The summer celebrations of July 4th are soon approaching, bringing along the traditional fireworks that we all know and love. Unfortunately, for our dogs, these loud noises can be very invasive and hard to tolerate. Did you know that a dog’s sense of hearing is over four times as sensitive as a human’s? Which means noises we find painfully loud from 20 feet away, dogs find painful from 80 feet away. Frequent exposure to loud noises can lead to chronic discomfort and even hearing loss in your dog if exposed repeatedly. If your dog is experiencing signs of noise anxiety, it’s crucial to get them the help they need immediately.
Common Signs of Noise Anxiety in Your Dog
It’s good practice to observe the signs your dog shows when they’re anxious from loud noises around them. Many noises that are disturbing to us are probably even worse for our furry friends. Noise anxiety can result in many different symptoms, and it can be hard to understand what your dog is experiencing. To add, these symptoms can vary in severity depending on your dog’s anxiety and discomfort levels. If your dog is showing any of the common signs listed below then it’s time to find a solution for them.
- Unresponsive to Commands
- Loud Barking
- Pacing / Panting
- Hiding / Refusing to Move
- Reduced Appetite
- Shaking / Trembling
- Clinging to Owner
- Awkward Behavior
- Crying / Whining
- Digging / Urinating
Causes of Noise Anxiety
When noticing your dog is showing symptoms of noise anxiety, you might be wondering what sounds can be causing it. There are many different noises that we may not think twice about but, can be very disturbing for our dogs. In this case, loud noises that can typically cause noise anxiety in your dog are fireworks, thunderstorms, TV’s, and yelling. Over 50% of dogs show significant signs of fear/anxiety in response to fireworks. Additionally, even overlooked subtle noises are still discomforting for your dog such as home alarms, dishwashers, and outside wind. Consistent display of these sounds to your dog can be traumatizing and lead to noise phobia/fear. So, it’s important to recognize certain loud noises that can cause your dog a great deal of stress.
Effects of Excessive Loud Noises
Dogs have very delicate ear structures and sensitive ear drums. As a result, prolonged exposure to loud noises weakens these structures overtime and can eventually lead to permanent hearing loss. This can tremendously disrupt a dog’s behavior and quality of life as they age. If you speculate that your dog is experiencing partial or occasional hearing impairment, then you might notice these symptoms: failing to understand commands, sleeps through loud noise, and/or unaware of their surroundings such as cars driving by. Nonetheless, early stages of noise discomfort in your dog usually starts with them frequently having anxious spells or displaying signs of fear. If you notice your dog is showing unusual amounts of nervousness, they could be exposed to excessive noise around them. Noise anxiety not only endangers the emotional stability of your dog, but can affect their length of life as well.
What Can You Do?
First, always consult a professional, like a veterinarian, for the best advice in helping your pup dealing with noise anxiety. Especially if they show signs of hearing loss and not just anxiety from loud noise. But, if you have an idea of what the culprit is that’s causing them to have anxiety, try eliminating it. For example, lower TV volumes, limit yelling in the house, and use appliances while your dog is in another room. Other solutions you should also try are comforting your dog with a blanket during storms, isolate them away from windows, provide light background noise, and keeping them indoors during celebrations such as fireworks. It may require more of your attention but, a good safe keeping of your dog will dramatically help increase their comfortability and lower their anxiety levels during loud events.
If you’ve tried everything to help your dog’s noise anxiety, but you feel discouraged because nothing is working, don’t worry. Green Gruff offers calming treats for dogs specially formulated to promote relaxation in your dog and help calm their nerves during loud events. Using all-natural ingredients such as Valerian Root, Spinach, and Organic Chamomile, Green Gruff RELAX dog supplements can aid in influencing comfortability and happiness. Green Gruff RELAX dog chews also assists the production of serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin which can beneficially support your dog’s anxiety-related behaviors. Remember, Green Gruff dog chews are best used regularly and isn’t an immediate remedy. If you want to learn more about why your dog may benefit from a daily supplement, check out our recent blog post.