What to Do with Dogs Afraid of Thunder Storms
Thunder Storms and Your Dog
At first we didn't know what was wrong, since we adopted our dog only a few months ago, and this season was his first thunder storm season in our home. Then we figured it out. Our dog is afraid of thunder storms. When thunder rumbles he refuses to eat, refuses to go out to the yard for a bathroom break, and refuses to leave our side for an instant. Wherever we go, he goes, finding the nearest table or bed to hide under. If we try to leave the house without him, he desperately tries to follow, pushing us out of his way to get into the garage, or out of the house ahead of us, just so he's not left alone in the thunder storm.
Dogs afraid of thunder storms exhibit many signs of anxiety and even panic. Left alone during a thunder storm, they may try to scratch their way out of a crate or pen, or butt their head against a gate or door. In extreme cases they may injure themselves, and/or damage your home.
We asked our veterinarian if we should try medicating our dog to calm him down. Her response - as long as he's not hurting himself or others, and not damaging our home, it's better to do nothing. If we did medicate him, he'd probably notice the approaching thunder storm first and go into panic mode. At that point, it'd be too late. His system would be so ramped up that it would override the medication until the thunder storm was over. Then he'd "conk out," in her words.
What should you do if your dog is afraid of thunder storms? If he's hurting himself or going wild, you may need to get medication from your veterinarian and proactively medicate your dog whenever the forecast calls for possible thunder storms. Otherwise, you may not need to do much.
Deriving from pack animals, dogs assign their owners the position of lead male and/or lead female in their pack. They take direction from you, the owner, in deciding when things are safe, and when there's reason for fear or anger. As long as your dog is not hurting himself, just displaying anxiety and fearfulness, you don't need to do anything special. Stay around as much as possible, talking calmly, and displaying your lack of concern or fear. Your being calm helps reduce your dog's anxiety, even if he's deathly afraid of thunder storms.
Published by Opher Ganel
Researcher, teacher, photographer, storyteller. Creativity is my escape from the day-to-day. View profile
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17 Comments
Post a CommentBridgette,
The best thing with the level of anxiety you describe it to talk with your vet and use medication proactively, ahead of when the storms arrive. As soon as you hear the forecast calling for thunderstorms, medicate the dog to keep her calm.
Another solution I've heard of, though I have no first-hand experience with, is a sort of tight jacket you put over the dog's body. The theory is that the slight pressure from this jacket calms the dog similarly to how a baby is calmer when swaddled in blankets. Not sure if this will help, but good luck.
We have tried pills, drops, and a collar. We also have tried talking calmly and upbeat. None of this has help. She has ripped up the carpet and many bathrooms if we have forgot to close the doors. We can't always stay home, since we have to work. If we use an inside crate/cage, she will hurt herself by trying to get out. The same thing will happen at times with an outside cage. We dont't know what else to do. She is 9 years old.
I just let my dog hide like she always does- eventually she slinks out of the bedroom and chills with me during storms since she doesn't want to be alone :)
Great article, unfortunately my dog just passed away
I have four dogs of my own, very fortunate not to have this problem. I have had two friends lose their dog's because of a storm. My advice is to make sure they do not get out of the house. The wind from storms can cause a door to open when you aren't aware of it, so be sure that your doors are locked. This was the cause of both of my friends losing their best friends.
One thing I also found helpful (surprisingly so) is covering our dog's body and head (but not his eyes) with a blanket. We jokingly refer to the blanket as his magic thunder shield. He seems less nervous when covered like that.
This is excellent information. Our dog is also scared of thunderstorms. She likes to go into the basement when we have a thundertorm.
Great pet article!
Great article, my ex-husband has a dog that is absolutely terrified of thunder storms, I will be sending him the link to this.
Nice article on a topic I think many of us can relate to!