Dogs who have an unrecognized fear of noise are at greater risk of developing behavior problems that may result in their surrender to a shelter. Additionally, these dogs may panic and bolt, even overcoming crates, locked doors and other attempts at safe confinement, thus being picked up by animal control agencies, often far from home.

A study published in January’s Applied Animal Behaviour Science found that dogs in homes are also at risk of developing behavior problems that may land them in shelters, and dog owners are often unaware of the warning signs that their dog is having trouble with noise-related fears.

Researchers at the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Science conducted a survey to see how many people believed their dog was fearful of noises, and then conducted in-depth interviews with a group of respondents to see if signs of the problem were being missed.

They found that around half of all signs of noise fears and phobias were missed by the dogs’ owners and concluded:

This suggests that whilst they are aware of their pet’s behavioural response when exposed to a loud noise, owners do not necessarily recognise this as being indicative of fear or anxiety. This has relevance both for awareness of compromised welfare, and the methodology for surveying such behaviour.

The most commonly reported behavioural signs were vocalising, trembling/shaking, hiding, vocalising and seeking people. It is thought trembling and shaking are more often reported by owners than other behaviours because they are similar to fearful behaviours in humans.

Other behavioural signs, such as decreased activity or salivation, may not be as easily recognised by owners as signs of fear, and may be under-reported. Also, signs of urination, salivation and destruction may make owners disappointed or angry, and this may influence their interpretation that such behaviours are associated with fearfulness.

While helping dog owners recognize the signs of noise fears and phobias may go a long way toward cutting down on the number of dogs who end up in shelters and animal control agencies, this research also underscores the necessity of controlling noise in animal shelters, where decibel levels can exceed those of a jackhammer.

Emily J. Blackwell, John W.S. Bradshaw, Rachel A. Casey; Fear responses to noises in domestic dogs: Prevalence, risk factors and co-occurrence with other fear related behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 24 January 2013 (Article in Press DOI:10.1016/ j.applanim.2012.12.004)