FAQ

When is the best time to start using the Sounds Scary CD if my dog is scared of fireworks?

Even the mildest of sound phobias can take a few months to treat, so it is best to start using the CD several months before firework season begins or wait until the firework season has passed. You can then start the CD once your animal has recovered from any stress experienced during this time. If the firework season is already upon us, you can work through the advice in the booklet which accompanies the CD, to help support your animal through the firework season.

How long will it take for the Sounds Scary CD to help my dog with thunder storms?

The minimum period, with daily training sessions, will be a few months, for a mild fear. More complex cases will take longer. Be prepared to take your time because the more gradually the treatment is carried out, the better the result will be for your pet. If you feel that progress is very slow then you should contact your vet for further information or a referral to a qualified behaviourist.

Can the Sounds Soothing and Sounds Sociable CD be used for cats and rabbits?

Any of the CD’s can be used with cats, rabbits, horses - the list is endless. HOWEVER, it is important to think about what you are desensitising your animal to. For Example:  You do not want to desensitise your cat to the sounds of traffic!

How do the prevention and treatment CDs work?

To prevent noise fears, the best technique is to habituate the animal from the earliest age possible.  With puppies we recommend that breeders start playing the Sounds Sociable CD from day 10, when the puppies hearing has developed.
 
To treat noise fears we combine two proven techniques called desensitisation and counter-conditioning. The overall aim is to provide your pet with positive experiences that outweigh the negative experiences it has had in the past. To make this more effective it is important to minimise the amount of bad experiences your pet has during therapy. So, for the treatment period, you should try to avoid exposing your pet to the noises it is afraid of. In the case of gunshots or fireworks, this means keeping away from displays and shooting. With a traffic-noise sensitive pet you should avoid going to places where there is a great deal of heavy traffic.

Desensitisation is the process whereby the response to a fear-inducing stimulus is reduced by repeated neutral exposure. To do this we play the sound to the animal several times each day for short periods, at a volume that does not induce a fearful response. Over a number of days or weeks the sound level is gradually increased in small increments, so as not to cause fear.  At the end of training the animal ignores the sound at a realistic volume.

Counter-conditioning is carried out after desensitisation. This process involves associating the sound with something that the animal finds pleasant and rewarding, such as feeding or playing. The aim of this learning process is to replace the fearful feelings with feelings of pleasure.

What makes Sound Therapy 4 Pets prevention and treatment CDs  better than other CDs on the market?

In an independent scientific study, dogs treated with the Sounds Scary CD showed consistent and significant improvements after 8 weeks of treatment, with 93% of people saying that they would use the product again if they had another dog with the same problem. An amazing result for any product. A competitor product tested in the same study failed to produce such spectacular results, showing that the experience and thought that went into designing Sounds Scary cannot be emulated by cheaper alternatives.

What are the common sounds that pets can become phobic of?

The sound world that the pet inhabits is completely different from our own. Both dogs and cats can hear sounds that are much quieter and of higher pitch than we can hear. Things that sound quiet or innocuous to us may sound distressing to a dog or cat. Examples of noises that pets become phobic of include common every day things that people would not think of as scary, such as:

• Household appliances – Hoovers, dishwashers, tumble dryers, microwaves, lawnmowers, hairdryers
• Transport – planes, trains and traffic
• Natural phenomena – Thunderstorms, heavy rain
• Human activities – Fireworks, loud music, gunshots, bird-scarers, a bouncing football.

Which is the best CD to use for general puppy socialisation or to help my new rescue dog to settle in?

Sounds Sociable - it contains a wide variety of household noises that your new dog will need to get used to. It also comes with a great information booklet containing tips and training advice on things such as housetraining, settling your new puppy at night, introducing your puppy to car travel, going for your first walk and meeting new people.

I am expecting a baby and I am worried about how my dog will react. Is there anything I can do to make this easier for my dog?

Yes! Sounds Soothing will help your dog to get used to the sounds that babies and children make before your baby arrives. Our dogs, who are often very attached to us, can often feel a bit put out when we are busy doing things with the baby. Lots of dogs initially find the sound of babies worrying, and they can also get upset about us rushing around and tensing up every time we hear the sound of a baby crying. The handbook which comes with Sounds Soothing also has fantasic training advice so that you can teach your dog to sit quietly and wait whilst you are attending to your baby, as well as many other useful tips on how to manage dogs and babies together.

This is an essential item for anyone expecting a new baby who already has a dog or cat.