The dog flinches from sharp sounds. The dog is afraid of gunshots - why and what to do

The male is 4.5 years old, and around the age of 1.5 he developed fear of gunshots, explosions of firecrackers, etc. I learned to be afraid, as I understand it, from an older boxer friend. We have a military training ground nearby, they bang quite often, so the problem cannot be solved. Lately I’ve also become terrified of thunderstorms; in general, my fears get worse with age. if I catch a shot on the street, we fly home as fast as we can; if I manage to stop him right away, then he just rushes home, next to me, but very quickly. If I don’t have time to stop him, I fly like a balloon on a leash. at home we hide under the table, in the bathroom or somewhere else, we hid ourselves somewhere, we breathe quickly, drool flows from our bluish tongue, in general, it’s not good for a dog. I give valerian, but it doesn’t help much. before the new year, we start drinking it 2 weeks in advance New Year's Eve This year I gave half of phenazepam, it seemed to be better. We are afraid to walk in the dark during New Year's holidays, and you can’t even take it out into the street during the day. in general, this is atas. I understand that it will only get worse over the years, and I worry about my heart. how to fight? How can I help you? Share who has encountered this.

I have the same problem with chocolate girl. Now she is 6 years old. The fear appeared when she was one and a half years old, when during the New Year holidays I went for a walk with her in the evening and we passed by a group of teenagers. They threw firecrackers at our feet. Since then the dog has been afraid of firecrackers. Then came the fear of thunderstorms. Now she is afraid even of the sound of carpets being beaten out (you know, when they hang a carpet on the street and beat the dust out of it).

I've read a lot about how to teach a dog not to be afraid of loud noises, for example by rewarding him with a treat for being a little bold. But whatever... she refuses to eat, she is not interested in any positive reinforcement. They say that you need to reproduce the sound of thunder and gunshots in the recording so that the dog gets used to it, but in the recording it’s just not afraid.

If we are at home, she hides in the bathroom, if on the street, she rushes home as fast as she can. And now in New Year or on holidays, when they shoot firecrackers, she has strange attacks: she sleeps, then jumps up as if from fright, her eyes are bulging, her tail is between her legs, she is shaking all over and cannot get to her feet. It's like losing orientation. I went to the veterinarians, I thought it was epilepsy, but the doctors said it was a heart problem. But I think it's all the same nervous soil. I've given up trying to get her used to loud noises, I'm just protecting my dog. When they start shooting, I just open the bathroom door and turn up the volume of the TV in the room, close the windows and it seems to me that she can’t hear the shooting outside. I feel very sorry for my girl at this moment.

They tried to teach him to shoot, but during a thunderstorm he doesn’t even want to play at home, he cries and hides. We tried recording the sounds of gunfire and thunderstorms on a cassette tape and constantly playing it at home, but it doesn’t help, it doesn’t respond to the sound in the recording. what to do? We don’t have dog handlers or trainers, and there’s no one to go to for classes.

what to do when a dog is hysterical - should you feel sorry or not pay attention? Which year we celebrate the New Year at home, without going anywhere, we are afraid to leave him alone.

We have also been celebrating the New Year at home for 4 years now because of the dog. It's not that I feel sorry for her, I try to calm her down or distract her. I'm talking to her. I'm really bad at it. But I'm not giving up trying yet.

We went to a dog handler - it didn’t help. The dog has a diploma in OKD with an “excellent” rating, but he is afraid of shots and that’s all.

If your dog is afraid of loud noises.

Unfortunately, many dogs are afraid of loud noises. This could be New Year's fireworks, or one separate firecracker, or a car going off nearby. The roar of trams and trains can also frighten your dog. Once I had a foster home with training Central asian shepherd dog, which by the tenth road bypassed all sewer manholes. She had never encountered anything “scarier” than the water babbling in them.

What to do if you get such a dog? On the one hand, you can take her in your arms, go to the breeder from whom you purchased her, and throw a scandal, demanding to take away the animal with an unbalanced psyche and reimburse all the costs that you had to go to in purchasing and raising her up to that point. how her shortcomings manifested themselves in such obvious form. On the other hand, a dog is not a pair of defective shoes whose soles fell off after the first rain. She has been living with you for several months, you have managed to become attached to her and love her with all your might. What kind of return can we talk about? But we cannot leave the situation as it is now.
Let's try to figure out what you can really change in such cases. The dog may be slightly worried about the appearance of sharp sounds and look around, but it hears your commands, carries them out, and takes the treat with pleasure. If she gets more scared, she reacts much worse to commands, refuses treats, and calms down much more difficult. If the fear is severe, the dog no longer hears you at all. And if at this moment she is not on a leash, most likely she will try to run away not so much from you, but as far as possible from what scared her. And no matter how many times you give her commands or call her, she will rush, without considering the road, as far as possible from the dangerous place. It’s good if it just gets lost and you manage to find it in the near future, but what if right before your eyes it flies right under the car?

The first desire you may have is to try to “comfort” the dog.
-My swallow, my girl, don’t be afraid, everything is fine!
Does everything look right?
But what will you actually achieve with your “cackling”? You will only further convince the dog that its behavior is the only correct one! After all, you encourage her for him? So she is behaving correctly. And in the future it will behave exactly like this.

If the dog is afraid, but not yet panicking, it needs to be distracted. Not by wailing over her in a frightened voice, but by practicing the same course of obedience. Try to become a greater irritant for the dog than the one he is afraid of. I don’t encourage you to tear your dog apart by forcing it to follow your commands, but making it obey you, persistently and confidently, is simply necessary. If necessary, you can allow yourself to be even a little tough, but not cruel!
If the dog is busy following the commands “near”, “sit”, “lie down”, he simply will not have time to be afraid. And if she remains, then she will not have the opportunity to move from simple fear to panic flight.
To avoid similar situations in the future, simulate similar situations yourself. Ask someone you know to help you. If you have started obedience classes with a dog in your yard, have one of your friends start making “noise effects” in the neighboring yard. Be careful! Don't let the dog run away!
Conduct classes according to the same scenario for a couple of days. When it starts working reliably and flawlessly, not paying attention to the sound stimuli that recently frightened it, move on to the next stage, bringing the sound sources closer. And again achieve trouble-free operation.
You do not notice sound stimuli. And you pretend that you don’t notice the dog’s reaction to them, showing with all your appearance that nothing terrible is happening anywhere. But for the successful execution of your commands, praise the dog with all your might. What could be simpler? Undesirable behavior dogs are ignored. Desirable - encouraged by affection, praise and treats. If you were her, what would you choose?

If nervous system If your dog is weak and leaves much to be desired, you will have to work even harder. Choose reliable ammunition for her. A strong leash, a noose and a carabiner that will not break into many spare parts at the first pull. Again, involve some of your friends in the activity so that they can help you by rattling those objects that the dog is afraid of. As soon as the dog decides to run “from the scene,” force him to return to the “near” position with a strong tug on the leash.
Does the dog really want to run away? Let him run! But next to you! And not from the sound that frightened her, but in a square! Yes, you will have to run a lot. And you will have to pull the dog trying to get rid of the leash, and you too, more than once. Why run? When stressed, substances are released into the blood that increase the speed of transmission of nerve impulses and muscle excitability. These qualities are necessary in wildlife when an animal often has to save its life by running away.
Provoke such situations more often and... And run with her! When the severity of stress in a dog decreases, the substances that cause the desire to save one’s skin by running away will be produced less and less each time. And yet, by jogging not away from a frightening sound, but close to it, you convince your dog that being close to its owner, it remains alive and unharmed. This will significantly increase your rates and add respect for you to the dog.
As soon as you feel that the dog’s state of panic is passing, first switch to a quick walk, then just a walk. Do not allow the dog to change its “nearby” position. Change the pace and direction of movement. Practice the commands “sit”, “lie down”, “stand”. Help her with mechanics. After all, expecting that after stress she will actively carry out the commands you give her is futile.
After successfully practicing obedience commands, play with the dog. With all your appearance, let her understand that NOTHING out of the ordinary is happening. And that you are a much more worthy irritant for her than what scared her.

If your dog is so afraid of the same New Year's cannonade or a construction machine working in the yard that he refuses to go outside, you have no choice but to completely refuse to feed your dog in the apartment. Yes, she can fast for a day or two or three. But hunger is not an aunt, and sooner or later she will have to go outside your home for the offered bowl. And a food irritant, especially if the dog is very hungry, will play a positive role. Start by offering her a bowl of food on the playground. Then on the stairs. Then take her out into the street.
In particular difficult cases You can start training by feeding the dog at home, but only if there are sounds that frighten it! Record on tape the sound of fireworks or gunfire. Turn on the tape recorder at minimum volume in another room. Once your dog starts eating without paying attention to the “noise” effects, turn up the volume! When training your dog, try not to deviate from the principles of progression and consistency! With each meal, place the sound source closer to it and increase the volume.
If you are not characterized by masochistic moods, and instead of moaning: “Ahhh! My Zhuzha is so afraid of firecrackers that the whole family has to suffer collectively!” - you are ready to take decisive steps in terms of Zhuzhinsky training in courageous behavior, everything will work out for you! You just have to want it

Everyone knows that dogs have excellent hearing. They hear what a person is simply unable to hear. Therefore any loud sounds very unpleasant for our four-legged friends. But there are various factors that can contribute to the development of phobias in animals.

Most often, dogs become afraid of loud noises for the following reasons:

• Innate fear. If your pet has never been in stressful situations before, but, as a puppy, is already beginning to react inappropriately to any loud noises, then the cause of his phobia may be genetics. The fear of loud noises may be inherited from his mother or father.
• Unbalanced psyche. Dogs, like humans, have their own character and individual mental characteristics. For example, for some breeds the characteristic reaction to noise is alertness, while in hunting breeds the shot from a gun is delightful. If your pet is one of the service dogs but runs away when a loud stimulus appears, this may indicate an imbalance in his psyche.
• Experienced shock. Very often, dogs begin to be afraid of loud sounds after the holidays, which are accompanied by fireworks and explosions of firecrackers. Additionally, this phobia can develop if the animal develops an association between a loud sound and a traumatic event. For example, if a firecracker was thrown under a dog's paws, it exploded and injured the animal.

Fear of loud sounds is quite common, and in order for your pet to respond adequately to these stimuli, you need to know what corrective dog training and early socialization involve.
puppy.

Animals may be afraid of gunshots, car exhaust, the sound of firecrackers, fireworks, the roar of trams, trains, etc. Quite often, the fear of sounds occurs in the form of phobias. It should also be recalled
One thing: a dog’s hearing is very sensitive. Your pet is able to hear things that you are not even aware of. For example, a person begins to hear sounds with a frequency of 20 hertz, while a dog
responds to sounds with frequencies from 35 to 70 thousand hertz.

That is, what we perceive as household noise and what we do not pay attention to can be for a dog like a blow to the head with a hammer. Strong
the sound is painful and can even damage eardrum and organ of Corti (receptor part auditory analyzer) dog ear. And if we talk about a thunderstorm with lightning, firecrackers or fireworks,
then they are also accompanied by flashes of light, which also do not bring pleasure to the dog’s eyes.

The choice of methods for correcting fear of loud sounds depends on the degree of its severity. For simplicity, let us distinguish three degrees of “disease”.

1. A weak degree of fear manifests itself simply in restlessness: the dog moves its ears, looks around in search of the source of the sound, but remains fairly controllable and even takes food.
2. The average degree manifests itself in fear, after which the dog does not obey, has difficulty calming down and does not eat the offered treat.
3. With severe fear, the dog trembles, does not obey commands, panics, does not take treats, tries to break free if it is on a leash, or runs away when the leash is
   No. Sometimes she refuses to go outside, actively resisting.

Reasons why dogs become afraid different people can be roughly divided into two groups.

The first group of reasons combines the past life experience and negative dog associations. For example, if a puppy was beaten by people, it is natural that this dog will be afraid of people, first of all, as sources of threat to its life.

If this dog has a weak type of nervous system, it will try as much as possible to avoid the company of people. If the animal has a strong nervous system, it may display pronounced aggression towards humans as a response.

The second group of reasons will be associated with the characteristics of the nervous system and the worldview and upbringing of a given dog.

Quite often there are cases when in the past the dog has not accepted any inconvenience from people, but is still afraid of them. First of all, such a phenomenon will be characteristic of artificially bred decorative dogs small size. Such a dog will acutely feel its inferiority in front of the outside world and people who are much larger than it in size and therefore pose a danger.

If a dog was raised in conditions where it constantly sees only one owner and very rarely any other people, and moreover, the animal has a weak type of nervous system, most likely all this will lead to the fact that people other than its owner , the dog will be extremely afraid.

There are several reasons for fear of people.

1. Poor treatment of a pet. This option can be allowed if the pet was taken not from professional breeders, but from breeders (since it is quite possible that it was not kept in proper conditions or applied to him physical strength). Also, mistreatment cannot be ruled out in the case where you have already taken adult dog or a pet from a shelter.
2. Lack of socialization in early age. The age of up to 3 months is the period when the puppy discovers the world. If at this age the dog has not had the opportunity to communicate with other people and gain experience, it is quite possible that it will develop a fear of strangers.
3. Weak nervous system of the pet. There are dogs that are more timid from birth than their brothers and sisters. This is because some puppies may have weak nervous systems. Such a pet will be constantly defeated various types phobias and the owner will have to make a lot of effort to make such a dog a confident pet.

Let’s say right away that phobias can arise without visible reasons– this phenomenon is called idiopathic fear. There is also a risk of congenital mental disorders, when the puppy is afraid “by nature.” It is more difficult to deal with innate fears; more precisely, it will take more time. If you have an adult dog, then this is another case where the cause cannot be identified.

• Was the dog shot or was another animal/person shot in front of it? Here we're talking about not about hunting, but about violence. Stressful situation, in which a four-legged animal risked its life or saw someone’s life taken away, will remain in the pet’s memory for a long time. Perhaps, the only case when the ward should not be “drilled” - this is if he himself was injured. In this case, it is more than normal to be afraid of shots.

• Has your pet been to any hot spots? This includes not only military actions, but also explosions of household gas, gas cylinders, cars, etc.

• The dog had negative experience acquaintance with pyrotechnics? For example, if your pet was left at home alone on New Year's Eve and was scared by fireworks.

• Was there a childhood scare? Not necessarily a shot, perhaps a sharp bang, can instill acquired fear in the ward.

Most likely, you don't understand how to teach your dog not to be afraid of other dogs. Moreover, there is Great chance that you are encouraging the dog's cowardice, but we will deal with this below. Before deciding what to do about a phobia, you need to determine its causes.

An insufficient level of socialization acquired in puppyhood is the first and most popular reason. Numerous studies, observations and extensive experience of owners have shown that if a puppy is 4–6 months old and has not received active walks and is unfamiliar with outside world(except for the home), the occurrence of phobias cannot be avoided. The only question is what exactly the dog will be afraid of.

A dog can be afraid of literally everything; phobias of transport, people, and other animals are especially dangerous. The threat of the ward's escape increases to a critical level. As experience shows, an unsocialized dog eventually ends up lost on the street and there is practically no chance of finding it (alive).

The low level of socialization can also be explained by the early weaning of the puppy from its mother. The baby should be with the mother until 2–3 one month old. During this time, the puppy will learn to communicate with brothers and sisters and will pass the first educational school from his mother, learn to understand what role a person plays in his life.

Artificially fed puppies learn the basics of human communication. Here the breadwinner needs not to miss important stages in the development of the dog’s personality and support them. The baby must learn to play, win and be defeated; must learn to compete for food, naturally, upon reaching a more or less reasonable age.

Psychic trauma experienced by an adult dog in the past is the second most common cause of dog phobias. Most often, this problem is encountered by people who pick up a pet on the street or adopt it from a shelter. After moving to new house, the dog will need time to recover and no one knows how long this period will be. In the process of adaptation, the four-legged dog may show cowardice towards everyone, even towards the owner.

Much less often, fear of other dogs can be explained by heredity. By nature, dogs are very sociable and if they are afraid of someone, they avoid contact. When faced with a frightening object, the four-legged animal defends itself, and if the opponent is too strong, it runs away.

Genetic predisposition can be assumed, but not guaranteed. Typically, puppies exhibit cowardice at a very early age, between 4 and 8 weeks of age. The baby does not play with his brothers, is afraid of noise, and most often is stunted because he does not dare to compete for food. In this situation, another reason is possible - fear experienced at an early age. No one can say whether the consequences of the fright will appear when the dog grows up.

The dog is afraid of loud noises due to its individual characteristics

How quickly a puppy gets used to strong sounds depends on their specificity, the degree of prior familiarity with noises and the dog’s certain experience, as well as its individual characteristics. The more complex and unusual the environment in which the puppy heard strong sound, the stronger his fear.

If at the same time you forcibly hold the puppy on a leash or persistently lead it towards the source of the sound, two options are possible. A puppy with a strong nervous system will probably gradually get used to the noise; a puppy with a weak one will probably get nervous breakdown and even shock. The main thing is that you must notice in time anxious behavior and take measures to eliminate it.

If your efforts to accustom your dog to strong noises and sharp sounds are rewarded - the dog reacts to them quite adequately, does not get scared and does not run away, it is too early to calm down. Check your dog periodically by visiting unfamiliar places. Ideally, the dog should calmly react to strong noise stimuli, without being particularly distracted by them (pay attention to them for a few seconds - to assess the situation).

Possible mistakes in the training process: introducing the dog to strong noises and sounds in the initial period of training to them; forced movement with the help of a leash to the source of sound; rough treatment of the dog and causing it pain; “lisping” is a kind of encouragement for a dog for cowardice; too frequent “acquaintance” with strong noises and sounds; ignoring the individual characteristics of the dog.

From time to time, test your dog's sensitivity to sounds in new places.

Start training your puppy in a quiet and quiet place, and then gradually explore noisier areas.

The optimal time for accustoming to noises and sounds is puppyhood. It is much more difficult for an adult dog to adapt to the turbulent conditions of the city.

During your first walks in busy areas, keep your puppy on a short leash and constantly monitor his reaction to new sounds.

Recent research suggests that some dog breeds are more likely to develop a fear of noise than others. Such breeds, for example, include collies, German Shepherd, beagle and basset hound. Dogs with separation phobia are more likely to be afraid of thunderstorms and loud noises.

Medium fear

In the case of mild fear, it is enough to increase the dog’s controllability, i.e. take or repeat an obedience course, first in a calm environment, and then in the presence of factors causing
anxiety. As soon as the dog begins to be afraid, immediately begin to command it. A very effective method of eliminating motivation.

Linda Tellington-Jones believes that the solution to your pet's noise phobia is literally in your hands." She also developed the so-called massage for dogs,
consisting of a system of therapeutic stroking, which was later called the “Tellington touch”.

At medium degree fear, it is also necessary to repeat the obedience course, and as soon as the dog begins to carry out commands perfectly (I emphasize - excellent) in a calm environment, begin work on
using the “getting used to” method, but be careful not to make mistakes.

At strong degree fear, the situation changes somewhat, since in this case the defensive need dominates, and is in a state of dominance. She is extremely pronounced
and hypertrophied. Fixation of memory traces during a dominant need occurs extremely quickly, after 1–2 cases, and this is determined by the high biological significance of this
needs.

When its value becomes critical, failure to satisfy the need at this moment can lead to dangerous consequences for the body and even to death. Defensive
The need for a dominant state is characterized by the fact that all other reactions of the body are aimed at removing or reducing this state.

By and large, the dominant state is useful. In many cases in natural life animals do not have the ability to collect statistical material about any cause-and-effect relationship,
as happens in the case of training in the form of classical conditioned reflexes. If an animal developed adaptive behavior every time after 40–60 combinations of influences and consequences,
then it most likely would not have left any offspring.

However, the dominant state causes stress in the dog, and severe stress at that. Acute or long-term conflict situation changes the properties of brain neurons, thereby creating a stagnant focus of excitation
(stagnant dominant) and forming pathological dominant changes in brain functions, which can lead to a breakdown of higher nervous activity (neurosis) or extreme inhibition. Especially
Care should be taken when handling young animals, in which the dominant state develops very quickly.

So, if your dog is afraid of gunshots or loud noises, you will have to knock out the wedge with a wedge. Try the following (by the way, if you are not sure about the ability of your dog’s nervous system
to withstand heavy loads, spend the first 3-4 sessions using medications prescribed by the veterinarian).

1. Put a strong noose on your dog and attach a reliable carabiner and leash. It is very important to prevent the dog from breaking free and running away, otherwise the behavior will be reinforced. Play scary
   dog sound of medium intensity.
2. As soon as the dog begins to shake with fear and break free, force it to run next to you (the command “Near!”) in a square, i.e., without moving away from the “dangerous” place and not allowing
   the dog moves away from you. Do not feel sorry for the dog; pull it back sharply when trying to escape. You will have to run like this for quite a long time - until the dog stops shaking and struggling.

Why should you run? The fact is that under stress, special substances are released into the blood that increase the speed of transmission of nerve impulses and muscle excitability. They are extremely necessary for
in order to effectively fight for your life with someone or tirelessly and quickly run away from danger (a similar phenomenon is observed among athletes before entering the ring, tatami or
sports ground).

So, despite the fact that biologically these substances are very useful, they increase anxiety, so it is advisable to get rid of them. And you can get rid of
only by recycling them in the process of muscle activity. Over time, as the dog's stress level decreases, these substances will be released less and less, and the dog will have to
run closer to you.

While running, we seem to follow the dog’s lead, unnoticeably modifying its behavior and proving to it that even without moving away from the source and without running away from the owner, you can stay
alive. And, in addition, we create that same antagonistic dominant - let's call it the “dominant of submission,” although this is incorrect.

1. As soon as the dog stops shaking and struggling, go to a walk and, also moving in a square, work on moving side by side for about 5 minutes. Change the pace and direction
   movements. Stop and run again.
2. Work on the dog's positioning, sitting and stance. Do not expect activity from the dog, but force it, creating that very “dominant submission”. Use your hands if she hesitates, but don't
   hurt. Work with restraint under mandatory leash control. Obedience exercises will help your dog learn to control his condition and be manageable, even in
   state of fear.
3. Finally, start playing with your dog. Find out in advance in a calm environment what games she prefers. Strengthen your need for gaming. During the exercise, suggest intrusively
   game for the dog, even if he doesn't want to play. Sooner or later the dog will join the game and, over time, it will become easier and easier to play.
4. To start, do just 1-2 exercises a week, adding one every couple of weeks. If you are consistent and persistent, then over time the dog will become much more manageable.
   the presence of provoking factors.

Sometimes it happens that with a strong fear of loud sounds, the dog refuses to go outside and, resisting, may even bite the owners. In such a situation, you just need to stop feeding
her in the apartment and give food only outside the door - on landing, stairs, and then on the street.

When a dog shows panic while in an apartment, not all of the methods described above may be convenient. You can, of course, try to change your motivation using very
tasty food for dogs, as H. E. Whiteley advises in his book “Dogs Are Our Friends”: “I chose a thunderstorm that was barely
has just begun, so to speak.

There was a feeling of approaching rain in the air; a few drops had already fallen. I showed Mishka the jar, and an expression like “oh,
It must be Christmas already!” than fear. Mishka's usual fearful behavior never showed up; besides, I was lucky that the storm never broke out completely.”

It is very difficult to find a thunderstorm that would be clearly suitable for retraining a dog suffering from a phobia. For this reason, most experts recommend playing tape recordings.
recordings of thunderstorms while positively reinforcing the dog's calm behavior. If the dog suddenly develops fear, it means that you have gone too far in this training.

To calm the fear reaction, tranquilizers and antidepressants are useful along with increasing retraining. I think this suggestion will be useful in cases of weak or moderate
fear. At strong fear You will still have to create a food dominant and feed the dog only in the presence of noise.

Referring to the experience of famous veterinarians and animal psychologists, M. Hoffman believes that the fear reaction can be reduced by providing the dog with shelter in its favorite crate or by throwing it on
some kind of cape (blanket, sheet, plaid) without covering her nose. Masking noises that frighten your dog with familiar noises or music can sometimes be effective.

In any case, even in the most advanced situation, with the help of methodical and regular work with the dog, the owner can achieve results and give the dog the opportunity to live without fear or,
at least, keep the dog near you. I hope that the tips in this article will help you do this.

Adaptation of an adult dog

If the pet appeared at home in mature age, the situation is getting worse. Weak nervous system, lack of socialization, violent past - possible reason inappropriate dog behavior. It’s good if the animal doesn’t attack everyone. If a pet is also aggressive, it poses a real threat.

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to completely retrain an adult dog. She will never be able to live fully. In any case, fears will remain. But this is not a sentence. If you are prepared for the ups and downs, you can get your pet used to certain stimuli. This will not correct the psyche, but it will at least allow him to walk and train.

It is strongly recommended to contact a zoopsychologist or at least a dog handler. They may want to turn you down at first, but be persistent. Such dogs need individual approach. In general, it is necessary to cultivate self-confidence and trust in the pet in the owner. Try to avoid strong irritants if possible. Be sure to do some training.

How to get rid of your dog's fear of gunshots

Training and behavior correction are similar concepts, but the work is based on different “foundations.” Eradication of fear is not a difficult process, but it requires long and regular classes. Your task is to instill confidence in the dog, because a four-legged dog can always escape, but to understand the alternative you need a “cold mind.”

• Fear is suppressed by distraction– you should not encourage fear, that is, feel sorry for the ward, “protect him with your breasts,” hide him, grab him in your arms, etc. Best method– distract the ward by playing or following commands.

• Keep a close eye on your dog's reaction– fear, bordering on controllability, is a normal reaction. As mentioned above, the mentee should be wary, but not hysterically afraid.

• Don't wait for risky situations– you yourself may not be ready for the correct reaction if you do not adjust the situation yourself. Ask friends or family members for help, be prepared and confident, then it will be easier for your pet to cope with stress.

• The most harmless method is a game With balloons(not big). Tease your dog with a ball. She will end up biting or piercing the toy with her claw. When the ball bursts, continue playing as if nothing happened. If this stage did not cause any difficulties, move on to the next one.

• Ask a friend to set off a small firecracker at a distance of 100–200 m. At first, it is worth exploding pyrotechnics behind a fence (house, garage, fence) in order sound wave dissipated. Ideally, the person in charge should turn in the direction of the explosion, perhaps cover their ears, but not run. If everything went according to plan, the distance to the explosion is gradually reduced to 20–50 m.

• Next, the four-legged animal is trained to fire a shot from a starting pistol. The methodology is the same, they start with a distance of 100–200 m and gradually reduce it. IN optimal option, the pet should calmly react to a shot made by the owner, sitting at the left leg (command “Nearby”).

This way you will help the dog cope with the situation and not make it worse.

The dog will not resist and not want to go outside or, on the contrary, will obediently walk in the most depressed state - after all, you did not punish it or frighten it, on the contrary, you supported it and chose a calmer time.

Yes, the dog is afraid - but after fireworks it now calms down much, tens of times faster.

And he doesn’t break the leash, doesn’t try to break out of it - after all, there’s no need to run away anywhere else, support is nearby.

Dog owners often complain that their pets are frightened by loud sounds - thunder, gunshots, explosions of firecrackers and fireworks. Fear causes the animal to panic. It hides, tries to escape, screams and trembles. The situation changes when the dog gets used to loud sounds and realizes that he is not in danger and stops being afraid. But sometimes the fear persists, which causes problems for the four-legged friend and his owner.

Why are dogs afraid of gunshots?

The main reason why a dog is afraid of gunshots is psychological trauma. If the dog has been beaten before or was under stress, the animal becomes fearful. His nerve centers They react sharply to loud sounds, causing them to rush wherever their eyes are looking, or to hide in a corner.

Fear of gunshots is not congenital defect. It appears in dogs during life and helps them survive in natural conditions. But this has little to do with pets - their fear of gunshots and noise is often meaningless. An animal may reflexively become frightened by a sound that is associated with a previously received blow or an attack from other dogs and cats. It will hide and run away if firecrackers explode or fireworks roar in the street. For a four-legged pet, they are associated with a threat to life and pain, cause horror and force them to seek shelter.

How to train a dog not to be afraid of gunfire

When afraid of loud sounds little puppy- This is fine. He learns about the world, is wary of large moving objects, strumming, rustling, and runs headlong away from the roar and unfamiliar grinding. The dog grows up and the fears pass. Therefore, you can not take measures to combat it for up to six months. The puppy will cope with panic on its own. This will happen without harm to the dog’s psyche, if you do not raise your voice at the baby or force him to forcibly approach the frightening object. Over time, the pet will explore it on its own and understand that there is no threat, and will calm down. In this case, he should be praised and treated with a treat. And then the animal will have confidence that loud sounds and unfamiliar objects do not cause harm.

With adult dogs the situation is different. If they are constantly afraid of shots, panic when they hear the sounds of fireworks, educational techniques will not help. The owner needs to be patient and try to teach the dog not to be afraid of shots using proven methods.

One such method is to gradually increase the sound of the stimulus. To use it, you will need a starting pistol, treats for the dog and an assistant who will shoot from this pistol. At the first stage, the animal is taught not to be afraid of shots heard at a great distance from it. This should be done in a place where the dog has already been several times.

First, the pet is allowed to sniff the gun, get to know it, and then is treated to a treat. Then the weapon is handed to an assistant, who moves 100 meters away and shoots upward. The dog must be kept on a leash. If she does not panic immediately after the shot, she is given a treat. If a strong fright appears, the pet must be calmed down, then treated with a treat and asked the assistant to move further away. You can shoot again only after the animal comes to its senses.

The distance to the shot is gradually reduced after the dog stops reacting to it at the previous distance. You can't rush! You should do this slowly and after a while transfer the process to places that the pet still doesn’t know well.

Normally, the dog should stop being afraid of shots heard 10-15 meters away from it. But it is better if she is not afraid of them at all. To do this, you need to accustom your pet to shots next to him. Training also requires the presence of an assistant, whom the dog must know well. The animal is ordered to sit, given a gun to smell, and given a treat. Then the owner, holding the pet on a leash, moves away from him one and a half meters.

The assistant moves ten meters away and shoots. After the dog has calmed down, he takes the leash from the owner, who takes 20 steps to the side and shoots. Then the owner of the animal returns to him, treats him with a treat, and lets him smell the gun. The techniques are performed until the dog stops noticing the shots. Then you need to continue training without the participation of an assistant. The owner gives the animal the command “Sit”, moves away from him, shoots, calls his four-legged friend, encourages him and lets him smell the gun. The distance from man to animal is gradually decreasing. Ideally, the dog should be sitting when the shots are fired right next to him. It is important that during each exercise at the same distance the shot is fired only once! If the dog continues to get scared and panic, classes should be stopped and rescheduled to the next day, increasing the distance.

It is advisable that at the end of training the pet is calm about a series of shots heard nearby. If this does not happen, it means that the distance was closing too quickly. To correct the error, you must take a break for 7 days and resume training starting from the first stage. Classes can last more than a month. You need to train your pet until it appears sustainable result. This training method allows you to rid your dog of fear even in very severe cases. The main thing is to be patient and persistent.

What not to do

It happens that animal owners do not understand what to do if the dog is afraid of shots, and make fatal mistakes.

You cannot calm a dog down with affection or hugs when it is scared! In this case, the animal will perceive the blocking of movements as the absence of escape routes. His fear will increase. Stroking your pet and giving him treats is unacceptable. The dog will understand this as approval of the behavior and encouragement of fear.

You cannot shout at or punish your pet when it is frightened by gunshots, fireworks or the sound of firecrackers. If they do not pose a threat to his life and health, you need to ignore the pet’s fear and not give commands.

If your dog gets off the leash out of fear, you should not stop it with a threatening voice. You must try to call the animal and calmly pronounce the pet’s name when going after it. You can't shout or chase the dog! This will increase the likelihood of an accident.

The fight against fear does not allow the use of shock methods, which include explosions of firecrackers near the pet or unexpected shots above his head. They will turn fear into chronic panic and cripple the animal’s psyche.

Is such fear dangerous?

Fear of loud noises provokes inappropriate behavior dogs and often leads to trouble. Festive fireworks and fireworks contribute to their mass escapes, which do not always end favorably.

If your pet is too timid, he may run away due to the sound coming from a bursting balloon or a car exhaust pipe. Such a dog constantly receives stress that negatively affects its mental and physical health. Therefore, owners who discover that their dog is prone to panic fear, you need to take care of its protection.

The main threat is sudden escapes, during which the animal does not remember smells or the way back. The dog does not know how to get back, and can wander for a long time, looking for a home. To prevent this from happening, pets must be equipped with a collar with the address and telephone number of the owners. On the address cards, write about the reward that is due to the people who find the fugitive.

If your dog is shy, you should not let him off the leash while walking. It is necessary to select ammunition so that the animal cannot wriggle out of the collar and unfasten the carabiner in a jerk. You cannot take such pets to events with fireworks, so as not to harm the psyche of your four-legged friend.

The fear of gunshots in dogs can be corrected. The main thing is to be patient, conduct training thoughtfully and not deviate from the rules so as not to aggravate the animal’s condition.

Having decided to purchase a four-legged friend, every owner is aware that he is taking on a burden of responsibility and responsibilities. These include daily walks with your pet. But sometimes a walk becomes impossible due to the fact that the animal is simply afraid to leave the room. With what it can be connected? How to help a dog overcome fear? What are the main features of this problem? We will try to answer all questions.

It would seem that the animal is afraid of the street, why then torture both the dog and the owner with daily walks? In fact, the street is not only a way for an animal to fulfill its goals physiological needs in the form of bowel movements and urination. Walking has many benefits.

Even as a small puppy, a dog learns to explore the world. Receives information about what is cold, hot, tasty, hard, soft, and so on. The dog interacts with other animals, insects, people. She learns to be in society, which means she becomes socially developed. Such dogs get used to their environment and strengthen their nervous system.

In addition, daily walks have a beneficial effect on the body. Fresh air, physical exercise in the form of running, receiving a different range of emotions allows the animal to prolong its life, which cannot be achieved in an apartment or house.

What dogs need to be walked?

Any animal needs daily walks, regardless of breed and size. Of course, small breed dogs such as Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Spitz dogs and so on can easily relieve themselves at home, in a specially designated place. Therefore, for such breeds there is no need for daily walking.

However, visiting the street is mandatory to obtain fresh air, new emotions and contacts with other representatives of flora and fauna.

As for big pedigree dogs, then walking is simply a must here. Otherwise, the animal will not only forget about the need to relieve itself on the street, but may simply begin to lose its mind within its four walls, since there will be no opportunity to give vent to emotions and splash out energy.

Reasons why dogs are afraid of the street

Adults

Every conscientious owner considers it his duty to identify the reason for the animal’s fear of the outside world. However, breeders and dog breeders note that there are several classical reasons, which become a consequence of the pet’s fear of the street. Let's get acquainted with the most common of them.

Video - How not to develop fears and help your dog overcome them

Fear of the street in puppies

Puppies themselves are fragile and shy creatures. Fighting kids are rare among them. As soon as they find themselves in new conditions, they hide in a corner and get used to the situation.

Remember when you first brought your dog into your home? for a long time sat in a secluded place, and only after a couple of days, realizing that nothing threatened her here, she began to walk freely around the room.

The same thing happens with the street. The first walks with a puppy, who were taken away from their mother too early, are especially difficult; they feel defenseless.

Important! You should not take a walk on the same day or the next day after the animal ended up in your house or apartment. Let the dog get used to new conditions, make friends with everyone in the household. And only then get acquainted with the street.

Puppies need care and protection. Therefore, the owner should always be nearby, encouraging with words, or better yet, cajoling with various dog treats. This way the dog will get used to the fact that there is nothing scary on the street and will love your walks together.

When choosing places to walk with your puppy, give preference to places that are far from roadways, where there are no large cluster people and animals. As soon as the animal gets used to the new conditions, you can make forays into places that are filled with life.

Psychological problems of shelter dogs

If you decide to do a good deed and share your home with a shelter dog, you may face a number of problems. Basically, animals that are abandoned at the shelter are abandoned animals, dogs that were born on the street in terrible conditions, lost animals or abandoned by their owners.

These are special animals that have received not only physical, but also moral trauma, which they still have not dealt with. Behind such a dog great amount the stress experienced, and, possibly, physical impact, which left its deep imprint.

The shelter is also not the best place for animal living. This is a real prison. If the shelter is not private, but public, then the animal is kept there with minimal funding, and only volunteers help them. The dogs that live in the shelter are mostly kept in cages and do not know what walks, games, or the love of their owner are.

If you have sheltered such a prisoner, you may be faced with a fear of leaving your familiar premises. Very often, owners of such dogs make the mistake of almost forcibly dragging the animal out into the street. Under no circumstances should this be done. You risk causing the animal to become stupefied and panicked. It’s better to do everything gradually, using special techniques training dogs for walks. Only your patience, kindness, love, and the right approach can create a real miracle.

Fear of evening walks

As mentioned above, fear of the time of day can only manifest itself at one specific time, for example, in the evenings. Many people work late, and the opportunity to walk the dog only appears when dusk has already fallen on the city. It is at this time that the animal begins to really panic.

Be sure to make sure that the animal’s organs of vision and hearing are not damaged. And if the dog is healthy, then it is necessary to look for the reasons in the psychology of the animal. Phobias may include bright light a headlight that once blinded a pet while walking.

If you are the owner of small-breed animals, then you will be able to observe that in the dark the dog is afraid even of the rustling of garbage and panics. The fact is that dogs see poorly in the dark, and any extraneous sound it seems to them hidden threat. Able constant stress the animal arrives throughout the walking period, and it is quite understandable that next time the dog will not want to go for a walk with you on its own.

How to overcome fear

First of all, you need to check physical state animal. If you are not a frequent visitor veterinary clinic, then it’s worth going there and doing comprehensive examination, give preference to examining the organs of vision and hearing, take tests from the animal, check for the presence mental illness and deviations. Perhaps the animal is worried about something, and the fear of the street is simply a reluctance to increase the pain. If your animal is healthy, then you need to fight the phobia using other methods. If not, be sure to undergo a course of treatment before trying to instill in your dog a desire for a walk.

Animals feel good only when they feel safe when drinking water and eating. Guided by this principle, you can overcome your fear of changing territory. We offer you a few simple steps to help you fight your pet's fear of going outside.

1. First of all, the owner must analyze his relationship with the dog. Perhaps you often raise your voice, make loud noises, yell at the animal, or even hit it. It is unacceptable. Try to control yourself for a couple of weeks, communicate with the animal in a kind and gentle voice, and do not shout for offenses, but reprimand them in a calm tone.
2. Once trust has been established, try hand feeding the dog. Do this first near where the dog eats, right above the bowl. Don’t be disdainful, start with small portions, then increase the process until full feeding.
3. Then, gradually move the eating area to the front door.
4. Get your dog used to the collar. To do this, you periodically need to invite her to the front door, put a collar on her, attach a leash, at the same time, encourage her and treat her with goodies. The main goal of your actions is to leave the animal in memory positive points about getting ready for the walk.
5. Then start feeding on the landing. If possible, move further towards the entrance. The main thing is that someone does not scare the animal away, especially at first.
6. Once you have reached the front door during the feeding process, you can take the decisive step. Be sure to bring your pet's food bowl with you. Choose a time so that there is as much time outside as possible. less people and other animals. For example, early morning. Implement a short walk within 10-15 minutes.
7. Go, talk to the animal all the time, encourage it. It is important that your pet hears your voice and feels your presence nearby.
8. After this, place the bowl on the ground and offer the dog to eat. However, take a look around the place. Your animal should not be disturbed while eating strangers, cars, other animals.

Even if the first attempt is not successful, do not be discouraged. The dog has already gone outside, taken all the steps, which means success is just around the corner. After the dog has begun to eat freely on the street, and even after a while begins to beg for food from you on a walk, you can begin the most important stage, namely, socialization. Play with the animal, introduce it to other animals and people. Visit more and more new places. Gradually, the pet will get used to the new conditions, and even begin to enjoy what is happening.

Collar and leash

Very often, an animal’s fear of going for a walk arises because the owner has chosen the wrong collar or leash. Perhaps the collar rubs the animal’s skin, hugs the neck too tightly, or has elements that scratch the skin. An incorrectly selected leash is also a whole problem. It may be too heavy, knock too much, distracting the animal, or you may be pulling it too hard and thereby creating discomfort for the dog when walking.

Therefore, if even after eating the dog refuses the leash and collar, or allows you to do this without much desire, be sure to make sure that you have chosen the right accessories.

Games

Young dogs love to play. Immediately after eating, they carry their owner’s favorite toy, joyfully twirl their tail, wiggle their ears, breathe continuously, waiting to receive attention and play. Use your dog's desire to express physical activity and play in the right direction.

Offer your animal outdoor activity. Perhaps the dog feels uncomfortable in such conditions, however, when he sees his favorite toy that you took out of your pocket, he immediately begins to understand that there are no threats and fun lies ahead.

At first the game will take place timidly, but after some time the animal will forget that it is on the street. Games should be active, fun, and involve a lot of running. This is necessary so that the dog is constantly in a state of movement and is not distracted by what is happening around it.

Rules for the owner

Your reaction to certain actions of the animal can also be of no small importance. Unfortunately, many owners independently discourage the animal from wanting to go for a walk. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the basic rules of walking so as not to aggravate the situation.

1. If, when you first go outside, the animal is in a state of panic, tries to hide behind you or pulls you towards the entrance, you should not pet the dog, caress it, or try to pick it up. The animal may understand these signals as your approval, and will ask to go home even more.
2. Try to constantly distract the animal from what is happening around. Do not be silent. Don’t stand still expecting your pet to start running around the lawn and enjoying life. Offer your dog treats and entice him with games. If the animal still makes attempts to move independently, be sure to praise the dog and support it.
3. Under no circumstances should you be nervous, shout at the animal, or even lay your hand on it. For a dog, you are the leader of the pack; you are always calm, wise and reasonable. The whole situation is always under your control. This behavior will show the animal that there is no danger around, which means there is no reason to worry.
4. You should not teach or repeat commands with the animal if the dog is very nervous. You are getting used to the street, not preparing for a competition. Therefore, be patient and persistent. You will begin to repeat and learn commands when the dog happily asks to leave the apartment.

Accustoming an animal to the street does not take place in one day. It is very difficult, time-consuming and psychologically important process. However, if you overcome all difficulties together, you will become even closer to your pet and increase the level of trust. The animal will know that where you are, it is always calm, good and warm. Take care of yours four-legged friend, create all conditions for his comfort. You will truly enjoy your daily walks.