# Noise phobia - gun shot



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Sophy has decided gun shots are scary - even distant ones that I can't hear, which makes counterconditioning difficult. Locals are out shooting rabbits at this time of year (and the odd pheasant, I suspect!), so it is one of those background noises that are hard to avoid. Last night they were in the field just across the road from us and she was anxious all evening, and this morning she is still on high alert. Has anyone used desensitising sounds, and do you have any recommendations? At the moment she is clearly showing anxiety - clingy, ears forward, trembling, escalating to panting - I don't want it to develop into a long term phobia. Apart from anything else she seems to feel safest under the duvet with me, and had me in bed at 9pm last night, which is a tad early even for us!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I haven't been able to really decondition Merlin to any feared noise, but again, he is scared of everything. I will follow this thread for advice.

Maybe medicate her lightly for the duration of the hunt season so she doesn't develop generalized noise phobia ?


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## Summerhouse (Jun 12, 2015)

Can you get a download of gunshot to use in the same way as fireworks and thunder recordings to desensitise ?

I have a similar problem but reaction not as severe. We live close to cliffs, lots of rabbit shooting and close to airport where the bird scare gun goes off. No problems with real gunshot but bolts if the bird scare gun goes off. Sounds similar to me but not to him.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I was thinking along the same lines as Summerhouse, and also maybe rescue remedy to help her be able to work with you while you try the desensitizing.


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

We started acclimating Hans to gunfire when he was a puppy. I started out by just clapping, first softly then louder, then popping bubble wrap, then popping those air packs that come in some packages, then balloons, banging blocks of wood together, then cap guns and starter pistols, then real guns going from small to large. I never paired the noises with treats or anything but I'm sure you could. Our goal was for Hans to accept the gunfire as background noise, even at close range, and not see it as a predictor of anything in particular. We would just have one of us be working with Hans, doing familiar commands so he had something else to focus on, and the other be the noisemaker. We stayed at each noise level until he was completely comfortable and not reacting to the noise.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

One ruse I have used is to drop a very noisy object behind the dog without their knowledge (helper needed) (eg. tin tray on hard floor or small firework, service pistol fired to indicate location of a treat) with yummy treat attached. Dog learns loud noises can mean good things. 

Eric


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I tried the Through a Dog's Ear soothing music + fireworks sample this morning, played on a low volume - she was rather tense and alert. Then just soothing music - still tense. Then nothing, and she promptly went to sleep. This evening I tried the soothing music + fireworks sample again, very softly, and she ignored it. She very definitely did not want to go outside, though, and we went to bed at 9.30pm, which is why I am now awake in the early hours after she woke up needing a pee! 

The shots have never been very close or loud - most of the time I can't even hear them - so I don't think the problem is volume. Early on I was startled by the sound once or twice - I was careful to be blase about it but perhaps she picked up on it even so. At least I now know what is causing her evening dithering (the first time it happened I thought she was sickening for something), and she is not so stressed by it that she can't be distracted by a treat, so I can work on it.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Too soon to say if it will work, but I am trying the music+fireworks samples at slowly increasing volume, played over and over again. Sophy hops up onto my knee at the first sound, and I massage her ears till she falls asleep (apparently ear massage releases endorphns, but Sophy knew that already). Out and about she comes to me for reassurance, we have a quick caress and decide it's nothing to worry about, and she continues on, staying close but not too anxious to sniff around a bit as well.

I am gettng very bored with those three scraps of music though - I wish the whole thing were available as a download. The cd is not available in the UK, the postage is steep, and on past experience takes weeks in any case.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

An update following the 5th November, which is fireworks night here in the UK.

Over the past few weeks Sophy has registered any gunshots or similar noises she hears out on walks, and come to me for what are now known as Bang Bang cuddles - a quick reassuring press against my ankle, a rub of her ears, and a couple of "You're OK now" pats. After that she is reasonably happy till the next time, but stays close just in case. At home she relaxes as long as she is close to me, preferably on my lap so that I can do the ear thing if necessary.

Last night the fireworks started rumbling around 6pm - the village display was not scheduled till 7pm, so I had taken the dogs out for a pee break on leash in what I hoped would be good time befoe it started. They were not trembly scared, but nor were they relaxed enough to pee, and set off back to the house at the first opportunity. For the rest of the evening Sophy stuck close, but didn't show any other signs of stress. Her ears pricked occasionally, but she soon settled down with a bit of massage. I did put a pee pad down just in case, but fortunately things quietened down enough for a quick trip out just before bed.

So I would say that for us the desensitising has worked, so far at least. I kept it low key throughout, and pairing it with the relaxing massage rather than food treats worked well - food would have got her excited, which wasn't what I wanted. I suspect that it is something that might now get worse as she gets older, but for now we seem to be on top of it, so I would recommend trying the samples to anyone else needing to deal with early signs of noise phobia.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I am happy to see that you made it through a challenging evening with no big fear reactions. Sophy and Poppy are lucky you have helped them so much in anticipation of a a big night of bang bangs.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

It sounds like you've got a good handle on it. Well done. Sophy is so much better off for all the good methods you've put to use. I'm glad she's so much less scared. She is lucky she doesn't live here. Whenever the Seahawks (Seattle football team) wins or even makes a touchdown, my neighbors all around light off big, loud fireworks, even right next door. Fortunately, my dogs aren't afraid. They just look at me, like "where's the treat?" lol.

Anyhow, things are looking up for Sophy.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I thought about treats, but she was trembling when I couldn't hear anything, and is quite bright enough to play sad and scared in order to elicit chicken!


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Glad to hear your program with Sophy is working.


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