Is your gun shy dog in danger? Does he or she run and hide, escape, or destroy your furniture during thunderstorms? Here are six dog safety tips to help you protect your fearful pet.

Most people have heard of gun shy dogs. It’s really a misnomer, because they aren’t afraid of guns as such. They’re afraid of any loud noises that resemble a gun being shot. This includes vehicles backfiring, fireworks, thunderstorms and, of course, gunfire.

Many gun shy dogs have been seriously injured and even killed when fireworks displays have scared them. Their first instinct is to run and, unfortunately, that often means running into the path of an oncoming vehicle.