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Abstract
Noise reactivity and firework fear are well-known and often discussed topics among dog owners. The prevalence of noise reactivity varies a lot between different dog breeds; in certain breeds, as many as 50% of all dogs are affected at some level. Even though the prevalence of noise reactivity is high, little is known about the genetic background of noise reactivity in dogs. This article provides a brief introduction to behavioural genetics and the genetics behind noise reactivity and firework fear, some of the animal welfare issues related to extreme fear of noise, and sheds light on the possibilities of reducing the prevalence through systematic breeding.
The fear of loud and sudden noises is a well-known problem for many companion and working dogs. Dogs may react to everyday noises such as the rattling of kitchen utensils or vacuum cleaners, traffic noises and construction work, and weather phenomena such as rain, thunder and wind. The most frequent fear reactions are reported to happen when the dogs are exposed to (unexpected) sudden and loud noises such as fireworks, gunshots, thunder and roaring traffic noises (Sherman and Mills, 2008; Storengen and Lingaas, 2015; Salonen et al, 2020). Commonly displayed fear-related behaviours include (Overall et al, 2001; Blackwell et al, 2013; Tiira et al, 2016; Handegård et al, 2020):
Owners of the most noise-reactive dogs report that the dogs may display these behaviours in the hours before events with large fireworks displays, such as on New Year's Eve (Handegård et al, 2020).
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