Nothing shakes up a peaceful moment like a loud noise. For dogs with noise anxiety, not knowing where the noises come from is extra unsettling. When will the next bang, boom, and thunder be? Why is the sound coming from there when before it was over here? These are the thoughts that run through a dog’s mind as they pace and pant after hearing frightening sounds.
Other signs a dog is afraid may benefit from sound desensitisation include:
- Excessive vocalisation (barking, howling, whining)
- Shaking or trembling
- Panting (often the tongue is past the mouth and curled)
- Hiding
- Increased pacing
- Inappropriate peeing or pooping
- Refusing to eat
- Whale eyeing and a tight face (not relaxed)
Sound desensitisation is a simple way of teaching your dogs how to be calm during loud noises. Since dogs have much more sensitive and independent hearing abilities (they can hear out of one ear, so isolated sounds are much more noticeable), exposing them to sounds they may not usually hear can go a long way.
“You may put on fireworks sounds while you’re making coffee, starting with a low volume and increasing it over time,” says Nicole Ellis, CPDT-KA and Pet People Panellist for Rover.
She advocates making these sounds part of your daily routine, like when you’re making coffee or cleaning the house. “The little moments can be big steps forward,” she says.
All pet parents should practice sound desensitisation when they get a dog. It’s a great lifelong solution. In this article, we’ll outline how to do it at home, when to enlist professional help, and provide a tracker you can use.
At-Home vs. Professional Help?
The earlier you do this with your dog (at the puppy stage), the better and more likely you will have success at home. However, more anxious or traumatised dogs may require the involvement of a professional.
“Trainers can be beneficial with desensitisation therapies, avoidance techniques, and helping owners to understand triggers and better manage fearful behaviours,” says Dr. Rebecca Greenstein, DVM, veterinary medical advisor for Rover and Chief Veterinarian of Kleinburg Veterinary Hospital.“Undoing a behaviour takes more time than creating a positive association from the start,” says Ellis. “An anxious dog may never completely get over that anxiety hump, but we can lessen their stress by working towards a more relaxed state.”
For at-home training, Ellis recommends practising sound desensitisation three times a week, leading up to events with fireworks like Bonfire Night or New Year’s Eve. For more anxious dogs, you’ll want to reserve six to eight weeks for training and work with a trainer and vet to customise treatment for your unique dog or environment.
iStock/Stephanie Verhart
Tools for Sound Desensitisation
- Laptop or phone
- Bluetooth speakers
- Treats (high value to start)
- A playlist or app with sounds
- Progress tracker (download our sound desensitisation worksheet!)
Extremely observant dogs may be able to hear that the sound is coming from your devices. You can start by playing sounds on your laptop or phone, but the Bluetooth speaker will help you replicate the “where” of sounds. This realistic stimulation will come in handy for preparing your dog for surprise noises.
We also put together a printable training document to help track your dog’s comfort level and progress. To fill it out, you’ll want to record the dates, level of difficulty (volume and duration) and any behavioural notes about your dog’s session. You can also grade your dog’s sessions, making it easier to judge progress, for example:
| Grade | Dog’s reaction |
| A | Perfectly calm, no response |
| B | Small signs of anxiety but stays calm and will still take treats |
| C | Gets up to move away from the sound, still takes treats |
| D | Moves away, full pacing and panting, won’t take treats |
Playlists to help with sound desensitisation training
Step-by-Step Guide to Desensitising Your Dog
This sound desensitisation protocol works for fireworks, aeroplanes, trucks, other dogs barking, and more. You’ll start by exposing your dog to low-level sounds and increasing the volume in a gamified way.
Ellis says to “limit sessions under 15 minutes. In most cases, under 10 minutes.” You can also break up your sessions into 3- to 5-minute increments throughout the day. “Our goal is to have a dog that isn’t stressed when the sounds occur, no matter the time of day,” says Ellis.
In fact, avoiding predictability is a key component. “Any time of the day is going to be great,” Ellis confirms. “Remember, the more we can work on this, the more we set our pets up for success.”
Step one: Initial sound assessment
To find your dog’s starting point, start in the room your dog is most comfortable in. Avoid rooms your dog may have poor associations with, like the laundry room or where you keep your hoover.
Let your dog know that training is going to happen with a cue and treats. Then sit in front of them and place your treats in your hand, behind your back. Play the sound from your computer or phone and treat your dog. Raise the volume if your dog doesn’t react. Test playing the audio for durations of 5 to 10 seconds.
Stop when your dog reacts or shows signs of fear, but ensure that you end this assessment on a positive note. In fact, all of their upcoming sessions should end with a win, where you play the sound at a low setting and reward them.
Beginner level: 1-2x a day
Puppies with no fear may be able to speed through this level, especially if they’re under six months old and yet to experience loud noises. Adult or older dogs who react at this level may need to stay at this level for a week or two before moving on.
- Sit on the ground, or wherever comfortable, with your dog in front of you. Place treats behind you.
- Hit play on the laptop at a low volume. Your dog may perk up or ignore the sound. Treat while the sound is playing. Stop.
- Wait 2-3 seconds before restarting. Adjust for a higher volume*, if your dog had a neutral reaction last time.
- Hit play and quickly reinforce with a treat during the sound. Stop when the sound stops.
- Lower the volume and hit play to give your dog an easy win. If the dog seems distressed, significantly lower the volume again and reward them with pets, play, or a treat.
- Repeat steps 2-5 for another 2-5 minutes.
*Notes on raising the volume: Avoid turning the volume up drastically. While people may be inspired by pushing their limits, dogs don’t react as positively. “This should be slow,” Ellis confirms.
Intermediate: 1-2x day
When your dog is starting to become bored with the beginner steps at a loud volume—or has caught on that the sounds are coming from your laptop—you can move onto using Bluetooth speakers.
- Connect your Bluetooth speaker and place it away from your dog (ideally not visible to them).
- Play the sound at a low volume.
- Quickly reinforce with treats by saying “Yes!” at the sound. Stop treats when the sound stops.
- Repeat for 2-5 minutes. Increase the volume once or two during your session. Lower the volume after each increase to give your dog a win.
- Repeat the next session with the speakers in a different area.*
*At this stage, you may also be able to play these sounds at a noticeable (but not distressing) level throughout the day. During these “background noise” moments, Ellis recommends giving your dog a chew or a Kong to help build the positive associations.
Advanced: 1-2x day
Once your dog is comfortable with the intermediate level, you can start practising with the sounds coming from the “danger” zones in the house. These areas may be behind doors, near windows, or even in the attic.
- Set up your speaker in the “danger” zone.
- Play the sound softly and treat your dog.
- Wait 2-3 seconds before attempting to restart.
- Hit play and quickly reinforce with treats. Stop when the sound stops. Go up and down in volume, following up loud noises with quieter ones.
- Repeat for 2-5 minutes.
- Stop if the dog seems distressed and go back to practising intermediate levels, with the speaker near the “danger zone”.
Maintenance: 1-3x week
Maintain your dog’s training with surprise sessions. By practising surprise noises, you are teaching your dog that these sounds will just happen, and that’s okay.
Make sure your dog doesn’t see you prep the treats or speaker. Then choose moments you normally don’t train them, like after a walk, in the middle of play, while they are resting, or eating.
When you play the loud sounds, make the moment exciting. “If there is a super loud sound, I make it exciting and throw a party,” says Ellis. “I may talk in a happy voice and toss a bunch of treats or grab a favourite toy and amp up my energy for a moment. This changes the dog’s reaction from, what was that? To, oh, the loud sound means food and fun!”
iStock/Alexandr Vorontsov
Sound Socialisation for Puppies
If you’re working with an older dog, you’re likely targeting sounds that you already know your pup doesn’t like. But if you’re starting with a puppy, they’re a blank canvas. This is your opportunity to socialise them to all kinds of noises. Here’s what to focus on:
- Household appliances, like the hoover, blender, hairdryer, dishwasher, microwave, and washing machine/dryer
- TV and radio sounds
- Ringing phones, alarms and doorbells
- Environmental sounds like thunder, wind, and rain
- Traffic noises like cars, horns, sirens, and construction
- People noises like crowds clapping or cheering, babies crying, and children playing
- Barking dogs
- Echoes in large spaces, loudspeakers, and lift noises
- Musical instruments
- Sudden loud noises like fireworks and gunshots
Remember to follow the basic principles of socialisation and start with low-volume versions of sounds before gradually increasing over time.
When Should I Talk to My Vet?
Don’t wait until seasonal fireworks to seek a vet. “Consulting with a vet and seeing how a dog can do on those prescribed medications ahead of time could take weeks,” notes Ellis. “This is without a promise that the dog will be fine with fireworks.”
Dr. Greenstein says, “Let your vet know that your pet’s phobia is starting to impact him or her and your family, and to what degree. If your dog is working themself into a frenzy every time, make sure to let your vet know this is more than just a passing dislike. It’s a true phobia, and someone could get hurt.” Bringing a recording of your dog’s reaction from the initial sound assessment may also empower your veterinarian.
If your dog can’t handle the beginner stage, gets stuck at the intermediate level, or panics whenever the volume goes up, that’s also a good sign to talk to your vet about anxiety medications and calming products. These additional tools can help keep your dog under threshold so they can continue learning, or help your dog get through the situation without going into full-blown panic.
How Long Until Sound Desensitisation Works?
How long your dog takes to be calm around sounds depends on factors such as:
- Your dog’s previous history of trauma around the sound
- Your dog’s age
- The natural disposition of your dog (fearful vs. curious)
The more of a blank and curious slate you have to work with, the more likely your dog will overcome their fear of noise. In general, you may see your dog get used to sounds as quickly as three weeks or as long as eight.
“I have one dog I started early with, who can sit outside and watch fireworks, wagging his tail. My rescue, however, hates them, but we have gotten to a point where I can prep her, and her stress is a lot less due to training ahead of time and products we use,” says Ellis. Products that can help dogs through a stressful time include Thundershirts, calming pheromones for dogs, and other toys for dog anxiety.
Why Dogs Are Scared of Noises
Not all dogs will be able to completely turn around to loud noises and fireworks. Depending on the cause behind your dog’s noise anxiety, the fear may only be managed instead of eradicated. Fireworks frighten dogs because:
- They generate a sense of threat in dogs
- Dogs didn’t have early exposure
- Dogs had a previous traumatic experience with fireworks
- Your dog learned from other dogs to be afraid of fireworks
- Your dog’s breed is predisposed to be afraid of loud noises
However, a multi-pronged management approach (i.e., a protocol that includes training, medication, routine, and reassurance) can help your dog navigate the world with less fear.
It’s also normal to see a puppy have no fear around loud noises, only to suddenly develop a fear as they enter their teenage phase. Around 6 to 14 months is when a dog can enter their “fear period”. During this time, it’s best to make training sessions, regular ones included, easier and allow your puppy to move at their own pace. Pushing a puppy through their fear period is linked to increased reactivity. To avoid scaring your dog further, build fluency in your dog’s body language, from subtle signs of canine stress to dog ear positions.
And, of course, if you plan to board your dog with a sitter, inform your sitter of any particular noises that spook your pet. Preparing your pet’s caretaker will help ensure your dog’s safety and well-being.
