My dog is scared of fireworks and thunder. What can I do?

What it often means

• A very common fear, not a whim: a 2020 study of 13,700 dogs found that noise sensitivity is the most common anxiety, affecting about one dog in three, and that one in four fears fireworks.
• An unpredictable danger: the bangs go off without warning, from every direction, and he can neither locate them nor get away from them.
• A fear that grows: one terrifying night can be enough to set it off, and a 2019 study found it often starts early and worsens over the years in many dogs.
• For thunderstorms, a whole package: wind, rain, darkening skies, a change in pressure. Some dogs get restless before the first thunderclap, probably because they sense these signs coming.
• A fear that can spread: over time, some dogs also react to other sharp sounds, like a slamming car door or a popping balloon.

Signals to read at the same time

• The early signs: ears back, lip licking, yawning, panting when he is not hot, following you from room to room.
• The strong signs: trembling, tail tucked, dilated pupils, drooling, hiding, scratching at doors or trying to bolt.
• What he still accepts: if he takes a treat or plays, he is coping; if he refuses everything, he is panicking and needs shelter, not training.
• The spot he picks: the bathroom, under the bed, a closet. That is his natural refuge, to set up for him rather than forbid.
• Recovery: a few minutes or several hours after the last bang, and whether he eats and goes out normally the next day.

What you can do

• Before a fireworks night or a forecast storm, take him out before it starts, on a leash and a well-fitted harness, even in a fenced yard, and check his microchip and ID tag: a panicked dog bolts.
• Set up his refuge in the quietest room: blinds closed, a cushion under a table draped with a blanket, and a radio or a fan to mask the noise.
• During the bangs, stay close, speak softly, pet him if he asks, and give a treat or start a game with each bang, if he will take them.
• Do not scold him, do not pull him out of his hiding place, and never take him to a fireworks show “to get him used to it”: forced exposure makes fear worse.
• Off season, play recordings of bangs at a barely audible volume during his meals, and raise it over weeks, only as long as he stays relaxed.

When to see a vet

See your vet if the fear lasts for hours after the last bang, if he hurts himself trying to escape (nails, teeth, wounds), if he will not eat the next day, if the fear spreads to other noises, or if it appears suddenly in an adult dog: pain can make a dog more sensitive to noise. Never give him a human medication. Your vet can suggest a suitable treatment, to try out well before fireworks season, and refer you to a veterinary behaviorist.