How to help your puppy cope with loud noises
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Help your puppy with a ADAPTIL Junior Collar
- Clinically proven to help puppies adapt to unfamiliar situations.
- New and loud noises can be scary for pups.
- Recommend to continue use until your puppy is 6 months old.
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New everyday sounds can be scary
- Be aware what seems an everyday noise to you can be scary for your puppy! Vacuum cleaners, doorbells, phones etc can seem to make unexpected noises that worry your pup!
- Help your puppy to learn that these are normal and not really scary.
- Teach them about other less common, but normal noises, such as fireworks or thunder.
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Gradually acclimatise your pup to different soundsย
- Use sound recordings available online to slowly introduce sounds to your puppy, to help them start to accept them as normal.
- Start with the sounds super quiet, at a volume where your pup can barely hear the sounds.
- Reward your puppy for responding well (i.e. not being bothered by the noise).
- Increase the volume progressively over the following days, stopping the increase if your pup reacts badly to the louder sound.
- Seek advice from your vet or your local accredited dog trainer to help you with the process.
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Support when noises happen
- It is impossible to stop some noises occurring when you are still slowly introducing different sounds to your pup.
- If this happens, distract your puppy with toys or treats.
- Try and minimise the impact of the noise, by moving to adifferent room, closing the curtains or having background noise from the TV or radio.
- Give reassurance to your puppy if they seek this from you.
We recommend:
Helps calm your puppy when loud noises happen
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Recommended by veterinarians
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25 clinical studies published
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20+ years experience
TESTIMONIALs
See how ADAPTIL helped these Dogs:
Everglades got really anxious when travelling in the car
Tips to help your puppy when facing scary loud noises
Everything is totally new for your puppy at the start, so it is not surprising that they can find many things scary.
Give your puppy opportunities to learn by exposing them to new sounds, loud noises and unfamiliar situations (which can have different sounds connected to them). Gradually introduce them, so your pup can start to accept them as a normal part of their everyday life. Try out a Puppy Party - there are many benefits to meeting and socialising with other people and their pups!
Don't punish your puppy if they are not reacting how you would like them to, as this will only add to their distress. Instead, reward your puppy when they manage to settle down.
How can a ADAPTIL Junior Collar help my puppy?
ADAPTIL Junior Collar is clinically proven to help puppies adapt to unfamiliar situations. In one study, puppies wearing an ADAPTIL Junior collar were less likely to be startled by loud noises when on a walk*.
How can I help my puppy overcome fear of household appliance noises?
Our dog trainer's advice: gradually expose your puppy to noises over time. If your puppy is fearful of an everyday sound, move your puppy away from the object and introduce them to the sound when they are calm and relaxed another time. For example, start to introduce your puppy to the sound of a vacuum cleaner by turning it on when your puppy is calm in another room, so the sound is less.
Our blog article Help! My dog is scared of the vacuum cleaner has advice to help you continue the process.
What about sounds from outside?
Prevention is much better than cure! These sounds are probably out of your control though, so how can you gradually expose your pup to them? Sound recordings available online are a great tool, as you can play them at different volumes when, and where, you wish. Take a look at our blog article Prepare puppies for fireworks night for help. These steps can be applied to other outdoor noises, such as air brakes and thunder.
* Gaultier et al 2009 Vet record 164:708-714