When your pet cowers at thunder or fireworks, it’s an easy get.

But why do some dogs bark at the hoover or at the rubbish truck that comes round every week?

Dr Samantha Poh, a veterinarian who hails from Kuching, Sarawak is also mum to three dogs: Jasper, a 13-year-old toy poodle, and Coco and Oreo, both happy mixed dogs, aged six.

Poh is currently working in Australia and she is also the first author on a team of researchers from the University of Adelaide that investigated how dogs react to many different common noises.

Sounds that bother

The team surveyed 809 dog owners, asking about their pet’s reactions to different types of noises, including fireworks, thunder, coughing, construction, rubbish trucks, clapping, laughing loudly, sneezing, vacuum cleaners and more.

The dogs were a mix of age, size, rescues and posh pedigrees. Researchers also asked if they had a diagnosis of anxiety or separation anxiety – two common issues, especially for dogs with a history of abuse.

Results published in May this year revealed that big explosive sounds are the most troublesome to dogs.

About 60% of dogs take huge exception to fireworks and 56% react the same way to thunderstorms.

“My dogs are terrified,” Poh says. “They will want to escape into the house if they're outside. Once they're inside and curled up on our rugs, they settle down.”

“Fireworks and storms are loud and sudden but also long and rather complex,” Poh muses.

“Light, sound, and vibrations may create an overwhelming sensory overload for dogs.”

Samantha Poh with Jasper, her happy toy poodle.

Interestingly, dogs do much better with sirens (23%) and gunshots (36%) although these are also super loud.

“Those sounds are brief and dogs can locate their origin easily,” Poh points out. “Some dogs still don’t like them, but because it’s over fast and less complex, they recover quicker.”

Everyday sounds made by us humans can startle them too.

Roughly half of dogs were perfectly okay with sneezing, coughing, finger snapping, loud laughter, hand clapping, babies crying and other random sounds.

But context matters. One lady with a chronic illness reported her furry is okay with a casual cough but when she’s sick and coughing badly, her pet comes up and offers comforting licks and paws.

Also, several owners reported their dogs associate some sounds with unpleasant events, like a dog who panics when hearing car keys jangle because it means their owner is about to go out and leave them alone.

Fascinatingly, roughly half of all dogs, 48%, hate the vacuum cleaner!

“Vacuum cleaners are loud and unpredictable,” Dr Poh points out. “They’re like chaos on wheels! Other studies report this is because of sound amplification.”

Built differently

Put simply, dog ears don’t function like human ears.

Dog ears amplify sound much more than ours, so they perceive sounds more loudly than we do.

“All my three dogs will run away the second they hear the vacuum turn on,” Poh reports. “They treat it as if it’s a personal attack.”

So how about that rubbish truck?

Street sounds like rubbish trucks and lawnmowers bother roughly one out of three dogs. Why they do may come down to doggy nature.

Dogs are territorial, and many take their guarding duties extremely seriously.

When the grasscutters or rubbish truck comes by, these canine guardians see them as attacks.

In the good dog’s mind, their barking and brave defence keeps the family safe from these wicked persistent enemies.

While about 15% of owners report their dogs are chill about all these sounds, the stress is severe enough for others to affect their quality of life.

What is sad is that many anxious dogs don’t get professional help – only 29% of owners in the study sought support.

Give pet your support

Shannon Lam who runs KL Pooch Resort and Rescue has lots of experience with shy and nervous dogs.

“Some dogs panic at all loud noises, including dogs barking on TV or if there’s shooting and the volume is on loud,” she points out.

“It’s a bit different outside because dogs are in tune with nature. They can sense a pressure change or smell a difference in the air, so they know rain or a thunderstorm is coming way before we humans do.”

Her advice is simple, especially if you adopt a pup: gentle supportive exposure.

“Dogs learn so if you act nervous and shield them, they will be afraid. Instead, expose your pet to rain, thunder, and other common noises from a young age. Sit with them on the porch and have a nice cuddle.”

“If it’s car rides that scare them, go on happy drives. Whatever it is, be sure to act casual or brave, so they get the message that everything is okay.”

A nervous pet may also be helped by a ‘thunder shirt’, a soft harness that provides gentle and constant pressure – just like a hug from you.

“I find thundershirts work about two-thirds of the time,” Lam muses. “The trick is to time it properly.”

“Don’t wait until your pet is shaky or panting because then it’s too late. If it’s car rides, put it on an hour before the journey. If it’s weather, keep an eye on them and when you see them sense a change, put it on immediately.”

If that doesn’t do the trick, talk to your vet.

"A vet can assess your pet’s specific anxiety triggers,” Poh suggests.

"This may include loud noises, separation anxiety, vet visits and other events. The vet can assess severity and then create an appropriate management plan.”

“Plans may include behaviour training strategies like desensitisation and counter-conditioning, calming supplements or prescription medication. They can also refer you to a certified animal behaviourist or trainer for more advanced support.”

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Photo: SHANNON LAM/KL Pooch Resort and Rescue

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