Every day around pets is different and as we are heading into the storm season it is pretty important that we understand the issues before we decide that our dog is storm phobic. For some of us our dogs are and we didn’t deliberately do anything that would make them scared of storms it just happened, and for these dogs some of the consequences are scary. Escapism, self harm and causing themselves and their owners a whole lot of grief.
There are many remedies out there that can help some better than others, but as I personally haven’t had to use any remedies I haven’t got an opinion on any of them.
Medical help can help some animals be calmer, but solution such as short term valium or sedation for your dog only work if you are home to deliver it as the storm starts.
For those of us with phobic dogs there are some things that even now you may be able to do, but first we need to understand why the phobias started. In the natural state dogs and their ancestors lived out of doors and didn’t have the luxury of being afraid of loud noises and storms, instead they would have headed for shelter and put them selves away with the pack while the storm passed. would they have been startled by branches falling and crashes and bang, yes we all are but they would have a recovery that helps them to be safer. for some of us and our dogs our recovery time is not great. We end up in an exhausted emotional state for a longer period of time than what is useful for us.
In the wild dog, the startle response keeps them alert and alive, but the recovery time is what makes the difference in sensible decisions or aimless running into another risky situation.
So how do we help our dogs to recover quickly. How do we build resilience.
Lots of safe socialisation for a start, socialising our dogs to loud noises, playing games in the storms doing stuff that the dogs enjoy while the storm is on. Alternatively teaching them to put the selves into a den like space ie the crate can help to achieve resilience, imagine if you will that every time a storm comes along you do something really fun, for some people watching the lightening s a great experience, not so much for me because I do not have a feeling of safety, but imagine if someone gave me a hundred dollars every time a storm started flashing, or every time there was a lightening flash, i may not enjoy the lightening but I know something good will come from it.
We cant teach the fun stuff when the anxiety is tightened but we can teach the fun stuff when low level noises and storms are around, perhaps even with a desensitisation tape of storms playing in the back round. We can set the noise playing on low levels and play a game, offer food, or give our furry friend a nice big bone to chew on in their den. Thunder rumbles, oh look a bone magically appeared in my den. We can change the response to the triggers.
One of the reasons our dogs react to storms is because we do. Imagine you and your dog experiencing your first storm together, it is a big one, you start running around closing windows, oh no the washing is on the line have to get that, your dog is cute keen to help you after all you moving fast means fun things are happening, then you accidentally tried on or trip over him, or something crashes and your all of a sudden aware that he is confused or hurt and you turn your attention to making him feel better, your dog has had it’s first lesson in storms mean trouble.
Future storms compound it, next tore she hears the thunder and looks to you to see what you’re going to do, you notice the look and start reassuring her, which convinces her there really is a problem.
It builds as it goes along. Did you do something wrong? Of course not you spoke to and reassured just as you would any person, the problem is communicating with a dog is different from communicating with people and to be reassuring for your dog you need to be upright and direct and confident, not reassuring and gentle and bowed down.
Review your dogs body language when she is scared… hunched up /bowed down, you get the picture.
Need help with your storm phobic dog? Join us at training you can register here: