Caring For A Dog Who's Scared Of Loud Noises

Most pet owners will tell you that summer, especially July, is a terrible time for nervous dogs. Between dramatic thunderstorms and multiple nights of fireworks, I can be pretty nervous, too. But imagine how much more intense it must be for animals with better hearing than mine.

In our house, it's the two older dogs who have loud noise anxiety, not the two younger ones. The five-year-old twins couldn't care less, but Parker and Molly have anxiety to the max. They handle it differently, though. Molly barks back at the rain and thunder, with every single clap, running back and forth between the windows to give them what for. Parker is the exact opposite - he retreats and shakes, soothed only by cuddles and softly spoken words.

If your dogs are struggling this summer, too, here are a few things we do to diffuse the situation.

Give them a safe place, then let them go there on their own. It would be easy to force Molly to lie down (but not really because she's a 120-pound Great Dane), but if it helps to pace, she needs to do that. No amount of yelling or coaxing will deter her. Parker is happiest right next to me being petted and snuggled. I let that happen, too.

Pay attention to their body language. Our two younger dogs will perk their ears up a little when they first sense a storm, but that's as far as it goes. The other two tense up, Molly paces, and Parker shakes. When we're paying attention, we can stop the anxiety escalation before it becomes too serious. If we're not, we jump out of our skin at the first angry Great Dane bark.

Background noise can help drown out the dramatics outside. Whether we're there or we'll be gone when a storm hits, we'll leave the television on a Christian music station. It may not stop the panic completely, but it can be enough to keep them from knocking down gates and destroying things.

Distract and conquer. A strategically placed Kong covered in peanut butter can be the perfect distraction in a highly charged situation. So can essential oils that promote relaxation. Don't put oils on their skin or in their fur, though. Dilute it a little and dab it on their collar instead.

What tips do you have that work for your nervous pets?

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