Tame Your Dog's Stormy Weather Fears

By Hope Schultz for WebVet.com

old_english_sheepdog
old_english_sheepdog



Years ago I rescued an Old English Sheepdog, whom I named Winston. He was a relatively quiet, reflective guy and nothing much seemed to faze him. Or so I thought. I quickly learned that Winston had a pretty intense fear of thunderstorms and all that came with them. When it would storm, in his desire to seek refuge either in my shower stall or in the depths of my closet, Winny could become quite destructive.

As you can imagine, this caused some major discourse between me and my then-boyfriend as we had very different approaches on how to handle Winny's fears. My ex believed in reprimanding him for his fear (now you know why he's the ex). I, on the other hand, went the path of coddling and comforting him even to the extent of crawling into the back of the closet with him in an effort to calm his compulsive shaking. To be totally honest, neither of these approaches worked, predominantly because neither approach was the right way to handle the situation.

So what's a dog parent to do?

Let's start by looking at what could be causing this extreme fear in our dogs, beyond the clapping thunder:

  • Change in atmospheric pressure (dogs are way more sensitive to this than humans, thus why they can sense a storm coming)

  • The sky lights up like the Fourth of July

  • Static electricity builds up and can shock dogs, much like it shocks humans

  • Rain relentlessly pounds down

  • The smell of the air changes dramatically (a dog's sense of smell is 50X more powerful than humans)


Now, let's take a look at what the experts cite as the best methods for dealing with your dog's fear and anxiety:

  • If you have a puppy or young dog, it's important to deal with this early on as fear of thunderstorms is easier to prevent than cure. During a storm, try to distract your dog with a new toy, a game or by teaching him a new trick

  • If you have an older dog, you might want to talk with your vet about prescribing a mild sedative

  • Also consider consulting a veterinary behaviorist who will work with you on a treatment plan that may include a combination of medication, pheromones, and other methods of counter conditioning.

The most important thing to remember is that your dog's fears are not unfounded and they should be taken seriously. Always consult with your vet as the proper care and treatment will help ensure the long-term happiness and well-being of both you and your dog.

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