Chronic exposure to urban noise causes stress in dogs. Understanding this often-overlooked welfare factor helps owners provide appropriate mitigation.
Dogs in urban environments experience chronic acoustic stressors that are largely invisible to owners because they occur continuously rather than episodically. Chronic noise stress suppresses immune function, disrupts sleep, and contributes to anxiety development. Owners in urban environments can mitigate noise stress through white noise provision, sound-proofed rest spaces, and recognizing anxiety signs in their dogs.