Helping Noise-Sensitive Dogs Feel Safe All Year Round

Fireworks aren't the only problem.

If your dog freezes when the smoke alarm beeps. Hides when you turn on the vacuum. Trembles at the sound of a motorbike passing. Your dog doesn't have a firework problem. Your dog has a sound sensitivity problem.

And it's affecting their wellbeing every single day, not just on bonfire night.

Nearly half of all dogs show fear responses to loud noises. That's not a small percentage. That's millions of dogs living with chronic stress from sounds we barely notice.

Noise sensitivity is a genuine fear response to sound.

Sometimes it's mild. The dog startles, recovers quickly, moves on. Sometimes it's severe. The dog can't function. Can't settle. Can't recover for hours after a single noise. 

Often a dog who is sensitive to sounds will bark at them as a way of coping with their internal response. 

The difference between normal startle and noise sensitivity is in part, recovery time. 

A dog with healthy stress responses gets a fright, shakes it off, goes back to normal. A noise-sensitive dog has an exaggerated reaction and can stay in that frightened state long after the sound has stopped

My Chips was like this. Sound sensitive from the start. Thunder, fireworks, the bin lorry, even unexpected coughs could send him into a state where his nervous system couldn't regulate.

He would bark at everything he heard.

The thing about this type of reaction is it can easily be related to a nervous system stuck in threat mode.

Noise sensitivity has genetic components.

Certain breeds are more prone. Herding breeds especially. Working breeds. Dogs bred for hyper-awareness of their environment.

But genetics aren't the whole story.

Early experience matters enormously. Puppies who don't experience a wide range of sounds during their critical socialisation period often develop noise sensitivities later.

Traumatic experiences with loud noises can trigger lifelong fear. Even watching another dog react fearfully to a sound can teach a puppy that the sound is dangerous.

Age plays a role too. Older dogs can develop noise sensitivity they never had before, sometimes linked to cognitive decline or pain.

Research shows dogs experiencing musculoskeletal pain are significantly more likely to show noise sensitivity.

Pain and fear are connected. A dog hurting physically has a nervous system already on edge. Add a loud noise and they tip into panic more easily.

Dogs hear frequencies we can't. Up to 65,000 Hertz compared to our 20,000. High-pitched, intermittent sounds like smoke detector beeps, microwave warning tones, electronic doorbells hit frequencies that are genuinely painful to sensitive dogs.

We're asking them to live in a world full of sounds that hurt.

Most people think noise sensitivity is about fireworks and thunder. Those are obvious. Dramatic. Hard to miss.

But research shows sound sensitive dogs react to everyday household noises at levels that indicate serious welfare concerns. Vacuum cleaners. Hairdryers. The doorbell. A cough. Someone sneezing.

Some guardians report their dogs react at maximum severity levels to sounds as mundane as the dishwasher running or keys jangling.

These aren't rare, unpredictable events. These are daily life. And for noise-sensitive dogs, daily life is terrifying.

The problem compounds. Each exposure to a frightening noise sensitises the nervous system further. The dog doesn't habituate. 

They don't "get used to it." 

They get worse. Fear generalises. A dog afraid of fireworks becomes afraid of car backfires, then balloons popping, then bin bags rustling.

The nervous system learns: loud sounds mean danger. Then: sudden sounds mean danger. Then: any unexpected sound means danger.

Without intervention, noise sensitivity doesn't improve. It spreads. And what's crucial to remember is not all dogs shout at sounds they don't like - some are much subtler. 

When a noise-sensitive dog hears a triggering sound, their nervous system floods with stress chemicals. 

Heart rate spikes. Breathing becomes rapid and shallow. Muscles tense. The body prepares for threat.

For a dog with healthy stress responses, this activation peaks and then drops back down once the sound stops. The parasympathetic nervous system kicks in. The body regulates. Calm returns.

For noise-sensitive dogs, that doesn't happen. The stress response peaks and stays peaked. 

The nervous system can't find its way back down. 

Their window of tolerance for stress is narrow. One loud noise pushes them outside it and they can't get back in without help.

This is exhausting. Chronic stress from repeated noise exposure affects physical health, shortens lifespan, impacts welfare in ways we're only beginning to understand.

This makes it clear that sound sensitivity is about considering the dog's nervous system, sometimes related to pain, and helping them learn strategies and more positive ways to cope. 

You can't eliminate all noise from your dog's life. But you can reduce unnecessary exposure.

Notice what sounds trigger your dog. Make a list. Be specific. Is it the doorbell? The hoover? The kettle boiling? Motorbikes? Delivery vans reversing?

Then ask: which of these can I change or eliminate?

Can you switch to a non-electronic doorbell or turn the volume down? Can you hoover when your dog is out on a walk? Can you close windows when you know the bin lorry is due?

Small changes in sound exposure make enormous differences to a noise-sensitive dog's daily stress load.

Create a safe space. A room where sound is muffled. Curtains drawn. White noise or calming music playing. 

Somewhere your dog can retreat when sounds become overwhelming. Make it cosy. Make it theirs. Never force them out of it. 

Perhaps a crate (with the door open) or even a table with thick heavy blankets over it, near a plug in pet remedy or adaptil diffuser. 

Chips loved it upstairs especially at night. The sound from outside muffled by think curtains, when the world settled down to sleep, he could relax. 

Management helps. But it doesn't fix the underlying issue.

All sound sensitive dogs should first be checked for pain, as the link has been made through research. 

Sometimes a pain trial can help us to see more clearly that the dog was struggling with pain before the pain relief. It's important to also remember that reactivity, pain and soun. sensitivity gan all link together. 

To regulate and have a scared dog feel safe you need to work with your dog's nervous system over time. Not forcing them to face their fears. Not flooding them with the sounds they're terrified of. Building regulation capacity slowly and safely.

This is where nosework becomes invaluable. When dogs engage their noses, their parasympathetic nervous system activates. Heart rate slows. Stress hormones decrease. The body shifts out of fight or flight into rest and digest.

Scentwork after a noise event helps the nervous system find its way back to calm. Learn simple scentwork immediately here. 

For Chips, scatter feeding was a lifesaver. After thunder or fireworks, I'd scatter his dinner across the garden. 

The act of sniffing, searching, eating slowed his system down. Brought him back to his body. Gave him something to do other than panic.

You can also work with sound recordings at very low volumes, pairing them with things your dog loves. Just gentle, positive association building. 

The sound plays quietly in the background whilst your dog does enrichment, their snuffle rug or problem solving. Even while you are teaching them something new. 

Over time, if done carefully, this can help some dogs develop less intense reactions. But it requires patience. Professional guidance. And respect for the dog's limits.

Punishment makes noise sensitivity worse. Always. Telling a frightened dog off for being frightened teaches them the world is even more dangerous than they thought.

Forcing exposure doesn't help either. Some people think if they just make the dog "face their fear" enough times, they'll get over it. That's not how fear works. That's how you create severe phobias.

Certain medications can make things worse too. Acepromazine, commonly prescribed for anxious dogs, is contraindicated for noise fears. 

It's a sedative, not an anxiety medication. It might make the dog unable to move, but it doesn't reduce fear. Some research suggests it actually heightens sound sensitivity.

A dog who can't move but is still terrified is in a worse state than before.

Ignoring the problem doesn't work either. Noise sensitivity rarely improves on its own. Without support, it gets worse.

If your dog's noise sensitivity is affecting their daily life, get professional help.

That means a qualified behaviourist who understands nervous system regulation and trauma-informed approaches. Not someone who'll tell you to "show the dog who's boss" or use aversive methods.

For severe cases, medication can be part of the picture. Not as a replacement for behaviour support, but alongside it. 

Medication that actually addresses anxiety, prescribed by a vet who understands noise sensitivity.

There's no shame in using medication to help a dog's nervous system regulate. Sometimes that's exactly what's needed.

Pain assessment matters too. 

If your dog has developed noise sensitivity later in life or if it's worsened suddenly, rule out pain. Musculoskeletal issues, dental problems, ear infections can all increase noise sensitivity.

A dog in pain has a nervous system already overloaded. They have no capacity left for coping with additional stress.

You can't fix noise sensitivity overnight. For some dogs, it's a lifelong management issue.

• But you can make their life so much better. 
• You can reduce their daily stress load. 
• You can give them tools to regulate. 
• You can create safety where there was fear.

You can notice the small sounds that terrify them and make changes. You can respect their need to hide. You can use nosework to help them recover. You can work patiently on building positive associations.

Chips never became a dog unbothered by sound. But he became a dog who could recover faster. Who trusted I'd protect him from unnecessary noise. Who had strategies for regulation when sounds overwhelmed him.

We sometimes can't stop our dogs feeling what they feel entirely, but we can reduce it, we certainly should try.  

Success is a dog whose nervous system is supported, whose fear is respected, whose life contains more calm than panic.

Don't all noise-sensitive dogs deserve that?

If you're living with a sound sensitive dog and need support from people who understand the daily challenges, I'd love to welcome you into Skool For Dog People.

We explore nervous system regulation, trauma-informed approaches, scentwork, and practical strategies for supporting dogs whose worlds feel too loud. 

References:

Dale, A. R., Statham, S., Berger, J., Harris, J., & Barrios, P. R. (2023). Therapy and prevention of noise fears in dogs: A review of the current evidence for practitioners. Animals, 13(23), 3640. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13233640

Chin, J. T. Y., Poh, S. X. L., Chia, M. Y., Tan, A. W. Y., & Packer, R. M. A. (2025). Turn the volume down: Noise hypersensitivity in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 76, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2025.01.004

Fagundes, A. L. L., Hewison, L., McPeake, K. J., Zulch, H., & Mills, D. S. (2018). Noise sensitivities in dogs: An exploration of signs in dogs with and without musculoskeletal pain using qualitative content analysis. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00017

Grigg, E. K., Chou, J., Parker, E., Gatesy-Davis, A., Clarkson, S. T., & Hart, L. A. (2021). Stress-related behaviors in companion dogs exposed to common household noises, and owners' interpretations of their dogs' behaviors. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8, 760845. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.760845

Lane, R. (2023). Bang! Boom! Developing training plans for dogs with noise aversion. IAABC Foundation Journal, 28. https://journal.iaabcfoundation.org/sound-sensitive-dogs/

American Kennel Club. (2024). Is your dog noise sensitive? Potential sources of dog noise anxiety. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-noise-sensitive/

VCA Animal Hospitals. (n.d.). Fear of noises in dogs. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/fear-of-noises-and-places-in-dogs

Sherman, B. L. (2020). Noise aversion: Stop the suffering with early diagnosis and treatment. Today's Veterinary Practice. https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/sponsored/noise-aversion-stop-the-suffering-with-early-diagnosis-and-treatment/