We all get spooked sometimes by a sudden and loud noise. And there's nothing wrong with that! That's how the mother nature created us, and our dogs! Some dogs and / or breeds will show you more sensitivity towards loud / strange noises due to different reasons, for example: 1. What the breed was bred for (eg. border collies vs rottweiler) 2. Genetics - the dogs' individual temperament 3. Socialisation and Training 4. Experience Luckily we can help our dogs a lot through socialising and giving them positive experiences with different noises! On the video below there's a very young Belgian Malinois pup FeelX that is being exposed to a new, strange sound - made by an awesome tool called a Clatter Stick.
It's really easy to start with a noise that your dog is not going to hear on an everyday basis. Thanks to that you will be able to work on their ability to get used to strange noises gradually - start gently and slowly progress to make it louder and louder. If you see any sings of discomfort during the session you need to go step back in the training. Look at the tail (is it wagging, ears and general body language) You want your pup to feel invincible! During the sessions we would recommend using food - anything that your dog loves, as eating will make the dog more open to what is happening. It might be also helpful for you to use something that the dog can lick - just because chewing and licking are naturally calming behaviours. Later on you can also use a toy as a motivator. Once your dog or pup is comfortable with this noise you can progress to other noises more easily - on our next video we will show you Felix being exposed to other sounds.
Thanks for watching! like and share!
Alex and Lila