Does your tough and stoic dog turn to a little scared pup at a drop of a hat when it comes to rumbling thunderstorms or a spectacular fireworks show? Well, your dog is not alone. Many dogs are afraid of loud sounds created by thunderstorms and fireworks. This is due to the ability that dogs can hear a much greater range of frequencies, making the sounds they hear much louder than what humans can hear.
D.A.P. ™ (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) was created by veterinarians to mimics the properties of the natural pheromones of the lactating female dog. During the first three to five days after giving birth, the female generates pheromones that give their puppies a sense of well-being and reassurance, known as appeasing pheromones. In addition to helping puppies, this pheromone has helped dogs of all ages reduce their anxiety related to stressful situations such as fireworks and thunderstorm.
Dogs when they are in a stressful situation display signs of excessive panting, excessive salivating, destruction, trembling, cowering, hiding, and seeking the owner.
In a study done by Dr. G.Sheppard and Dr. S.Mills of the University of Lincoln*, thirty dogs between 14 months and 13.5 years, showing signs of fear of fireworks were treated using one D.A.P.® diffuser two weeks before the fireworks and one week after the event. The owners were given simple recommendations to reduce the risk of their reinforcing the dogs’ fearful reactions.
BEFORE THE EXPECTED FRIGHTENING EVENT • Plug in the D.A.P. ® diffuser at least two weeks prior to the expected noisy event or thunderstorm season. • Place the D.A.P. ® diffuser in the room where the dog will go for refuge and leave it plugged in. • Find a safe and secure area and teach the dog to be comfortable resting there. • D.A.P. ® is to be used in conjunction with behavior modification such as desensitization (With noise related CD) and counter conditioning.
DURING THE FRIGHTENING EVENT • Owner should ignore the noises and try to engage the dog in some form of active play or a game. • Do not punish the dog for acting frightened, this will just increase their fear and anxiety. • Do not fuss or try to reassure the dog when it acts frightened since the dog may assume that their behavior is appropriate. • Ignore any fearful behavior or attention seeking attempts such as pawing, whining or pacing. • Make sure the dog has access to a safe and secure hiding area with some comforting toys or food rewards. • Use some white noise (a fan) or loud music to help mask the noisy sounds. • Apply D.A.P. ® spray on the dog’s bedding or area where it will stay during the noisy event.
AFTER THE FRIGHTENING EVENT • Leave D.A.P. ® diffuser plugged in for at least one week.
