5 common items that may terrify your dog

All dogs have at least one household item that they seem to despise. Whether they tirelessly bark at it, or run away and hide; here are a list of 5 common items that may scare the hair off your dog.

1. Vacuum Cleaners

Otherwise known as ‘The Strange Monster That Lives in the Hall Cupboard’, the relationship between the dog and the vacuum has been depicted in comics and television for years. Dog’s hear sound much more intensely than humans, and this is a possible reason for your pooch to be frightened by the hoover. It also picks ups smells that have been sitting in your carpet for quite some time, just another reason to make it confusing enough to be frightening for your dog.

2. Balloons

For humans, these are associated with joy and celebration - but for your dog these can be terrifying (picture Pennywise the Clown terrifying). Balloons have a very distinctive sound when they are rubbed together, and even more so when they are popped. A balloon popping is enough to give a human a fright let alone a dog, and not to mention the fact that they mysteriously float in the sky.

3. Tin Foil

This handy kitchen item can be a dog’s worst nightmare. It is a triple threat with it’s strange texture, thundering sound and shine. Tin foil has also be known to scare cats, earning its name as the most hated household item by pets.

4. Fans

These are perhaps one of the most confusing things, in your home, for a dog. Sometimes they move fast, sometimes they move slow, sometimes they don’t move at all and they definitely never listen when barked at. The fact that they can also push cold air at your pup may just be the icing on top of the confusing cake.

5. Skateboards

We saved these speedy, scary, planks of wood on wheels for last because everyone has seen a dog bark at a skateboard at least once in their life. Not only are skateboards fast moving, but they also make an extremely loud noise to your pup. It isn’t uncommon to have someone shoot past you on a skateboard on your daily walk, and if you’re dog begins to yell - you’re definitely not alone. Anything with wheels with tigger a natural chase instinct for most dogs. To avoid having your arm ripped out of it’s socket every time, you can desensitise your pup to these speedy, noisy modes of transportation.

How to desensitise your dog to certain items

To desensitise your dog you will need a positive stimuli, most people find treats work best. When your dog is being exposed to the trigger (such as the vacuum cleaner) feed treats and give plenty of positive affirmation. This will help your dog switch the negative association to a positive one. It is important to keep your dog below their threshold - the point they start to overreact to the trigger - in order for desensitisation to work.

The ThunderShirt is a great way to help your dog with any anxiety they may experience from things such as fireworks or other loud noises. The ThunderShirt uses a swaddle technique combined with a calming pheromone and is recommended by vets to help calm dogs. The ThunderShirt can be used in conjunction with treats to achieve desensitisation.

The Adaptil range also uses a calming pheromone proven to help stressed and anxious pets. Available in an in home diffuser, collar and travel spray; there is something for all situations. To read more about Adaptil and how it works, read our blog on The Secret to Stress Free Pets.

If you have any questions about dog stress or anxiety, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of Pet Direct’s Customer Service Experts on 0800 200 240.

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