Noise Phobias And Dogs

 Here is my article on Noise Phobias and Dogs.

More pets are lost on the 4th of July than any other day of the year. Here are some suggestions that will help your dog get through scary events easier. ❤️🐺❤️

WORK ON CALMING AND FOCUS EXERCISES:
-“ Wait and Take it” game to build calm behavior, and focus on the handler. 
Take a piece of food in your hand, with fist closed. Bring your hand close to the dog.
Give a verbal WAIT command.Let the dog sniff, but don’t let them have it till they settle a bit and are calmer , then say TAKE IT and open your hand and reward. Extra points for eye contact! Practice often, using part of the dogs daily meals as rewards.

-“Focus” game, using part of the dogs daily meals as rewards. Have the dog sit on a safe raised object. Stand in front of the dog. Let the dog see you take two pieces of their food, one in each hand. Outstretch your arms all the way out from your side.Look directly at the dogs eyes and make a “kissy” sound, or other attention getting noise with your mouth. The instant the dog turns their gaze from your hand to your face IMMEDIATELY say YES!   and reward from either hand. Repeat often for best results.

-“Touch” is also a very helpful command because this can be used to distract the dog and make a fun game out of it. Give a verbal TOUCH command and have them touch your hand or an object you are holding, click a clicker, and reward them with a piece of their daily meal when they do. You may need to start by touching the dogs nose first to get them going,but they catch on quickly. Most dogs really enjoy this game.

-Box Feeding is a form of Classical conditioning which desensitizes and counter conditions the dog to “ scary” sounds and sensations so they become less fearful/anxious.  I have a detailed article on how to do this. Very highly recommended.

- PLACE command with gradually added duration is excellent because the dog learns to go to his cot, lie down, and be quiet. I have a very detailed article on how to train PLACE.

- Basic Obedience drills of down stay with gradually added duration proofed in different areas, and under gradually harder distractions can also be very helpful .

THINGS TO TRY:
-Lots of both mental and physical exercise for the dog before the event.
- Many foods naturally contain melatonin and the amino acid tryptophan which encourage sleep naturally. Feeding a meal which includes some of the following before the event can help their body relax. Turkey, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, white rice, and eggs.
Thundershirts and Thunder Ease spray work well for many dogs.I highly recommend both.
-Calming caps cover the dogs eyes, these work well for some dogs (while in their crates only).
-Mutt Muffs dog earplugs to help muffle the loud bang during the event.
-Composure chewables by Vetri Science work well, and are recommended. Check with your Veterinarian, often the dosages can be increased considerably very safely .
-XDOG weighted vest, used for resting and light walking only, gradually add up to 10% of the dogs body weight. I highly recommend these. 
-Aromatherapy like lavender and Chamomile.
-Rescue Remedy.
- A lick mat covered with canned dog food, spray cheese, or peanut butter ( non xylitol containing brand) can be a helpful distraction.
-Food filled interactive toys like a Kong, or marrow bone.
-Reduce static electricity in the home by using a humidifier, and wiping the dog down with a non scented dryer sheet may help as well- fur tends to get very staticky.
-The Storm Defender is a cape which allegedly protects the dog from static during a storm.
- Clicker train the dog so it knows every time it  hears a click it will be well rewarded with a piece of its meal. This can be used to help distract the dog from worrying during the event.
- If your dog loves to play fetch, having them around trained hunting dogs who are happy and excited to hear a gun shot noise may help. Doing drills with very low caliber sounds at first, then gradually going louder. Dogs learn to look foreword to racing for the retrieval bumper when they hear a loud bang, instead of getting worried about the sound.
- Medication from your Veterinarian specifically for noise phobias.

DURING THE EVENT:
- Keep your pets inside during thunder and fireworks.
- Allow the dog to hide in a closet, or under a table or bed of their choosing as long as they are not being destructive.
-Close the drapes and curtains to block the visual flashing lights 
-Place crates somewhere COOL, quiet and dark area like a closet or cellar, small crates can be placed in a bathtub, which blocks sounds.
-Monitor your own energy, dogs will immediately pick up if you are worried or stressed.
-Have a calm household, no running, screaming, or shouting.
-Put a piece of clothing with your scent on it in the dogs safe place or crate.
-No petting the fearful dog if you are in a worried state of mind, it can be easily mistaken as praise by the dog and make matters worse.
-Never punish your dog when they are fearful, it will only make matters worse.
-Having a  friendly “non fearful” dog nearby may help calm the fearful one.

Pets that are tagged and micro chipped have a much higher chance of being reunited with their owners. Rescues/shelters usually don’t keep microchip records once the pet is adopted, so the new owner must update that information- or else it is useless.

More dog training articles including Fear Aggression, Restraint Training for Dogs, and Potty Training are available at my site below, which is open to the public and free of charge.❤️🐺❤️

https://www.facebook.com/AllBasicsDogTrainingKimChappell/