Everybody thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure that she is just terrified and not 'trying it on' - when she was a pup noise didn't bother her but having lived through 3 years of Diwali fireworks I can't blame her - around us (in West London) they go on for about 2 weeks sometimes from as soon as it gets dark until 2 or 3 in the morning! Hopefully not too many this weekend for Guy Fawkes though!

Her fear of noise has escalated over the last 3 years until now any loud noise seems to scare her stiff! Even to the extent that she now won't poo in the garden because something has frightened her - thus not going for a walk is not an option! Have managed to walk her morning and night this week - she is quite happy if I take her somewhere in the car and then put the lead on - but in the house she's not even keen on the lead - runs and hides when I get it out.

As long as she has a ball to chase when she is out she doesn't seem too worried.

Have tried a DAP diffuser which I got from the vet but that didn't seem to have any effect - so I think a behaviourist is my next step. Just not sure if a noise CD will work - she seems to know whether the noise is 'real' or not as she quite happily ignores foreworks/thunder etc. if they are on the TV.

Anyway it was fantastic to have so many replies and suggestions