There are so many sounds that we are used to hearing but dogs are petrified of. Some common noises are fireworks, sirens, infants crying, children playing and screaming, tools, grooming tools, and thunderstorms. It is hard for us to figure out exactly what made the dog become so afraid of certain noises but anything that happens to a dog in between 4 - 9 weeks of their lives are engrained into their heads and they remember everything.
If a dog was left outside in a big thunderstorm then of course they are going to be afraid of thunder. If a groomer was rushing through the job the first time the dog got cut and the clippers were turned on and they started cutting near the face, I know I would be afraid of the clippers. There is a technique called sound desensitization that works wonders with dogs who are afraid of loud, startling, or uncommon noises.
What I found that works is a desensitization CD from dogwise.com called Sound Socialization by O'Neal Hendrix, which has plenty of the sounds that I mentioned. It takes plenty of consistency to play the cd on a daily basis, so please be patient.
HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FROM DAY ONE:
· You begin by playing the CD on a low volume and gradually increase the volume each day until it is at a normal level.
· Make sure you do not put the volume up to quickly because the dog will relapse and you will need to start all over.
· If there is only one sound on the CD that your dog is afraid of, you can repeat that sound continuously.
· It should take about a month to get your dog accustomed to the sounds but don't rush it.
If you know that your dog has an insane amount of anxiety during thunderstorms and you know that there is going to be a bad storm before the month is over, you can ask your vet for some suggestions on puppy zanex or a natural sedative to help your dog stay calm. Also, you can train your dog for a longer period of time before you leave the house, so you know that the dog will be tired.