Not just a storm. Laughter, sneezing and vacuum cleaners are hell for dogs
Noise is an inherent part of our lives - a ringing telephone, shouting in the street, a vacuum cleaner in the flat or construction work outside the window. While we usually get used to these noises, they can be a source of stress and anxiety for our canine companions that we are often unaware of. A recent study titled Turn Down the Volume: Noise Hypersensitivity in Dogs (Chin et al., 2025), published in the advance version of a peer-reviewed journal, brings new and disturbing findings: dogs are not only sensitive to fireworks or thunderstorms, as one might expect, but also to common household and human noises.
The research, which reached thousands of dog owners around the world, showed that dogs can react with anxiety not only to loud bangs, but also to a vacuum cleaner, sirens, cell phone alerts, sneezes or even snapping fingers. The researchers divided the sounds into three categories: aversive sounds (such as fireworks and thunderstorms), environmental sounds (such as construction noise, vacuum cleaners, sirens), and human sounds (such as clapping, laughing or screaming). While these sounds are just background to us, to dogs they can mean something that takes them out of their calm - sometimes to the point of panic.
Older dogs can be more anxious
The factors that influence who is most at risk are also interesting. A study has shown that older dogs (aged 7-11 years) are more sensitive to disturbing sounds than younger dogs, which may be related to age-related changes in perception.
Another risk factor is the anxiety that some dogs have been diagnosed with - they react significantly more strongly to virtually any stimulus. And the size of the dog also plays an important role: smaller breeds tend to be more susceptible to noise, although the reasons are not yet entirely clear. Another interesting finding is that dogs living with women or older people tend to be more sensitive to environmental noises. However, it is not certain whether this is actually because of how they perceive the sounds or rather because of how closely their owners observe their behaviour.
Stress can develop into chronic anxiety
Noise sensitivity is no trivial issue - it's a real problem that affects the welfare of dogs. A dog that is afraid of a vacuum cleaner or a notification on the phone is not behaving "spoiled" - it is experiencing stress that can develop into chronic anxiety and serious behavioural problems. So research reminds us that we and our dogs hear the world very differently. What we can ignore may be cause for panic for them.
Positive reinforcement
What to do? Experts recommend minimizing exposure to familiar triggers - for example, cutting down on vacuuming time when the dog is around, or limiting loud noises at home. Positive reinforcement is also very important and can help dogs gradually get used to problematic noises. And if the sensitivity worsens, a consultation with a veterinary behavioral specialist is in order to design an individualized plan.
It's also good to know that there is a link between noise sensitivity and pain, according to a 2018 study (Fagundes et al., Frontiers in Veterinary Science), so it's worth having dogs that overreact medically examined as well.
Whether you share your home with a Yorkshire, a retriever or an adopted spaniel, try to tune into his perception of the world for a while today. Listen to what's going on around you - and what he's saying. You may find that the story of your life together is far from being told by you alone.
