What to do if the dog is afraid of thunderstorms?

Note that the perception of dogs is different from ours with you. If only a very loud and unexpected clap of thunder can make you and me shudder, then dogs can be sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure. Anxiety and anxiety can be caused by gusty winds and approaching dark clouds.

Dogs are not so much afraid of the thunderstorm itself, but rather a sudden unusual event in general, for which the pet is not ready. The components of this natural phenomenon can cause fear. Four-legged friends are often afraid of loud sharp sounds (thunder, rain noise), bright flashes of light, similar to fireworks.

If a dog just before a thunderstorm or during a thunderstorm trembles, whines, barks, tries to hide in a secluded corner to create a sense of security, then he is afraid of a thunderstorm. In addition, the dog may walk from corner to corner, drooling profusely, and involuntary defecation or urination may occur. There is no doubt that the dog is scared, she is stressed.

First of all, create a barrier between the weather and your pet. Curtain curtains. Turn on pleasant background music that will distract attention from the thunder outside the window.

How to wean a dog from being afraid of thunderstorms? To show by personal example that a thunderstorm does not scare you.

Remain calm and confident. Offer your pet some interesting joint activity. Distract your four-legged friend with toys and active games together. Suitable fetch games, tug games – those in which constant interaction between the owner and the pet plays a key role. Have you noticed that the dog has forgotten about the thunderstorm and is having fun playing with you? Praise, give a treat.

However, never give a treat to a dog in a moment of panic and fright. This will only reinforce her restless behavior. Ignore unwanted behavior, otherwise the next time the cunning pet will be ready to feign fear, just to get more treats and attention.

What, from a human point of view, can be interpreted as an attempt to console, reassure, for a pet will mean “The owner approves of such behavior, they praise me and feed me goodies when I am shaking with fear.” Do not create such incorrect associations in the dog, it will be more difficult to retrain a four-legged friend.

Do not demand too much from your ward. If it is easier for the dog not to play with you during a thunderstorm, but to wait out the attack in his favorite cozy corner, this is normal. Observe where your pet has got into the habit of hiding during a thunderstorm, and bring a comfortable bed, a blanket, your dog’s favorite toy to this place, put a bowl of clean water. If the option “I’m in the house” is closer to the four-legged friend, let this shelter be as convenient as possible. The main thing is that the dog feels safe.

Fear of thunderstorms in dogs is experienced differently depending on the temperament and size of the pet. If we are talking about a large dog with nerves of steel, it will be enough for you to close the curtains, put on music and calmly go about your business, ignore the thunderstorm, your pet will be fine. If we are talking about a brave enough, but miniature dog, this will not be enough. Even if there are no obvious signs of anxiety, it is better to offer the dog some exciting activity. Why not snuggle up on the couch or sing along to some of your favorite commands? Then the storm will definitely fade into the background.

It is better to teach your puppy to loud sounds from childhood. Then there will be no problems with a thunderstorm.

If your pet is especially sensitive, it makes sense to start preparing for the season of thunder and lightning in advance. Find a long audio recording of the sounds of thunder and rain, from around the beginning of April, play this recording in the house for a couple of hours a day. At first it is quiet, so that the pet notices the presence of thunder sounds, but is not afraid of them. After a while, slowly, little by little, increase the volume of the audio. Ideally, when the dog encounters a real thunderstorm outside the window, he will not show much anxiety, as he has already heard all this dozens of times through the speakers in your house.

How to wean a dog from being afraid of thunderstorms with the help of positive associations? You can develop a certain habit. Watch the weather forecast. As soon as the clouds begin to gather, go outside with the dog, work out the command, reward the pet with a treat. Then go to the house. Note that a dog will develop a positive association with cloudy weather only if you repeat this trick every time before bad weather.

If all of the above ways to help your dog overcome their fear of thunderstorms do not help, seek help from a zoopsychologist. It is possible that the dog, especially if it is from a shelter, has experienced extremely negative experiences associated with a thunderstorm in the past. Your detailed story about the life, habits, habits of the dog will help the specialist to understand the situation and identify some problems hidden from the eyes of even the most attentive owners.

In the most extreme case, even if classes with a zoopsychologist did not give the desired result, seek the advice of a veterinarian. Your veterinarian will select a sedative for your pet and explain how to use it. However, we urge you to leave the option with medicines as a last resort and use medicines only as prescribed by a veterinarian.

The most important thing is not to ignore the state of the pet, but to work with his fears. Most likely, when a four-legged friend understands that nothing terrible is happening around, and a kind, caring owner is always there and will always support him, the problem of fear of a thunderstorm will be left behind. 

We wish you and your pets to always overcome any difficulties with joint efforts!