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A bang rattles the window, and suddenly your dog is pressed against your legs, trembling and panting. Your hand goes down to stroke them, then stops. Didn't someone once tell you that comforting a scared dog only rewards the fear?
For years that was common advice, and you can still find it in print. Dogs Trust, PDSA and the RSPCA now say something different: if your frightened dog comes to you for comfort, give it calmly, and if they would rather hide, let them1, 2, 3.
That leaves a practical question: how do you comfort well? The research helps explain why the advice changed, whether the fright is fireworks, thunder or the vet.
The old advice, and where it came from
The clearest statement of the old view is in Sounds Scary, a free sound-therapy programme for firework fear. It was written by veterinary behaviour experts Jon Bowen and Sarah Heath and is available through Dogs Trust4. Its guide, dated 2015, is firm about what to do when the bangs start.
Do not try to soothe or calm him/her. Only show attention and affection when your dog has begun to relax.4
Elsewhere the guide says "Don't reassure", and its training steps give a reason: going to your dog to reassure it "may be misinterpreted as you being worried and increase negative perceptions of the sounds"4. It was not alone. A 2019 survey report from the University of Bern calls ignoring a dog that shows fearful behaviour "a common recommendation", citing veterinary papers from 2003 to 20156.
The other reason, and the one you have probably heard, is that attention rewards fear. A 2023 review of the evidence on noise fears in dogs describes "a long-standing belief that attention or food rewards can inadvertently reinforce fear"5. Comfort a trembling dog, the thinking went, and you teach them that trembling pays.
What the charities say now
Open the fireworks pages of the big UK charities today and you find a different message. Dogs Trust asks owners to recognise their dog's individual needs and let them choose: "If they seek reassurance, calmly give them attention and comfort. Research shows that ignoring them won't help."1
PDSA's vets and vet nurses say much the same: comfort your dog if they come to you for reassurance and don't ignore them, but if they want to be alone, let them, and keep a close eye on them2. The RSPCA says not to shout at a frightened dog but to be there to comfort them and show them they're safe. If your dog is whining, barking or hiding, let them: "Don't try to coax them out, they're just trying to find safety."3
| Moment | Sounds Scary guide, 2015 | Charities now |
|---|---|---|
| Your dog comes to you | Don't soothe; show affection once they relax4 | Calmly comfort them1, 2 |
| Hiding | Lead them to the hiding place when the noise starts4 | If they want to hide, let them stay there1 |
| Your own manner | Act happy and unconcerned4 | Stay calm and relaxed1 |
| Telling off | Don't get cross; it adds to the fear4 | Don't tell them off or shout1, 3 |
Both agree on the basics: stay calm, never scold, have a hiding place ready1, 4. The change is what to do when a frightened dog asks you for help. Dogs Trust does not name the research behind its advice, so here is what we found.
Why the thinking changed
The first shift is in how fear is understood. Rewards shape what a dog does, like sitting for a biscuit. Fear is different. "Fear is an emotion, not an operant behaviour," the 2023 review explains, and rewards by definition do not make an emotion more negative5. On that view, a cuddle cannot teach a dog to feel more afraid in the way a treat teaches a sit.
The second is evidence from other stressful moments. The review points to studies in which stroking or speaking by a caretaker reduced behavioural and physiological signs of stress in dogs, while noting that the data on noise fears are insufficient5. Its verdict: contrary to earlier advice, ignoring a fearful dog that seeks contact is not advisable5.
The third is a survey of real homes, run by Stefanie Riemer at the University of Bern, who also wrote the 2023 review. She analysed answers from 1,225 dog owners about how they handled fireworks6. In the 566 fearful dogs whose owners said how the fear had changed, how much owners petted, talked to and allowed contact with their dog when bangs went off, instead of ignoring them, was not linked to the fear getting better or worse6.
The old guide's worry about an anxious owner still makes sense, and all three charities pair comfort with calm1, 2, 3. In Dogs Trust's words, your dog will pick up on how you're feeling, so do your best to relax1.
What happened on the vet's table
One controlled test comes from a vet school in France. Researchers examined 33 healthy pet dogs on two visits, in random order. On one, the owner stroked and talked to the dog during the examination. On the other, the owner was in the room but not allowed to interact7.
The examination stressed the dogs either way: lip licking, heart rate and eye temperature all rose7. With their owner's touch and voice, though, the dogs made significantly fewer attempts to jump off the table, and the rise in their heart rate and eye-surface temperature was smaller7. It is a small study: heart rate was measured in 18 dogs and eye temperature in 137.
How long owners spent interacting made no significant difference7. A vet visit cannot tell us what happens on firework night. It does show that an owner's touch and voice can reduce some signs of stress during an examination7.
How to comfort a frightened dog
Start by reading what your dog is asking for. Dogs Trust lists clinginess among the signs of firework fear: jumping up, staying close or seeking attention. Hiding under furniture is another, and so are pacing and trying to escape1. A dog pressed against you is asking for one thing; a dog under the bed is asking for another.
Comforting a frightened dog
Do
Touch is for the dog who asks for it. The 2023 review says contact should only happen if the dog seeks it of their own accord, because unsolicited touching or restraint could raise their stress further5. Whatever the fright, offer your hand and let your dog decide.
Comfort goes alongside the basics: curtains closed, music or the TV on to mask the noise, and a den your dog can use if they wish1, 2. If they will still eat or play, use it. In Riemer's survey, food and play during fireworks, including straight after bangs, was the only one of four ways of managing the night that was linked to fear improving over time6.
Comfort now, a plan for later
Comfort is first aid for a frightening night. Dogs Trust's advice on loud noises strikes the balance: in the long term you don't want your dog to rely on your attention, but if they are frightened and want your reassurance, you should give it8.
Behaviour programmes often teach a dog not to rely on your attention to cope, because a dog who does will be much more distressed if the noises come while you are out8. A safe space helps here, ideally introduced before the next storm or firework night so your dog learns it is a good place8.
For lasting change, PDSA recommends gradual training: playing recordings of the scary sound too quietly to worry your dog, raising the volume slowly, and pairing it with good things. It calls these desensitisation and counterconditioning, and says to start several months before fireworks season2. Sounds Scary's recordings are made for this training, and the RSPCA still recommends the pack3, 4. It is the guide's advice for the night itself that has aged.
When to get help
If your dog shows fear of fireworks or other loud noises, Dogs Trust says to speak to your vet as soon as possible. They can check for medical problems adding to the fear, refer you to a behaviourist and talk through extra treatments such as medication1.
If your dog suddenly becomes scared of fireworks, PDSA says they may need a check-up to make sure pain or illness is not behind it2. Go through your vet when you look for a behaviourist: they can rule out medical problems first and help you find a qualified one8.
When the next bang comes and your dog presses against your legs, put your hand down, keep your voice soft and let them lean. If they head for their den instead, let that be their choice.
Sources and further reading8 sources
The small numbers in the article link to the source behind each fact. Sources open on their own websites.
- Supporting your dog during fireworks
- Dogs and Fireworks
- Keeping dogs, cats and other small pets safe during fireworks
- Sounds Scary: therapy for your dog's fear of fireworks
- Therapy and Prevention of Noise Fears in Dogs—A Review of the Current Evidence for Practitioners
- Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs
- Behavioral and physiological reactions in dogs to a veterinary examination: Owner-dog interactions improve canine well-being
- What to do if your dog is scared of loud noises