How To Soundproof A Dog Crate (Is It Really Possible?)

Dog owners often have concerns about loud noises and how they affect their dogs. People use various methods to protect their dogs, especially during thunderstorms or celebrations with fireworks displays. Some owners believe they can protect their pup from these noises by soundproofing their crate. However, soundproofing your dog’s crate against low-frequency sounds like thunder or even fireworks is a nearly impossible task. Wondering how to soundproof a dog crate? Here’s what you need to know: 

1. Soundproofing an area requires a lot of space and the material is extremely bulky.
2. You would have to build a new room around your dog’s crate with walls that are thicker than the exterior walls of a home.
3. If you could soundproof your dog’s crate it would no longer be portable.
4. You can’t soundproof your dog’s crate against low-frequency sounds like fireworks displays or thunderstorms.
5. Pet supply companies currently don’t make crates that are soundproof.

Sound And How It Travels

Sound is transmitted into a home by different paths and can penetrate anything an architect can build. The most common ways noise penetrates into a space:

Noise that’s airborne outside a room makes a common wall vibrate. The vibration causes the sound to radiate into other rooms. Noise that originates in the vibration of a solid structure makes surfaces in a room vibrate. Noise has a way of becoming airborne and needs to find a path around surfaces that are isolated like a fake ceiling that’s been lowered to make a room appear smaller or crawl spaces. Sound can penetrate and cause vibrations in:

1. Poor seals between walla, ceilings, and floors
2. Gaps around wall penetrations like doors or windows
3. Electrical outlets installed back-to-back

The bottom line is that sound can penetrate into houses, rooms, and dog crates in a variety of ways. If your wire, wood, or plastic dog crates sits in a room, how could all the paths including the door and floor be blocked to keep sound from penetrating into the crate? 

The Way Soundproofing Works

When a space is being soundproofed different specialty materials must be incorporated. The materials you use must be very dense and can be expensive. The reason for the density is that sound can travel straight from the exterior walls and the floor to the interior of the building through building materials. To simplify it, This means that the materials have to be decoupled to break up the path with a staggered or double-stud installation. Sound transmits well through normal-style walls even when there’s insulation in pockets of air. The air pockets can resonate with sound at low frequencies. 

When you use some type of barrier to soundproof a dog crate, you would have to isolate the roof and walls of the crate by constructing a structure around the crate. Another problem with barring noise for a dog crate using a barrier method is that you’d have to isolate the crate from the floor with a large barrier.

An example is a World War II bunker. Even though the bunkers were constructed with 8-inch concrete blocks, the sound of thunder could penetrate through the thick walls of the structure. Engineers compute how sound travels according to the materials that are used and publish the findings with a Sound Transmission Class or (STC). The rating for one of these bunkers was 57. Frequencies under 125 Hz don’t apply to the ratings, and thunder is within the frequency range. Even with the thick, concrete walls, the sound of thunder could still penetrate. The higher the STC is the better the structure can be soundproofed. The openings for doors and windows would also allow sound to penetrate. 

Absorptive Materials And Soundproofing A Crate

Acoustic foam, such as that shown in the photo, is not designed to prevent the transmission of sound. It is used to adjust room acoustics. Some dog owners think they can insulate their pup’s crate with acoustic foam or blankets to protect them from loud noises. In a home experiment, a dog owner used two bedspreads to see if they’d prevent low-frequency sounds in minimal amounts from entering the dog crate. 

A Bluetooth speaker and app called White Noise were used in the experiment. Brown noise was used since its frequencies are lower than pink or white noise. The speaker’s position was two feet from the rear of the crate and five feet from where the microphone was situated at the front portion of the crate. 

Covering a dog crate with absorptive materials like blankets or bedspreads can decrease some of the higher frequencies inside the crate. Some dog owners find that dog crate covers provide a cozy atmosphere for their pup. Many dogs seem to feel that way, due to their den instinct. Some dogs just like a space where they can relax quietly. In this case, blankets will serve the purpose. However, they won’t protect your dog from low-frequency noises like thunder or fireworks.

Low Frequencies And Why They Can’t Be Controlled Well

Sound waves vary in size according to frequency. High-frequency waves like hummingbird songs are tiny, fractions of an inch long. But low-frequency waves are huge. Sound waves are measured according to their frequency. High-frequency sound waves like the sound of a hummingbird’s song are very tiny. The sound is small, fractions of an inch. However, lower frequency waves are enormous. These pressure waves can pass through solids, gases, and liquids. They are referred to as longitudinal waves. 

Crates Currently On The Market

Some have promising features. One has a plastic sealing door. One model is off the floor airborne noise can still get in. But none of the crates can handle low-frequency noise—even the best dog crate. It isn’t possible to protect dogs from this type of noise. Marketing the crates in this way is misleading.

Several companies that manufacture dog crates make a claim that their crates protect dogs from loud noises like fireworks, thunder, or loud music [1]. The problem with these crates is the claims that the manufacturers make mislead consumers. Active noise control was designed to lessen low-frequency noises and is the only type of sound control for low frequencies that don’t use some form of bulky material.

If You Really Want To Attempt Soundproofing Your Dog’s Crate

Dog owners can get very creative with ideas for a soundproof dog crate. One concept was covering the pup’s crate with blankets topped with a mass-loaded vinyl sheet to lessen the noise level. The problem is that the vinyl isn’t for use in the household. Another issue is if your dog is a puppy and still in the chewing stage, it could be a serious problem. You might have an emergency visit to the veterinarian. The vinyl is heavy-weight, has an odor, and would make the interior of the crate too hot. 

An engineer that’s a manufacturer of low-frequency sound absorber products was consulted to get his opinion. The engineer designs sound-absorbing materials for rooms. Although the process is expensive, many dog owners would pay the price to keep their dogs from getting stressed. His expert opinion was that there were too many things to consider. The end product would weigh at least 1,000 pounds.  

It’s always a good idea to consult an expert when you need products to improve your dog’s quality of life. An expert in the field can offer recommendations on the best way to keep your dog happy and stress-free. If your dog gets frightened and is ready to bolt whenever there’s a thunderstorm or you know a fireworks display is coming up, the best idea is to talk to your veterinarian. The vet knows your dog and is familiar with its medical history. Vets have good suggestions on how to relieve stress and anxiety in dogs.

FAQs

Can you soundproof a dog crate?

There isn’t a feasible way on how to soundproof a dog crate. The materials needed to soundproof a crate or room are heavy, bulky, and very expensive. Although there are ways to minimize sound, the crate would no longer be portable. Soundproofing the entire crate would mean building an entire room around it, including covering over the top of the crate and the floor. If you want to make your dog feel more secure in its crate, you can purchase a soundproof dog crate cover set that includes a soft mattress to place on the floor, padded bumpers to go around the interior of the crate, and a cover. One of these sets won’t minimize the noise but may make your pup more comfortable. 

How do you make a soundproof dog crate?

You can’t make an entirely soundproof dog crate. Any reputable engineer will tell you that it’s not feasible. If you could have the crate soundproof, it would be very expensive. Some dog owners have resorted to soundproofing a wall between the room the crate is in and another room where the noise originates. However, soundproofing a wall, floor, or ceiling is pricey. Sound can penetrate through air pockets, doors, and windows. 

How do you muffle a dog’s bark?

Make sure your home is airtight. You may install draft stoppers underneath doors. thick, insulated curtains or drapes can help to muffle the sound. Some companies that specialize in acoustics manufacture drapes that absorb sound. Thick carpeting and cushions on the couch and chairs can absorb sound. Another way to discourage your pup from barking when you’re not at home is to limit how much it can see outdoors. Acoustical panels are decorative panels that can hang from your walls and are designed to absorb sound. 

How do you keep a dog kennel quiet?

Dog kennels have cinderblock walls, concrete floors, and amplify sound, especially when all the dogs are barking. The most important thing is don’t yell at the dogs for barking. Dogs see this as the alpha joining in with the noise. Sometimes dogs will perceive yelling as a sign that their human is scared of something like they are and will make even more noise. You should never approach a dog that’s barking out of control. The dog will see this as being rewarded for bad behavior.

Have enclosed, outdoor runs for the dogs to get sufficient exercise during the day. Dogs need playtime and socialization. Exercise is a great stress reliever for a dog. When the weather is too cold to be outside, small groups may have indoor playtime to keep them relaxed and happy. The ideal kennel should be a hexagon or v-shape so all the dogs can see entries. Offsetting kennel run doors can prevent fence fights and bark.

Dogs that tend to bark at everything should never be placed in kennels near entryways or doors. Shy dogs should be put in kennels near doorways so they can learn to interact with visitors. Barkers will get all the other dogs barking. However, they’re less likely to get noisy if they aren’t close to doorways. Always keep a supply of tasty treats to reward the dogs for good behavior.