Things that Dogs Are Scared of the Most During NY Fair
Dogs are tough and overprotective but they do share something similar with humans – having fears and phobias. These phobias are brought about by a variety of reasons. The most common causes are negative experience or trauma and lack of socialization when they were younger.
Have you seen your dog trembling, cowering, barking, anxious, drooling, hiding, squealing, or aggressive? Any one of these behaviors depict a sacred dog. Let’s talk about some of the most common things that dogs are scared of the most, especially during NY Fair! Big thanks to Technobark for expert opinion.
Fear of Loud Noises
Dogs have a very strong sense of hearing. They can hear three to four times better than humans so it’s not surprising that dogs get uncomfortable or scared when they hear unusually loud noises that you can hear during NY Fair.
At the top of the list, dogs fear the sound of thunder. The level of fear varies from one dog to another. As soon as your dog hears the thunder raring, you’ll see him cowering with flattened ears, big wide eyes, and a tucked tail. Some dogs fear thunderstorms more than others so they become destructive, they hide, or they lose control of their bowel or bladder control.
Second on the list is Fear of Fireworks. The loud and unpredictable sound of fireworks make dogs tremble in fear. Some dogs get so scared they run away and get lost.
Some dogs don’t generally get scared of loud noises but they don’t like feeling shocked to hear unpredictable loud noises. You can get them used to the noise, like fireworks for example, slowly day by day so they don’t get traumatized when new year’s eve noise happens.
But in cases like thunderstorms, you can offer management techniques to calm them down and help them surpass the moment of fear. If it gets any worse, go to your veterinarian and ask for recommendations on sedatives or medications.
Fear of Being Left Alone
As a fur parent, you notice that your dog will try his best to delay the time that you have to leave or will even try to come with you to the car or outside the door. Most dogs hate being left alone even if they know that you’ll be home later in the day. This is most popularly known as separation anxiety.
Dogs who suffer from separation anxiety tend to become destructive as soon as left alone. They will bark nonstop and break stuff inside the house in order to get attention.
It is recommended to help your dog manage these tendencies by training them. Imposing habits and routines especially when you leave the house helps alleviate the anxiety and fear. Desensitization is also something you can look at to help your dog get over his separation anxiety.
Fear of the Veterinarian
It is very common for dogs to fear the veterinarian. The dogs usually first encounter the vet when they are very small and with several sessions of poking injections, restraints and medicines! This is very similar to kids fearing the pediatrician because they know what will happen next.
This fear is usually easily dealt with by scheduling regular vet trips that don’t involve needles or anything uncomfortable. Keep praising and offering treats while at the vet so they feel a positive experience for every visit.
Fear of Strangers
Surely, your dog barks at every chance they see a stranger entering their territory. It is not because they are tough or doing their job, but rather because dogs have a fear of strangers. Some dogs have stronger phobia like showing signs of fearing extremely large men or people who wear baggy clothes.
You can help them deal with this fear by reassuring that things are great when you see them reacting towards a stranger. But never ever push a dog to like someone he just met. Let them warm up to the person and approach them at their own time.
Fear of Car Rides
Dogs who fear car rides are commonly aren’t introduced to riding vehicles early on. It can also be associated with negative experiences like getting sick during the ride (puking or dizziness), a visit to the vet, or being left at the shelter.
You can help deal with this fear by offering treats and praises to lure them into the car. Plan destinations that lead to happy memories like a trip to the park or their favorite place. Make sure not to travel far at first and train them for long distance travel in case you plan on doing that.
These are just a few of the most common things dogs fear. There are other fears or phobias that some dogs suffer from. But overall, any kind of fear or phobia is possible to be fixed with the help of training, management and associating positive experience during their fearful situation.