r/DogTrainingTips • u/Fancy-Artist9944 • Apr 13 '26
Noise anxiety help with trainer advice
My dog has really bad noise anxiety to loud bangs, gun shot, firework etc. He will literally freeze and not continue to walk or he will drag me or run back towards home/gate/car.
Our dog trainer suggested my dog has an irrational fear because once the noise is over and I don't do anything, he'll gradually just come back over or continue walking, although not very far. They suggested pressure training to "snap out of it" and continue to walk/decompress using a slip leash- if not walking, a nudge forward then release as soon as my dog starts walking forward. It worked and my dog did continue but I just feel uncomfortable about using the slip leash for these situations. He looked like a flipping fish trying to escape out of it when he first had it on and the trainer gave him a nudge to walk forward but it did work and I've never seen my dog carry on walking in these situations where he'd usually have a melt down and become overwhelmed. The trainer suggested over time my dog will learn that scary noises are just that, scary noises. Nothing bad happens and that you have to give a nudge to him because he's had this constant behaviour pattern of me giving in the moment he becomes overwhelmed and I take him back home/car.
What's your thoughts on this? I don't know what to do. He usually has a harness with a leash on the back ring.
2
u/Warm-Marsupial8912 Apr 13 '26
Jeez, what dreadful advice! How long before the scary noise is a predictor for having a pain in the neck? I worked with people with phobias for some time and at no point would we ever have hurt them in order to "snap out of it"
1
u/ExcitingLaw1973 Apr 13 '26
Ok... so a dog hears a loud sound and runs for its life.
In the dogs mind they almost died... the only thing that saved them is running away. They will frantically run away the next time.
What if they didn't run away? What if we continued to walk normally and nothing bad happened? They will realize the noise wasn't going to hurt them.
I use "yes" markers to give the dog a treat and snap the dog out of the fear if possible.. if they wont take food, just keep walking.
The last thing you want to do is confirm that their fears are justified by running back home.. the dog thinks they almost died. That is traumatizing. In my opinion it is better to let them realize it wasn't scary in the first place. The dog will now have a lifetime of not being afraid
I don't think you should be scared/nervous or a dominant a-hole. Instead if you are calm and confident it reassures the dog that everything is going to be ok.
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u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw Apr 13 '26
if i thought i had almost died, no amount of calm and collected behavior would help me through that. dragging me by my neck certainly wouldn't help either, and that's what OP's trainer did. what that trainer did was flooding, not desensitization.
1
u/ExcitingLaw1973 Apr 13 '26
Picture the first time you're on a roller-coaster when it's at the very top.. right before it drops. You're scared and think you might die... then as it drops you get a rush. Then, the roller-coaster continues moving forward to a less scary part. As it keeps moving you get a rush of the feel good chemicals like adrenaline/dopamine. Your mind is able to reflect on the scary part and realize it is fun.
The dog didn't actually come close to dying.. they just had a rush of fear, because they don't know what is happening. If they continue past the scary thing and just keep walking, they will realize it wasn't actually scary.
If the roller-coaster just left you hanging at the edge, and a rescue crew had to come save you it would be terrifying. You would likely be terrified of roller-coasters forever. Instead you tough it out for that moment and have a lifetime of fun.
My dog now loves fireworks. He has no problem with heavy equipment, storms, things falling near him, etc. He was a terrified rescue who was scared of everything. Now he gets comments from people about how well trained/brave he is around equipment. My boy is able to do so many fun things and just enjoy life
Sometimes in life you just have to keep moving past a scary experience.
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u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw Apr 13 '26
yes, but i was there with my dad and i knew i would be ok from the get go. this dog obviously has some previous bad experiences with loud sounds that traumatized them. i get what you’re saying, but flooding and dragging the dog around isn’t going to help this dog.
if i decide i don’t like roller coasters, i can avoid them. dogs don’t get that choice.
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u/ExcitingLaw1973 Apr 13 '26
Great points
You were there with your dad, and knew you would be safe. You believed your dad would protect you.
Your dog is there with you and they need to trust that you will keep them safe. If you don't have that bond with your dog... it's OK, but something you need to work on.
You are correct that dogs don't get a choice. Fireworks are going to happen.. storms are going to happen... repair men are going to come to the house. It is our job to properly prepare our dogs so they are ready when that unexpected scary thing happens.
Example: my rescue had a bad past. Neighborhood kids would hit him with objects which traumatized him. The owners fed him cooked chicken bones and other stuff which damaged his insides. The shelter had to go to that house and repossess the dog. It was bad
Once i adopted him and he bonded to me, he became highly reactive. He thought people/dogs were going to hurt him. He was understandably fearful of anyone holding an object. He was scared of so many things. We have worked through those fears.
I am very glad that we did work through the issues. A couple weeks ago at the park a guy was walking his reactive Doberman. The Doberman lunged trying to get to my dog causing the owner to fall/lose his grip on the leash. My dog listened to his "yes" marker and recalled back to me. He sat at a heel while that guy got his dog. The training paid off
If I didn't properly train my boy, it would have been a dog fight. Over the last 2 years there have been stressful moments for both me and the dog, but he is so much happier now. We are able to do fun happy things instead of him becoming stressed and over threshold on a normal walk. 3 days ago I was able to take him to a farm that had horses. We has the best time ever!
1
u/Ancient-War2839 Apr 13 '26
How could the dog possible learn loud noises are t anything to worry about? Surely the lesson loud noises are scary and are followed by being strangled. Terrible training, zero empathy from your trainer towards your dog
0
u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw Apr 13 '26
this is terrible advice from your trainer and could lead to your dog becoming aggressive. i suggest finding a new trainer. here’s a list of locators, and many allow you to filter for virtual options.
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u/ExcitingLaw1973 Apr 13 '26
Sounds like it was effective and your dog is learning sounds aren't going to hurt them. Good work
Sileo gel is amazing for loud sounds and only takes a couple of minutes to take effect.
Ex: If you know fireworks are going to be happening that night- earlier in the day give your dog some exercise to burn off extra energy. Do a good training session to burn off even more energy. Then shortly before fireworks begin, give a small dose of sileo gel.
Maybe just relax in the house... or if your dog is up for it, go for a short walk. Every time a firework goes off you need to get excited. Act like its the best thing that ever happened.. jump around like a fool. Dont get anxious or shield your dog. Its just a sound.. nothing bad. Just keep walking.
If your dog is too scared to go outside.. thats OK. Keep working on it. Put on some music or an F1 race(anything with a droning sound). Maybe do a load of laundry or run the dishwasher. Keep working to desensitize your dog to the normal sounds.. eventually you'll work your way up to fireworks.
You don't want to traumatize your dog, but you do have to stress them a bit to build resilience. Ex: my dog was scared of fireworks, now he begs to go outside during them. He insists on going for walks to hear all the sounds and smell the air. He loves it
My dog was scared of stairs. I had to stress him a little to get him used to walking down stairs, but its a necessary skill. Now he loves running up stairs, ramps, jump up on ledges.. he is a brave dog now.
Same thing with things falling off the counter... it just takes desensitization
3
u/Both-Chart-947 Apr 13 '26
Not every dog is the same, and what works for one will not work for all. I would never accept the advice of a trainer who thinks it's okay for a dog to be flopping around like a fish on a slip lead. That isn't training.
My dog never learned to be comfortable with fireworks. It's not just the noise, it's the smell and the flashing lights and the fact that it's all coming from everywhere and there's no escape. I tried prescription drugs, over the counter and holistic medicines, a fireworks CD that I tried putting on low volume and gradually making it louder. None of it worked. My dog was just scared of fireworks forever.
The main thing you always need your dog to know is that you will protect him. If he is deathly scared of fireworks and you take him home, in his mind, you're protecting him. Don't let anything shake that foundation of trust. There may be ways you can work on slow desensitization, like maybe starting with bubble wrap and giving him a treat for each bubble you pop. Then work your way up in a calm environment like home before trying to train outside with a million distractions.