Post Covid behaviour problems – it’s not all about Pandemic Pups: sound sensitivity

Covid related lockdown periods were expected to result in canine behaviour problems, particularly in the dogs that joined homes during those periods. Yet behaviourists are seeing large numbers of dogs (including those that have spent several years within their current homes) with emotional health problems resulting in less expected outcomes, such as increased sensitivity to the sound-scape, particularly that emanating from outside the home. This presentation revises what we know about ‘traditional’ sound sensitivities and considers the less frequently recognised sound-related problems that are emerging within the canine population and that are having a significant impact on the emotional welfare of dogs and upon the human-pet bond.

• Recognising the nature and significance of sound sensitivity for the welfare of companion dogs
• Recognising the prevalence of sound sensitivity as a welfare problem for dogs
• Recognising the importance of canine and owner welfare in diagnosing and treating sound-related sensitivities