Storms and fireworks: a calm plan for scared dogs
Summer in Australia comes with a soundtrack: afternoon storms rolling in, then New Year's Eve fireworks, and often Australia Day on top. For a lot of dogs that means weeks of trembling, pacing and hiding in the bathtub. You can't cancel the weather or the fireworks, but you can make those nights a lot easier.
You're not imagining it
Noise fear is one of the most common worries in dogs. In a Finnish study of 13,700 pet dogs, noise sensitivity was the most common anxiety-type trait of all, reported in about a third of them, with fireworks and thunder high on the list.
Signs can be obvious or quiet:
- trembling, panting, pacing
- hiding, cowering, a tucked tail, flattened ears
- yawning or licking their lips, going off their food
- digging, barking, or trying to escape
Fear like this often gets worse with each frightening experience. That's why the UK vet charity PDSA advises getting help early, even when the signs are mild.
Before the big night
- Check the microchip details. Scared dogs can bolt, and RSPCA branches regularly see microchipped strays with out-of-date owner details. Update your phone number and address with your state's registry, and put an ID tag on the collar.
- Check the fence and gates. Look for gaps, loose palings and gates that don't latch properly.
- Build a den. A crate or a corner covered with a blanket, in the quietest room of the house, with their bed and a favourite chew. Let them use it on calm days too, so it already feels safe.
- Plan the day. A good long walk and dinner earlier, well before dark and before the first bangs.
On the night
The calm-night checklist
- Keep them inside, and stay home with them if you can, or ask someone they trust.
- Close the curtains and blinds to hide the flashes.
- Turn on the TV or some music to muffle the bangs.
- Let them choose where to be. If they want to hide in the den or behind the couch, let them.
- Never tie them up outside. A panicking dog can injure or strangle themselves trying to escape.
- Don't punish fear. It doesn't calm a dog, it only adds stress.
Yes, you can comfort them
There's an old idea that cuddling a scared dog "rewards" the fear. PDSA explains it simply: fear is an emotion, and comforting a dog doesn't make the fear worse. If your dog comes to you for reassurance, give it. A calm voice, a hand on their side, and you staying relaxed yourself all help.
For next year: teach them that noise is okay
The long-term fix is to change how your dog feels about the sound, slowly, on calm days. This is called desensitisation and counter-conditioning:
- Play a recording of storms or fireworks so quietly that your dog barely notices.
- While it plays, do something they love: treats, a game, dinner.
- Over weeks and months, turn the volume up a tiny bit at a time.
- If your dog gets worried, go back to a quieter level. Never push through it.
Start well before storm season, and don't rush. Blasting a dog with the sound they fear (sometimes called flooding) can make things worse.
Products, medication and supplements
| Option | What to know |
|---|---|
| Your vet | The first stop, especially if the fear is new, sudden or spreading to other things. Vets can prescribe medicines for noise fear, and can refer you to a veterinary behaviourist. |
| Calming wraps and jackets | Some dogs seem calmer in a snug wrap. Worth trying, but not every dog responds. |
| Pheromone diffusers and collars | May help some dogs feel calmer. Studies are small, and several are funded by the makers. |
| Calming supplements | A few ingredients have small studies behind them. In one, 20 lab dogs given a magnolia and phellodendron extract reacted less to a recorded thunderstorm. They're a support, not a fix. |
| Human medicines | Never. Only give medication your vet has prescribed for your dog. |
The bottom line
Get the microchip, fence and den sorted before the season starts. Keep them inside and close on the night, and comfort them as much as they want. Then use the quiet months to slowly teach them the sounds aren't scary. If the fear is strong, talk to your vet early. You don't have to just get through it every year.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice. Always talk to your vet about your own dog.
Sources
- Salonen M et al. Prevalence, comorbidity, and breed differences in canine anxiety in 13,700 Finnish pet dogs. Scientific Reports, 2020.
- PDSA. How to help and calm an anxious dog.
- RSPCA Tasmania. Make sure your pets start the new year safely.
- RSPCA South Australia. Reminder to keep animals safe during New Year's Eve fireworks.
- RSPCA Australia. Fireworks advice.
- DePorter TL et al. Harmonease Chewable Tablets reduces noise-induced fear and anxiety in a laboratory canine thunderstorm simulation: a blinded and placebo-controlled study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 7(4):225–232, 2012.
- Landsberg GM et al. Dog-appeasing pheromone collars reduce sound-induced fear and anxiety in beagle dogs: a placebo-controlled study. Veterinary Record, 2015.
