With Guy Fawkes rapidly approaching I thought it timely to discuss options for this most common of animal noise phobia scenarios. For severely afflicted pets this time of year can be very distressing and owners can similarly suffer, observing their pet’s fear, property destruction, soiling or running away.

Some noise phobias appear to be "hardwired" and more resistant to change through training, than some other fears. This is therefore a challenging problem that can require months of re-training and chemical assistance. I start by using response substitution i.e. instead of hiding or showing other signs of anxiety; encourage the pet to sit calmly to get rewards.

Ask for the behavior (sit or down) and then reward immediately, rather than waiting for spontaneous calming. To achieve this during noxious sounds you must first have a dog that responds to commands in a quiet environment. Work on those basic commands of “sit” and “down” until the response is consistent and rapid.

Getting the desired behaviour during problem time is the next step (perhaps using a head halter to get attention and focus) and rewarding with praise and treats. If the dog is food-motivated they could redirect attention to food-filled Kongs or chew toys specially saved for scary times.

Desensitizing CDs can help during the management program. These come with a range of sounds including fireworks and the volume and frequency of these sounds can be slowly increased over time as our pets learn to react calmly.

This training in the absence of distractions is critical so that the owner has a means of calming and settling during real events rather than responding to the anxious dog in a way that might inadvertently reinforce or aggravate the problem behaviour.

Confining the dog, especially while no one is at home can be useful to prevent damage to the dog or the property. If they are comfortable in a crate, that's terrific, but crates can also present obstacles to some nervous dogs panicking and trying to escape. Alternatively a "safe haven" somewhere, usually a dark, quiet area of the house the dog selects, closet, hallway, spare bedroom, can be gated off, and preferably not shut with a door.

Some dogs respond well to anxiety wraps i.e. being cuddled up and partially covered with their own throw, often referred to as “storm capes”.

Drugs may be necessary to help control some of the anxiety and a combination of valium, sedatives; TCA’s and Prozac are available to us as veterinarians. Where possible any drug therapy should be given or present before the noise event. Drugs alone will never be effective.

DAP diffusers which plug into a power socket are also available for both cats and dogs. Some animals do respond very well to these products which release natural calming pheromones. Some daily massage sessions, with a relaxation scent (such as lavender) can be valuable to reduce general reactivity levels.

Regular aerobic activity can also enhance serotonin levels and reduce baseline anxiety levels. Please seek veterinary assistance if your pets are struggling with this problem.