or under a piece of furniture for the duration of a storm or fireworks display. If your dog has chosen to retreat to a safe den, allow and encourage that choice, rather than trying to force her to stay out and face her fears. (It’s a much more appropriate coping strategy than pacing the halls and howling, after all!) If your dog has never tried this technique, just put a comfy bed or blanket in a sheltered spot and offer her the choice. Do not force your dog to stay confined if she doesn’t like it; some dogs may have claustrophobia as well as sound sensitivity, and you don’t want to make the problem worse.

-- Mask the sounds as much as possible with white noise. White noise is more effective at blocking noises than music or other patterned sounds. Use an electric fan, a “rain machine” designed to help humans sleep, or set the TV or radio to a blank station and play static.

-- Try to associate the start of the scary noises with your dog’s very favorite things in the entire world. You may be able to change his unconscious association from “oh no! Fireworks are scary!” to “oh YEAH! Fireworks mean hot-dogs!” Fear is incompatible with play and with hunger, so if you are successful at stimulating your dog’s appetite or his playfulness, you may be able to distract him and block at least some of his fear. Fill a Kong toy with peanut butter or other soft foods, or start a rousing game of tug, fetch, or whatever your dog loves best. This technique works best if you are able to quickly start the treats or the game just after the sounds have started (so your dog learns that the sounds predict the goodies), but before your dog has had a chance to get too worked up to enjoy the party.

-- Keep yourself calm! Dogs are very responsive to our emotional states, and if the humans in the household are nervous, they will be too. Unfortunately, this can turn into a self-perpetuating cycle, if you are worried about whether or not your dog will be worried about the noise. Practice deep breathing, enjoy your own favorite foods (or drinks!) and activities, and try your best to be a role model for relaxation. Calmness can be just as contagious as stress, so do your best to demonstrate how little cause for concern the noises are. Ignore them, carry on with business as usual, watch a movie on TV, or even take a nap.

-- Some dogs respond very well to products containing Dog Appeasing Pheromone. This is a synthetic version of a chemical that mother dogs secrete when nursing their puppies, and it promotes a feeling of calmness and content. You can get DAP in a plug-in (similar to an air freshener), as a spray, or as a collar. While not every dog will be helped by DAP, there are no reports that any dogs have ever gotten worse, so there’s very little risk to giving it a try. Specific instructions for use will depend on which format you choose (spray, collar, or plug-in) and should be provided along with the product, but you want to concentrate on areas where the dog will be spending time (his Safe Place), and you want to be sure the DAP is in place before the scary stuff starts. It is meant to help him remain calm, not to interrupt a panic attack that is already in full swing.

-- Some dogs seem to become calmer when wrapped up in a snug coat. Interestingly, a 2009 study by Dr. Nicholas Dodman and Nicole Cottam at Tufts University found no significant difference between the effects of a product marketed specifically as being anti-static for use in thunderstorms, and one with no special properties. However, dogs wearing either kind of cape were judged by their owners to be calmer than dogs wearing nothing at all! There are several kinds of anti-anxiety capes, wraps, shirts, and jackets for dogs currently on the market. It’s still not clear how they work; while they may have some unexplained effect on a dog’s nervous system, they may simply be extremely distracting to the dog (helping take her mind off of the fearful situation), or they may have a placebo effect on the human half of the equation, allowing us to relax and interrupt the feedback cycle of nervous behavior. Not all dogs are helped by wraps, but if it’s safe to try with your dog (use caution if your dog becomes aggressive with the kind of handling necessary to fit clothing), then it’s an easy and low-risk tactic to try. Since there may not be a difference between regular clothes and special anxiety clothes, you can try a dog sweater you already have on hand, or even an old T-shirt. Make sure your dog doesn’t become overheated, and discontinue the dress-up if it seems to make her worse instead of better.

-- To comfort, or not to comfort? There has been controversy in the past about whether or not you should attempt to comfort a frightened dog. Many experts have traditionally advised that you should avoid doing so, in case your attempts to soothe your dog were misinterpreted as praise. The worry was that such praise might reinforce the fearful behavior and make it more likely to happen again. Newer thinking on the subject is that fear is an involuntary emotion that is extremely unpleasant to experience, and that you cannot “reinforce” it – a dog can’t consciously choose to panic, and would not do so even if he could. It may even be moot; a 2005 study out of Penn State found no difference in cortisol levels (a stress hormone) between storm-phobic dogs whose owners comforted them and those whose owners did not. Let your own dog’s behavior be your guide. If snuggling up to you for some petting and a few encouraging words helps your dog remain calm and brave in the face of his fears, then go right ahead and offer that emotional support (you can think of it as rewarding the calmness). If, however, the added attention seems to make your dog more nervous, then setting a strong silent example may be more appropriate for him.

            Dogs with severe symptoms may benefit from drug therapy in addition to the management tips above. It’s important to use a medication that works to relieve anxiety, and not just a sedative that masks the outward signs by making your dog too sleepy to pace around. Dogs who have the chance to experience several storms without feeling afraid will often improve over time (and may eventually do well even without drugs), while dogs who are sedated but still fearful may actually get worse. Some dogs just need a little bit of help getting through a single scary night, like the 4^th of July, while others may need to be medicated for the entire storm season. Some dogs do best on a combination of different drugs. Your veterinarian will take into account your dog’s needs and health status when deciding on an appropriate prescription. Dogs may need to be weaned onto or off of some anti-anxiety medications, and they may have interactions with other prescriptions, so it’s very important to administer them exactly as directed by your vet.

            Dogs who are affected by noise phobias or other anxiety disorders can benefit greatly from a formal behavior modification plan. You can work with a qualified behaviorist or trainer to slowly desensitize her to the things that frighten her. These plans can work in conjunction with drug therapy, or as a stand-alone treatment. This is an excellent article from the ASPCA with advice for finding professional help: http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/32/Finding-Professional-Help.aspx

            If you have a new puppy, you can help prevent noise phobias from ever starting. Allow your pup to explore and investigate the source of any strange or sudden sounds he encounters. Being able to identify what causes a noise (and recognizing that it’s not actually an invisible puppy-eating monster after all) is vital for helping a puppy develop confidence. (Of course, don’t force your pup to confront anything that frightens him! Simply allow him the chance to check it out, and encourage him when and if he does so.) Pair loud noises with exceptionally tasty treats and make them the signal for the start of the best games – your pup should grow up thinking that “scary” noises are just the starter pistols signaling the beginning of fantastic parties.

            These websites offer further reading about helping dogs who are afraid of thunderstorms, fireworks, or other noises:

http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/thunderstorm-phobia-in-dogs.html

http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/9/Fear-of-Noises.aspx

http://dogtrainer.quickanddirtytips.com/thunderstorm-phobia.aspx

            Of course, if you have further questions, or if you think your dog may require medications or a training session, please give us a call! We are happy to help.

Wishing you and your pets a safe, scare-free summer!

- Chris Thomas, CPDT-KA and the Doctors & Staff at North Center Animal Hospital

June 2010