The link between separation issues and noise sensitivities.

Recent research suggests that 88% of dogs with noise sensitivity also have separation anxiety and 74% of dogs with separation anxiety also have noise sensitivity. This is a huge link and it is not coincidental.

There is evidence to suggest that the occurrence of either one of the issues can directly affect the occurrence of the other. Let's have a look at the reasons for this.

A dog who has either a separation anxiety disorder or a noise phobia is already of an anxious disposition. The dog will already be carrying more general stress than a dog without anxious tendencies. This means their 'emotional sink' will already be at risk of getting too full and spilling over on a day to day to basis. Essentially, this means that they are less tolerant in general so therefore much more likely to develop another anxiety disorder.

A dog who is fearful of noise can rely heavily on their guardian to reassure them when noises that trigger them occur. This can result in them finding it uncomfortable being alone. The dog's house is likely to be at the quietest (even with radios etc left on) when guardians are all out. A noise sensitive dog may find they struggle even more with their noise aversion when alone. This in turn can result in them becoming fearful of being alone not because of the alone time itself but because of the fear of the noises.

A dog who is frightened of being alone will almost certainly be listening very intently for the sound of their guardian arriving home, this can mean that when alone they become hyper sensitive to noise. In addition, there is a risk that if the dog is in panic mode (due to being alone) and a noise that could be perceived as 'scary' for the dog occurs during this alone time, it can trigger a fear that may otherwise not have happened. But because they are already at their limit for stress, it may tip them over the edge. Which can result in a phobia of that noise and similar noises.

It's important to note here that noise phobia can at times be mistaken for separation issues. An example would be, a dog who howls or eliminates inside when alone due to fear of noises that occurred when their guardians were out. It is important to have an assessment with a suitably qualified and experienced separation anxiety specialist such as a CSAT to establish the root cause of your dog's alone time behaviour before beginning a treatment plan.

Written by Nicola Cook (CSAT, VSPDT)