Noise reactivity in standard poodles and Irish soft-coated wheaten terriers

The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of noise reactivity in two dog breeds, standard poodles and Irish soft-coated wheaten terriers, and investigate how fear of noises is influenced by sex and age and fear in other situations. Owners were initially contacted by telephone and later answered a follow-up Web-based survey. In this study, both breeds have a high frequency of noise reactivity to both loud noises and fireworks, the soft-coated wheaten terrier more so than the standard poodle. There was a positive correlation between noise reactivity and age. The frequency of fear-related behaviors displayed when exposed to fireworks/loud noises is higher in the most fearful individuals. An association is found between fear in everyday situations and noise reactivity. Dogs in households with other dogs have a lower frequency of fear of fireworks. The validity of the survey, interviewer effect, and differences between the different dog owners’ assessment are considered. The study finds excellent test-retest reliability, showing that Web-based surveys may be a reliable and cost-efficient tool to study noise reactivity and identify dogs to collect DNA samples for genetic studies.