Fear of thunder and fireworks is not a temperament problem — it is noise phobia. Music is not a treatment. It is a mask: it softens the edge of each bang so less of it arrives as a sudden shock.
Thunder frightens less because it is loud than because it arrives with no warning. In a silent room the jump is total. A steady sound underneath softens that jump. Of the mixes here, the ones with rain underneath mask thunder best.
This is the one time to turn it up
Normally you keep dog music quieter than you would for yourself. To cover bangs from outside it has to be louder than that — just enough that the bangs are buried, and no more.
Sound is only half of it
Closing windows and drawing curtains cuts both the flash and the noise. A small windowless room with a blanket down is where many dogs choose to go. Play the music there.
How to use it
Start before it begins. Turning it on after the first bang makes the music a signal that something frightening is starting. Check the forecast or the event time and start an hour early.
Play it on ordinary days too. Music used only on frightening nights becomes an alarm. Playing it when nothing is happening stops that association forming.
Comfort, but stay ordinary. Staying nearby is fine. Reacting far more than usual reads as confirmation that something is badly wrong.
When to turn it off
If your dog shakes hard, pants, hides, destroys things trying to escape or tries to bolt, music is not the answer. Noise phobia is veterinary territory and may need medication alongside behaviour work. Use music only as support.
Questions
When should I start on fireworks night?
An hour before the event and until an hour after. The mixes here run eight to ten hours, enough to cover the evening.
What about turning the TV up?
Speech and adverts jump in volume, which makes a poor mask. Steady music or rain works better.
Should I use ear muffs for dogs?
If your dog dislikes them, the struggle itself adds stress. Closing windows and making an inner room is more reliable.
All music here is original work by onemore. Free to listen. These tracks are commercially released through a distributor, so please get in touch before using them in a video or stream.