Is Your Fur Baby Afraid of Sounds? Try a Silicon Pet ID Tag Silencer
Posted by Hot Dog Collars on 06/13/16 10:42 AM
It’s hard to pinpoint why certain things make us afraid. There
are lots of explanations and theories as to why each of us experience fear in
different situations. As pet parents, we seem to become more brave when our dog
cowers at the sound of a garbage truck driving by or is startled when he hears
the
ping! of an incoming text message
on our cell phones. For dogs who are very sensitive to sounds, getting the
right
pet ID tag is
crucial to their mental well-being. You won’t want a tag that jingles with
their every move, inhibiting them in their doggie adventures. At HotDogCollars,
we’ll help you find an ID tag that your pooch won’t even notice.
Noise Anxiety: Dogs Get Scared Too
For dogs that are afraid of sounds, no amount of verbal
soothing can calm them down. The only comfort we can provide is through physical
communication, such as by rubbing their ears or scratching their heads. According
to the pet care website
DogTime,
noise anxiety affects between 5-15 million dogs. Let’s take a look at some of
the causes and symptoms of a noise anxiety, and how we can help our four-legged
children overcome their fears.
Noise Anxiety: Causes
According to a study performed at the
School
of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol
, noise anxiety starts early.
In an interview with
Animal
Wellness Magazine
, Dr. Rachel Casey (the leader of the study) said the end
results “suggest that the characteristics of dogs, their early environment, and
exposure to specific noises are involved in the development of fear responses
to noises.”
Psychology
Today
even theorizes that some dogs have a predisposition to noise anxiety
based on their genetic makeup.
Like humans, our canine friends are susceptible to fear.
Whether scared because of a traumatizing event as a puppy or because a former
owner used scare-training tactics, our pets are not invincible to experiencing
distress. How do we know if our dogs are suffering from noise anxiety?
Noise Anxiety: Symptoms
Similar to humans, dogs exhibit their symptoms in different
ways and at different levels. Some dogs can get a mild case of the shakes after
hearing a motorcycle rev up next door, while others might empty their bowels in
the middle of the living room floor. Other symptoms include:
- Hiding
- Chewing
- Running Away
If your dog has shown any of the above behaviors, they have
noise anxiety.
Noise Anxiety: Treatment
There are four treatment options DogTime has found to be
consistent in helping dogs fight their noise anxiety. These include:
Pressure Wraps: A pressure wrap is equivalent to the weighted
blankets used by autistic individuals as a comforting mechanism. The pressure
wrap wraps around the dog’s chest or torso and provides gentle compression that
mimics the compression of a hug. During a hug, the chemical
oxytocin
is released, helping to calm our nerves, in this case our pet’s nerves.
Environmental Changes: This includes getting your pup a “silent”
silicone pet ID tag, turning down the television and putting your cell phone on
silent.
Medication: If your dog suffers from extreme noise anxiety,
prescription medication may be your only option. Prescription medication will
even out any brain chemical imbalances in your dog and will help them to get
back to their happy-go-lucky roots.
Behavior Modification: This requires that you perform
desensitization exercises with your dog on a routine basis. Desensitization
exercises include exposing your dogs to noises he is uncomfortable with,
showing him there is nothing to be afraid of.
As any anxiety sufferer knows, having anxiety is the pits. You have to work through it to get better. To help your pooch in his fight against noise anxiety, find the accessories you’ll need at HotDogCollars.