your area, take your dog for a long walk or exercise session so that they are physically tired. Exercise works to reduce stress levels in dogs much like it does in humans and a tired pooch is almost always a calmer pooch.
While the storm is still a long ways away, turn on the TV or radio and gradually increase the volume. This will help drown out the sound of the thunder and hopefully if the storm path is not too close to your house, may work to lessen the impact of the storm altogether.
Distracting your dog during a storm can also help as long as their fear levels are not too high. Close the curtains, keep the volume of the radio or TV up, and have a game of indoor fetch with your dog. Or give him a chew or bone to work right before the storm becomes louder then the TV. Another game that keeps a dog busy is tug-of-war and focused on something other then the storm.
If the storm hits with a vengeance and background noise, darkened rooms, and distraction are no longer working, the next step is to build a ‘safe’ place for your dog. Interior bathrooms and closets are a common place for a dog to hide as the lack of windows hides the lightning strikes and muffles the sound. If your dog chooses the bathroom as his safe place, turn on the overhead fan to further drown out the thunder and make sure there is nothing the dog can get into that could harm him i.e. medicine, razors, cleaners, etc are all put away safely.
Depending on where the closet is located, turn on near by fans, radio or TV to muffle the thunder. Again, look for any potential harmful items in the closet and put up any valuable shoes, belts, and slippers that your dog may damage.
It is vital your dog can get out of their ‘safe’ place so make sure bathroom and closet doors remain open. The feeling of being trapped can heighten your dog’s anxiety even more, causing them to accidentally hurt themselves in an attempt to escape.
Between Storm Behavior Modification for a Dog Scared of Thunder
Although many people believe you can completely desensitize a dog to thunderstorms, if this were true, dogs that live in an area where thunder is common would not be concerned about the mêlée. Instead, dogs that have grown up and lived their entire lives in areas that have frequent thunderstorms can still be scared of thunder.
However, desensitization does work to a degree. There are CDs you can buy that replicate the sounds of a storm or you can make your own by recording the sound of firecrackers going off.
To desensitize your dog:
- Begin playing the recording at a low volume after the dog has been well exercised – feed her, play with her, give her a treat if she is not acting fearful or play a favorite game.
- During the following session, turn the volume up a level and feed or distract in some way
- Each session, increase the volume marginally, allowing her to adjust to the louder storm sounds. Do not increase the volume until she seems completely relaxed with the level and either ignores the sounds entirely or is aware of the commotion but is not bothered or stressed by it. This may take several weeks or even months depending on the severity of the fear.
- If at any time the dog does begin to display fear or anxiety, turn off the recording immediately and give her a break. At the next session, turn the volume down until she no longer reacts and start over.
Talk to your veterinarian about the process of desensitizing your pet to thunder and lightning. There are medications available that help to decrease canine anxiety, allowing the desensitizing process to progress faster and with less stress for both you and your dog! These canine anti-anxiety/anti-depressants are not a quick sedative but take weeks to work at peak efficacy. However, once they begin to work, behavior modification progresses as a faster pace with less speed bumps.
What to do When Your Dog is Scared of Thunder and You have tried Everything
Some dogs that have suffered a traumatic event in conjunction with loud sounds may never fully recover from the experience no matter how hard you try. This can mean they are