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Modern & Ethical Dog Training for Everyone

What to Do When Fireworks or Gunfire Sounds Shake the Neighborhood

What to Do When Fireworks or Gunfire Sounds Shake the Neighborhood
Picture this: You are sitting at home with your dog when suddenly heavy gunfire goes off in your neighborhood.

Last night was a bit scary for Long Beach East Side residents, and very scary for our dogs. A military exercise similar to the ones happening across Southern California, in cities like Pasadena, Irvine, City of Industry and others, all included heavy gunfire in residential neighborhoods with little to no warning.


Regardless of where you live, we hope you don’t have to experience this. But the Fourth of July is near, so we’re using this moment to prepare for the next loud event—hopefully celebratory fireworks, not gunfire. Dogs don’t get a memo that says, “This one’s safe, don’t panic.” Whether the noise comes from fireworks, gunfire-like sounds, a training exercise, or anything else, if it leaves your dog unsettled, it’s all the same to them.



What dogs are hearing


To your dog, loud and unexpected noise is just loud and unexpected noise. Fireworks, gunfire-like sounds, flash bangs, and other sharp booms can all trigger fear, pacing, barking, hiding, trembling, and escape behavior.


If your dog is already uneasy around sound, the goal is not to wait and see what happens. The goal is to make the environment calmer before the noise escalates.



What to do before the noise starts


Set up a quiet room inside the home with fewer windows and less outside noise. Close doors, windows, and curtains, then add steady background sound like a fan, TV, radio, or white noise to help soften the sharpness of outside booms.


Make sure your dog’s ID tag is current and their microchip registration is up to date. If your dog has any history of noise fear, do not wait for the event to begin before making a plan with your veterinarian.



What to do if your dog panics


Stay calm and keep your movements predictable. Do not punish barking, shaking, pacing, hiding, or trying to escape, because fear gets worse when dogs feel trapped or corrected.


Let your dog choose distance, offer access to a safe place, and reward calm behavior only when your dog is actually able to take food. If your veterinarian has prescribed medication for noise fear, use it exactly as directed and test the plan ahead of time when possible.



How to muffle the sounds


You are not trying to create silence. You are trying to reduce the contrast between the outdoor noise and the indoor environment.


Layer sound instead of relying on one thing alone: close the house up, hang noise-dampening curtains, run a fan, use a white noise machine, add a TV or radio, and place your dog in the quietest interior room. For many dogs, that simple setup helps more than we give it credit for.



If your dog runs


A frightened dog may bolt through a door, screen, gate, or fence line. Before any loud event, check that doors, latches, and screens are secure, and keep dogs leashed for potty breaks and outdoor time.


If your dog gets loose, search immediately, alert neighbors, post locally, contact nearby shelters and veterinarians, and use any local lost-dog flyer systems available. Search close first, because many frightened dogs do not travel as far as people think, but they can still cover several blocks fast.



Local Long Beach resources


Long Beach Animal Care Services is the main local resource for lost pets and holiday safety guidance. If you need to look for a missing dog or check found dogs, use the official Dogs Lost and Found page here:



If you find a loose dog, contact local animal care services if the animal is injured, ill, or aggressive, and check for ID or a microchip when possible.



When your dog needs more help


I’m not going to tell you that your dog will “just get over it.” They won’t. Loud noise isn’t something they grow out of, and panic isn’t something you fix by ignoring it. If your dog is already sound-sensitive, the best thing you can do is prepare the environment, protect their nervous system, and be the person who makes the inside of your home feel safer than the outside world.


If your dog is showing severe signs of stress and anxiety, panting, trembling, pacing, hiding, trying to escape, or injuring themselves in an attempt to get away, please consult with your veterinarian or a qualified behavior consultant. The American Animal Hospital Association’s Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines state that treatment of behavioral problems should include behavior modification and medication when appropriate, and that early intervention is essential to preserve quality of life. Noise aversion is serious, and it can worsen without treatment



References

  • Blackwell, E. J., Bradshaw, J. W. S., & Casey, R. A. (2013). Fear responses to noises in domestic dogs: Prevalence, risk factors and co-occurrence with other fear-related behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2012.12.004




  • Mann, J., Hall, S., Wright, H., & Riemer, S. (2024). A survey investigating owner perceptions and management of firework-associated fear in dogs in the Greater Sydney area. Australian Veterinary Journal. https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.13357






About the Author

Carlos F. Morales, CPDT-KA, CDBC, is a force-free dog trainer and behavior consultant based in Long Beach, California. He helps families build safer, happier relationships with their dogs through modern, ethical, evidence-based training.

© ️ Canine High School Copyright 2023 

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