June 14th, 2010
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My dog is getting old and his hearing isn’t as sharp as it used to be. But whenever he hears the screen door next door slam, he runs with his tail between his legs. The trash truck, sirens and road work sounds don’t phase him, it’s just that darn door.
This is, in a way, selective hearing. Dogs have acute hearing – they can hear sounds at almost four times the range of humans. You may not be able to detect what sound is frightening your dog, but you can help calm him. Speak to him calmly and massage him. Try using Rescue Remedy, which you can put in his water or an Anxiety Vest, which calms him down with pressure. And, if you can determine what the sound is and where it comes from, you can try to stop it. Bribing neighbors with fresh baked bread to close their screen door more quietly sometimes works too. Kelly is a pet writer. She lives in the Boston area with her three pit bulls and one neurotic cat. |
Awwwh it is sad when the one you love so much is getting older and not so sharp as the dear once was. I actually lost my baby from my yard…. have not found him yet…. killing me too.
My Rufus Puppy (12 yrs, 7 mos & 3 weeks today) is (hopng he still is) the very best in the whole wide world.
Actually, wouldn’t cuddling and snuggling actually reinforce the initial behavior? What will the dog do when you are not there to snuggle and calm, etc., etc., and the door maybe starts to bang over an dover in the wind??
Much better, I would think, would be to ignore the sound as far as the dog is concerned, make sure he has a “safe place” to go when frightened or uneasy, (like a crate on the other side of the house, maybe with a blanket thrown over it) and allow him to use it…. to do otherwise could only exacerbate the behavior, and the stress to the animal.
I believe the word should be faze, not phase. Faze is an old word that means “frighten.” Phase is what your teenager or the moon goes through.
Signed, the grammar & spelling police.
Petting the dog while it’s in panic mode only encourages the panic to continue. Positive reinforcement should only be used on behaviors that you want to encourage. Using a calm voice and allowing the dog to relax before petting it is a much better option.
We have 4 dogs – one who is very nervous about everything (she’s new to the family, and came with a lot of neuroses). Since bringing her home, we’ve had to learn a lot about what does and does not work to avoid (or calm) a panic attack – and massage or cuddling during an attack is most definitely a no-no. Distraction proves to be a much better choice, and once she’s calm, we pet and cuddle to our heart’s content. Slowly she is becoming a very well adjusted dog.
If the noise scaring your pet is definitely the neighbor’s door slamming, why not “bribe” them w/ those little felt squares that have adhesive on both sides: have them place the squares in a few strategic places where the door bangs most (it’s probably warped), and the sound may go away altogether. They’ll probably be happy you thought of it.
Actually – I kind of make it my business to keep an eye on this Modselewski – I am PASSIONATE about rescue, and a HUGE part of that is keeping dogs in their homes when they find them. The kind of misinformation she promotes is NOT conducive to that – dogs that are not well-trained and not intelligently handled (simply) end up being homeless again in the long run, and I have YET to see a piece of advice from this particular “pet writer” taht makes the smallest smidgen of sense!
I disagree with this tip. Petting and trying to soothe your dog encourages the behavior that they are doing. This is a huge mistake that dog owners make. It is a natural instinct to go pet your dog and feel bad. You should never do this, only because the dog is thinking he is being rewarded when he gets scared. Every time he hears the door, he will know that he will get petted if he shows that he is fearful of it. On Fourth of July, the fireworks make my dog horribly shaky. I take him downstairs in the basemant and put a blanket down, then let him be. I do not try to pet him and soothe him. Just changing areas can make a difference. It’s important that you do something about it, but petting your dog will always make it worse. Ask your neighbors politely to close the door quietly. Tell them that your dog is becoming frightened by the noise it makes. I am sure they will agree to make sure the door closes without a sudden loud noise.
What helped w/ my dog who would pace or hide when she was scared was; taking control, then distracting her, then rewarding her. I would make her follow some commands, ~~come, sit, lay down (without touching her), be quiet; when she behaved at all calmly, then I would give her a cookie. You might have to use a leash at first. She got over a couple of fears that way. No cure for fear of thunder yet! She just hides under the bed, and nothing has helped.
If you know your neighbor maybe you could take your dog over there to see what the noise is, and try the calm down and reward there.
Good luck!
Try associating a reward with noses. Put your dog on a leash and stand by a door. Slowing open and close the door, reassuring your dog and providing him with a treat. Gradually increase the noise until noisy situations are associated with priase and treats. Buy a cd with noises can also work.
If you are looking for cute dog clothes try:
http://www.smalldogday.com
after walks and after a few minutes our rescue jack russell will urinate on the carpet and it is not just a small one either. unfortunately, we do not always catch him doing so. would certainly appreciate any help with this dilemma. with many thanks.
our jack russell AFTER walking him will urinate in the house. we dont always catch him doing so. please give me your opinions on how to handle this dilemma.
Thank you for the comments on how to calm your dog if he is scared with noise!
Of course I was petting him!
Titus and I live in Rio- right now we are in the middle of the World Cup! The “Sun People” take their futebol(soccer seriously)!
Everything closes down for the games and the Celebration Begins!
Tons and Tons of fireworks! OmG Titus is inconsolable!
I will try putting him in the bathroom which is all tiled, to help wioth the noise! Thank you Thank you for the pointers!
I was dying! Now maybe I can start to live again and enjoy basking in the Glory of Brazils World Cup! They are the best! And Titius will become more calm with the training tips!
I wish more “dog people” would learn that you can’t reinforce fear. Fear is an emotion, not a behavior.
By all means soothe your dog when they are scared.
http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/you-cant-reinforce-fear-dogs-and-thunderstorms
And I have found that Valerian works better than Rescue Remedy and the Thunder Shirt works really well for anxiety.
http://www.thundershirt.com/