tipsthunderstorm

Tips for Dogs Afraid of Thunderstorms

By Kathy Diamond Davis
Author and Trainer

Many dogs are afraid of thunderstorms, and dog owners are often looking for some suggestions on dealing with this problem.

1. Be careful not to comfort your dog in a sympathetic voice when the dog acts afraid. This can make your dog feel even more than there really is something to fear. Instead of a sympathetic voice, use a happy, jolly, playful voice--a hearty voice. This may help give your dog confidence. If you can get your dog to play with you during a storm, that is ideal.

2. Some dogs will need medication to cope with this. Your veterinarian can help there. Also, ask the veterinarian if it would be safe to try Rescue Remedy with your dog. That is not a veterinary medication, but some people report good results from it. Your vet will know if it's okay to try with your dog.

3. Be sure to provide your dog with a safe place to be during storms, and not outside. Many dogs have been lost when they ran from their fenced yards in terror during storms. Your dog may want to rest in a dog crate in a quiet room.

4. Some people also report their dogs do better with some background noise from television or radio, though I've not noticed it made any difference with dogs of my own who were nervous about storms. People also sometimes help these dogs by making an audiotape of thunder noises, and playing it softly, then gradually louder and louder, until the dog gets used to it. That wouldn't fool my dogs, either, but you might want to try it.

I hope you are able to get your dog comfortable about storms. This fear can get worse as a dog ages, until the dog loses hearing. Some dogs will throw up from this fear, and some will break out of houses, crashing through windows or doors. So you do want to help your dog feel better about it.

Kathy Diamond Davis is the author of the book Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others. Should the training articles available here or elsewhere not be effective, contact your veterinarian. Veterinarians not specializing in behavior can eliminate medical causes of behavior problems. If no medical cause is found, your veterinarian can refer you to a colleague who specializes in behavior or a local behaviorist.

This work was originally published by Veterinary InformationNetwork, Inc. (VIN)
and is republished with VIN's permission.