Kipp has gotten to the point where he really doesn't like loud booms. If he's doing something he's fine, but in his outdoor kennel he starts barking like crazy until someone comes to take him inside.

If it is too loud inside (ie, big thunderstorms) he gets crated in the basement where it's quietest. It's the storm routine and while he doesn't always like going down there, he stays pretty calm when he's crated down there.

This summer there have been a lot of random fireworks. Some times we'll go a week without them, sometimes we'll hear them 4-5 nights in a row. For an hour. We're in the country so they're not right on top of us, but they still bug Kipp.

He is usually great about running to his kennel after our evening runs, but he's been a bit hesitant lately due to fact that fireworks *might* happen. He pauses at the door of the house to see if I'll let him in yet. But I've always sent him on to his kennel since I have a few other things to take care of.

Tonight after our run, he skipped the house door and ran right down the basement steps and waited at that door to be let in.

It worked - I mean, how could I refuse that?? I let him in the basement and he happily ran over to his crate down there.

Guess he figured that it was time to be proactive in avoiding the noise!

Sound sensitivity can be a genetic issue in some lines of BCs.
I was at a herding trial at Purina Farms a few yrs ago and there was a group studying it and asking for folks with BCs to help with the study.

 Quote: Bob Scott

Sound sensitivity can be a genetic issue in some lines of BCs.
I was at a herding trial at Purina Farms a few yrs ago and there was a group studying it and asking for folks with BCs to help with the study.

I knew a few years ago a couple groups had a big push going to collect samples. And they are actually still working on this (and requesting DNA samples) both at the University of California San Fransisco http://www.k9behavioralgenetics.com/NoisePhobia.php And the Van Andel Research Institute in Michigan http://www.vai.org/Research/Labs/NeurogeneticsCanineBehavior/KitRequest.aspx?project=BC

As a side note, researchers at Van Andel are also working on canine cancer research http://www.vai.org/Research/Labs/CancerAndDevelopmentalCellBiology/CHCC.aspx

Often, Border Collies won't develop noise sensitivity until later in life. They'll be fine for a few years (with everything) then all of a sudden, they don't like loud noises. Kipp was absolutely fine until he was 4 and we had the worst thunderstorm I ever hope to experience roll through. 4-5 hours of thunder lightening and wind that did an incredible amount of damage. Lived next to a woods and the yard looked like a war zone with downed trees and limbs.

I often wonder if he'd still be okay with noise if it hadn't been for that storm. His grandfather was one of the most solidly nerved Border Collies that you'd even find. Dog went through 7 homes and a decent amount of abuse before ending up with his final owner. Folks couldn't handle him on stock and resorted to ecollar misuse/abuse on him. In his final home he was an excellent farm dog working sheep and cattle and stable/happy around everyone he met

Kipp had actually been returned to the breeder at a little over 1 y/o because home #1 couldn't handle him and left him kenneled much of the time. When I took him, he hadn't been exposed to anything off the farm. Had no clue what a toy was. Had never worked with a person.

Now he's a wilderness SAR dog, helps with sheep chores on the farm, has done some basic OB demo's at schools (just pet OB, but it was in front of a classroom of kids!).

So even with the noise sensitivity Kipp has, I'd still get another dog from those lines. Kipp will still work through noise. If he's doing something, he's fine, but if not he hates it. But away from that, he has a tremendous amount of "try" and work ethic.

Sounds like you've done a nice job in a tough situation.

I find loud noise to be a drag now too. I can't believe I ever rode the tractor w/o ear muffs, or shot a gun, or loved rock concerts.
Perhaps it's just maturity.... and not some "disability".

as i got to about the third paragraph of your OP mara , i thought " why not just put him in the basement then ? "

by the end of the story , Kipp had read my mind lol

i'm a BC guy as well , and my previous two have been rock solid around pretty much anything ( snowcats , motorcycles , helicopters , explosives ) . so far henry has been good in his crate dealing with thunder , but has not yet experienced explosives . i have to detonate three duds from this past winter on monday , and while henry will be safely in a crate , in a building a kilometer away , i think i will have someone feeding him at the time the explosions occur .

he hasn't demonstrated any fears ( of the noise type anyway ) but he is very attentive to sounds far off , like dogs barking way down in the valley from where i live .

Lol Ian! Kipp is usually a bit reluctant to go to his basement crate (unless there's a storm). He'll do it, but the expression he gives me clearly says "do I have to?"

But last night he asked to!

Hope Henry continues to handle noises well! Do you do avalanche work with him?

My 3 y/o is fine with most everything noise wise and I'm hoping she stays that way. My late BC didn't like man-made loud noises (gun shots, fireworks, and the like) but was always fine with thunderstorms

When I married my husband he had a red heeler male, blue male and blue female. The blues were littermates. His late wife was scared of storms and these dogs were terrified. The female had to be locked up during fireworks and they all would hide during storms. Dogs we have had since then have not been scared to that point but some have had reactions to storms and fireworks. Our 7 and 5 year old female BC's are not bothered by either storms or fireworks. The aussie and 2 heelers are fine as well. The train that is only 1/2 mile from the house makes all of them howl in pain. So is it genetics, or environment, or a combination of both?

The dogs that have been bothered have always had a "safe place", either their crate, the John Deere Gator, or even under the toolbox in the pickup. Your dog may have chosen the crate in the basement. We could often tell before you would actually know there was something coming by the dogs going to their place.

 Quote: Mara Jessup

Tonight after our run, he skipped the house door and ran right down the basement steps and waited at that door to be let in. It worked - I mean, how could I refuse that?? I let him in the basement and he happily ran over to his crate down there. Guess he figured that it was time to be proactive in avoiding the noise!

Nice work Kipp! She finally got it. Some humans require the behaviors to be broken down into smaller steps.

You are so lucky Mara! I love when they train themselves. Good going.

yes mara , i am a member of the canadian avalanche rescue dog association .

looks like i won't be able to arrange a " feeder " for tomorrow , so i'm going to put henry in his crate in a small outbuilding ( actually the explosives prep building ) which is even more removed from the blast site . as well , i am going to have hector " babysit " henry . . . hector is rock solid so hopefully henry will pick up on hectors' (non)reaction to the detonations