Noise Phobia Can Cause Serious Problems For Animals
WeStopFear™ Is A New Solution For All Pets And Horses
Noise phobia is illogical fear of sounds that we humans know are harmless, but our pets don't necessarily know that. Their basic instinct is to respond to unknown stimuli with fear and to flee for safety.
This fear can send pets into crippling fear and even devastate their lives. It can lead to pets and animals going missing, in them being injured, or even lead to untimely death.
This potentially painful or dangerous problem can happen to any animal type with sensitive hearing and can occur at any time, unannounced. The likelihood increases with higher age.
This is probably among the problems least known and least dealt with out of the various health and security problems that are facing pets.
WeStopFear is developed to be easier and safer
The goal is that WeStopFear will be simpler, easier, safer, more natural and bearable and achieve greater success levels with better ongoing support.
WeStopFear is not just for dogs or horses but for ALL types of pets.
The basic program is free to use
Not just all types: To ensure that all pets can have noise phobia therapy implemented for them by their owners, WeStopFear, the basic forever version, is FREE to use.
If you tell other animal owners you know, you will be helping them too. We ask users to consider helping other animals by telling pet owners they know about WeStopFear, and you will get benefits also.
You can sign up now and start helping your pet or animal.
WeStopFear is for all types of pets with sensitive hearing - choose your type:
The program is free to use (basic solution). You don't need a credit card to sign up and you can quit at any moment.
Reviews 1/3
Developed To Be Better
- Safer
- Easier
- Simpler
- More Natural
- Better Tolerable
- All Types
- Timed Access
- Comprehensive Instructions
- Future Maintenance
- Affordable For All (Basic Version Free)
Reviews 2/3
Learn More About The Problem And Solutions
Do you want to know more about noise phobia and the new ways to prevent or heal it? Please read on:
What is noise phobia or fear of noises?
It is an unnecessary problem that leads to thousands of injuries, disappearances and even untimely deaths among pets and animals every year all around the world.
Out in nature, animals are programmed to be wary at all times. This basic survival programming is unchanged, even if we humans know they are safe in our hands.
They believe that unknown noise can come from danger
a sudden, unknown, loud and uncomfortable noise can possibly come from something that is a threat to the animal.
Their basic instinct is to flee rather than stay to investigate what causes the noise. It is better to spend a little energy getting out of there, rather than to end the life as some other animal‘s next meal. This often happens many times every day for many animals, and isn't a big deal.
They cannot flee
But animals in the care of humans cannot flee. They are stuck, inside a room, a cage, a corral or stable, or they are bound on a leash, and that can lead to panic.
Possibly leading to panic or phobia
This can send pets into crippling fear or longtime phobia, and even devastate their lives. They may injure themselves, their owners or cause damage to property. They become less fun to be around.
In situations they interpret as possible danger they may try to flee. It can lead to pets and animals going missing, in them being injured, or even lead to untimely death.
This is entirely unnecessary
The alarming thing is that these are often harmless noises that are a part of our modern world. Humans know well that they are harmless, and even hardly notice them, but pets may not know them or where the noises come from.
Fear of unexplained noises, or in a more severe form, noise phobia, is a hidden problem among pets. It is generally less treated and less prevented than it should be, if we keep in mind the well-being of the pets and recreational animals in human care.
The unnecessary fear can be extreme as this image shows. It shows the difference in the increase of the "fear hormone" Cortisol in a time of extreme fear, among dogs and children.
Around of half of dogs may have some problems with noise fear or phobia, although of varied seriousness.
Other pet types
Cats, pet birds and small mammals like rabbits and guinea pigs can be devastated as well. Horses, both big and powerful and also potentially dangerous with the rider sitting on top, are by nature very nervous and can get spooked easily.
This can arise at any age and from many different kinds of noises
In short, a very large proportion of animals in human care have this potential problem. It is a question of circumstances.
There is no specific age when all pets are in danger of becoming fearful, and then at some other age they are saved.
Noise phobia or fear of noises can arise at any age. It is more a question of circumstances, suddenness, lack of explanation and perhaps unfamiliarity of a noise.
This is not about strong or weak pets. Any pet, even the bravest ones, can get this.
Additional reading:
The Old Conventional Solution
A solution exists: Noise phobia therapy
Also called desensitization or habituation
The fear comes from animals hearing sounds, where they don't know if there is a threat looming.
The solution is often quite simple: To let them hear various sounds and become used to them. The playback starts very low and gradually increases in volume. The subject experiences that nothing traumatic ever happens. The noises don't matter.
Desensitization and habituation
This method works for two types of situations. If the animal is already fearful or phobic, training it to be free from the fear is called desensitzation. If the animal has not developed such a problem, then the method to train it beforehand and prevent these problems is called habituation.
Problems and risks
The conventional solution has mostly been in the form of one set of noises, often on a CD or in MP3 files, with instructions that often come with the CD. The sounds have been played, starting low and then increasing in volume towards the end of the therapy process. The handler has to set the volume on the playback device very accurately, from low and finally to full volume. This can be cumbersome and confusing in repeated sessions, even in many places, over a long period of weeks.
Playing too loudly
There is also the danger of accidentally playing the sounds too loudly in the beginning. This can lead to overexposure of loud sounds, leading to a shock and a setback for the animal, creating fear or phobia in itself that can be difficult and time consuming to heal again.
Unnaturalness
The sounds are also played one right after the other in a constant succession. These sounds don't appear like that in real life, so this is unnatural.
Another method with music: Careful attention needed
In the 1980's (it seems) another method was invented, playing soothing classical music and gradually blending it with troubling noises. There have not been many solutions of this kind offered; I have seen them from three companies.
In this method, the classical music is loud in the first steps and the noises low, and then it shifts so that the noises are loud at the end, and the music is low or has faded out completely. These solutions have been offered on CDs, and in MP3 file sets that are downloaded or on Micro SD. It seems that some of these that were previously available are no longer available on the market.
Here the handler must take care to always play the right track, and stop the playback at the right time (on CDs). Again, forgetting this can lead to overexposure, meaning that the animal gets the sounds too loudly too early, that can lead to a shock in the early stages, which consequently can lead to fear and phobia in itself.
Probably much less practiced than it should be
The consequence of these drawbacks is that noise phobia therapy has not been as widely practiced as it should be, neither for preventive nor healing purposes.
Noise phobia therapy could improve life, save lives
It is clear that if ALL pet and animal owners would practice noise phobia therapy for their pets, then there would be a smaller percentage of pets who experience problems.
There would be a larger percentage of that feel more secure and happy, leading to a better and more enjoyable life and more fruitful relationship with their owners.
Wouldn't it be worthwhile to seek a better solution?
Well, that is what WeStopFear is developed to do!
Probably the first process design innovation in this field since the 1980's.
The new solution of WeStopFear is now available:
The New Solution
It is the first innovation in this field since the 1950s -1980s that we know of.
Simple Secure Steps™ with the Ascending Loudness™, Volume Anchor™, Timed Access™ and Natural Intervals™ innovations:
The Simple Secure Steps are organized into five steps that simplify the implementaition and increases security.
FREE to use the Basic program
To ensure that all pets and animals can benefit from this new solutions, regardless of the economics of the owner, the Basic version with all essential functions, and future maintenance with reminders, will be FREE to use forever.
WeStopFear is for all types of pets with sensitive hearing - choose your type:
Reviews 3/3
Will you help other animals?
It's easy and you will benefit too
There are millions of pets that could benefit from noise phobia therapy of some kind.
There are many pet owners who would be happy to do this for their beloved pets. Many of them would probably prefer the WeStopFear process design, that is designed to be easier, simpler and safer.
... but they don't know about WeStopFear
You can easily help them by telling them about WeStopFear.
Inside the member's area, there will be an offer of sending special emails to people you know, who own pets or companion animals (horses). By that, they will be informed about WeStopFear and can take their own decision on if they want to do this. We want to give you access to some additional features as a thank you for letting your friends and family members who own a pet know about WeStopFear. More details are in the therapy section after you sign up!
Years of development
WeStopFear has been under development for many years. In the past is a therapy disc that included the first member's area online with instructions. Also a free website with fireworks noise phobia therapy, with both the conventional method and the Simple Secure Steps to allow people to try. Here you can read about how and why WeStopFear was developed.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
The answer to this question really depends on the personal preferences of each pet owner.
There have been many noise phobia therapy solutions introduced into the market. All of them work if they are used correctly. There are many solutions for dogs, and at least one solution for cats and horses. There have probably not been solutions offered before for the other types of pets, i.e. pet birds, small mammals and exotic pets.
The goal with the development of the WeStopFear is to offer process steps and general solution that have the benefits that are outlined above, i.e. to be simpler, safer, easier, more natural, more bearable, etc.
The innovations, how they work, and how they are different from previous solutions, is described, among them here and here.
I would like to see WeStopFear as the kind of innovation that electric cooking stoves and ovens were in people's kitchen, or automatic transmission in cars.
Before electric, cookers and ovens were mostly heated with coal, wood, or gas. Most people think that electric stoves and ovens are easier to use, where you only have to turn a knob, and more secure.
Before automatic transmissions, the gearshift in cars was manual, where you have to step on the clutch and gas, and move the stick to shift gears. Many people think that driving a car with an automatic transmission is easier, and prefer that.
There are people who do want to use for instance coal or wood to cook, and to drive cars with a manual transmission. But they are fewer than the others.
Likewise, it may be that some prefer the conventional way in noise phobia therapy. It's a question of personal choice and that is okay. But I personally believe that the majority would prefer the new Simple Secure Steps process design, and find it easier, simpler and safer.
No, it is not possible to promise a 100% success. This means that out of a group of pet owners that do this, some may not be free from these problems, while others will enjoy a safe and fearless life.
Success in this is dependent on several factors. There are six factors defined on this chart on the image below. Five of the factors are out of WeStopFear's range to manage. One of the factors is the WeStopFear solution.
The six factors of success are further explained inside the member's therapy area for each type of pet or animal.
Thus, it is not possible to promise success in this.
That is a good question. To begin with, roughly around half of pets and animals may possibly have some problems with unknown, unnatural and uncomfortable noises, from mild to serious. Around 20% may have serious problems, and around 2% may suffer in the most serious and harmful way. This problem can arise at any age.
This means that the other half will not experience problems.
The point is, that you never know beforehand which group your pet is in. Will your pet or animal be free of these problems, or will problems will develop should the animal be facing an unfavorable noise situation?
If you do noise phobia therapy, and your pet is free from these problems, is it because the therapy was working, or is it because your pet wasn't sensitive to this in the first place?
You don't know that really.
If you decide you will not do noise phobia therapy, will your pet have problems during its life? You don't know that either.
Doing noise phobia therapy to prevent a possible problem in the future, preferably from young age but also at any age, is a prudent and responsible thing to do for your pet, just like many other things that people see as being a natural thing to do.
This is in many ways similar to when you leave your home for the day, you make sure that all windows are closed, and doors are closed and locked. Should a burglar come during the day, ensuring this will reduce the likelihood of burglary. People don't generally leave all windows open and doors unlocked or even open. If someone leaves the windows open and doors unlocked, will there be burglary during that day? That is unknown. If someone has left windows open and doors unlocked, and at the end of the day the person returns and no burglar has broken in, was it okay not to lock the doors? Would it have been a mistake to lock the doors and close windows, since it turned out that no one broke into the house during that day? Few people will probably think in that way.
Doing noise phobia therapy to prevent possible problems is like locking the door to prevent the "burglar" noise fear or noise phobia to enter the "house" of your pet.
If your pet or animal has these problems, then it is imperative to do this. However, a 100% success can never be promised, because there are several things that can affect the success, and only one of them revolves around the noise phobia therapy solution itself, as is further explained in the box next above this one, "Is 100% success certain?"
Extensive research has been done throughout the years and even decades on noise phobia therapy, desensitization and habituation, to prove it's effectiveness to prevent or cure these problems in pets and animals (horses for instance). This is for instance mentioned here, where it says "Desensitization and habituation methods have been widely studied (Watts, 1971; Watts, 1979 & Lader, 1968) and are proven to be effective in the management of behavioral problems in animals.".
WeStopFear is basically a noise phobia therapy, and the animal has a similar experience from WeStopFear and other conventional solutions that have been available before. The difference is in the Natural Intervals that add silences of random length between the therapy noises, to make the process more natural and more bearable, (in real life, these noises don't appear in a constant succession, one after the other, and therefore the Natural Intervals were developed to better imitate reality).
The WeStopFear solution, i.e. the structural innovations in the process design, or the steps that users need to implement to deliver the noise phobia therapy to the animal, has not been clinically tested. The innovations are mostly based on logical thinking and common sense, as is described above.
It would be interesting to have the method tested by professionals or scientists. Results from such tests will surely be posted here on the website if and when that happens.
However, here it is necessary to understand what should be tested and what not. For instance, the sound files themselves that are used here are not a fixed part of the system. If someone concludes that a sound file is not of a sufficient quality, then it is easy to remove the sound file and add another one, should a better sound file be available.
What the system is about is largely the organization and process design, how the therapy process is conducted, and how sound files with different inherent loudness or volume level are prepared and made available successively during the process, i.e. where the handler has access to very low loudness levels at the start, and has access to full loudness levels only after some time has passed and the handler has gone through the first steps where lower loudness levels are available.
Also, the success level of doing this is based on various factors, as you can read more about in the FAQ item above "Is 100% success certain?"
The WeStopFear solution is free to use. It is a wholly self-service solution where the user is responsible for implementing the therapy.
There is not a personal support or service for individual users.
This means there is no free, person-to-person, coaching available.
To maximize the likelihood that the user will do this correctly and successfully, the utmost care has been put into letting the solution be as well developed and the instructions to be as comprehensive as possible, and there will be continuous development on that, as much as is possible regarding time and economic restraints.
If a user thinks that something is missing or can be improved, then users can submit questions and suggestions inside the member's area. All suggestions will be considered, and additions or modifications will be made in the user instructions if that is deemed reasonable and needed.
A solution of offering personal support and one-on-one coaching for an additional fee (the basic service is free) is under consideration and will be introduced should that decision be made.
No. We cannot have people logged in and using the system, without having their email and acceptance that we can contact all our users. So being on the email list is a prerequisite for using the solution.
Users will receive reminders and encouragement, both when using the solution for the first time and also in the future during the maintenance, which should preferably continue throughout the life of the pet. These maintenance reminder emails will be sent as long as WeStopFear is operational.
Along with reminders and encouragements, the emails may also contain helpful information, special offers and discount codes, so receiving the emails has great benefits too.
We offer our users the possibility of telling their pet and animal owning friends about WeStopFear, through a special email connection administered by UpViral.
By this they are helping other pets and animals, as many pet owners would undoubtedly like to do noise phobia therapy for their pets, but they don't know about the method.
In return for doing this, the users receive certain benefits: Information forms, access to a streaming player to select and play individual sounds on each Step page, and more.
It is under consideration to offer a Comprehensive program with additional features, for a modest extra fee (the basic WeStopFear solution is free to use). The "tell about" benefits would be included in that program. This will be introduced if and when that will be done.
So those who don't send "tell about" notifications to people they know who are pet or animal owners, will not receive the benefits.
About the reviews: The reviews are about the solution on the website Flugeldahljod.com which was created for Icelandic pet owners to test the Simple Secure Steps innovation for fear of fireworks sounds, and the two US reviews are about the program as it was being developed. Reviews of WeStopFear will be asked for from users and will be posted as soon as they are available.
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