Dogs afraid of thunder
Fear of thunder is a common phobia in dogs. It is usually
marked by hiding, whining, barking, pawing or even urination.
No one is exactly sure what makes dogs afraid of thunder. It
does seem to be more common in some breeds than others.
Anxiety about thunder is difficult to treat but it is
important to try because the anxiety usually gets progressively
more pronounced with age.
A dog who suffers from a fear of thunderstorms may begin to
display anxious behaviour long before the thunder begins. Rain
on the roof of the house, bright flashes of light or even the
drop in air pressure before a storm may be enough to trigger an
anxious response. A fear of fireworks is also common in dogs
that are afraid of thunder.
Don't punish or cuddle
When dealing with this phobia it is important not to punish
your dog for being anxious nor cuddle him too much as this can
exacerbate the problem. Punishing the dog will only make him
more afraid and anxious, since he will associate thunder not
just with fear but punishment as well.
Cuddling or comforting your dog too much is also inadvisable
because it teaches your dog that his anxious behaviour is
appropriate and pleasing to you.
Safe and sound
One of the first things to do for a dog that is afraid of
thunder is provide him with a safe place to go during the
storm. Dog crates (used for transporting dogs), under a bed or
a chair are common choices of a hiding place for a dog. Your
dog chooses these locations because they make him feel
protected and the noise that frightens him is muffled. If your
dog has not already picked out a place, provide one. You may
want to leave a couple treats in it to encourage him to go
there during a storm.
Providing a safe spot for your dog to go during a storm
helps with some of the signs of anxiety but does not get to the
root cause of the problem. This is a more difficult task and
one for which you probably want the help of your veterinarian
or a behaviour specialist. The key is to desensitise your dog
to the sound of thunder or the other stimuli associated with
thunder. The earlier you begin treatment, the quicker you will
see positive results.
Familiarity breeds contentment
Desensitisation needs to be done gradually. Basically you
want to get your dog used to the sound of thunder and see it as
normal. This is usually done by playing recorded thunder at low
volume and in short intervals.
The thunder sound should come irregularly to simulate real
thunder. While you're doing this monitor your dog's behaviour.
Try and distract him while the noise is present by playing
fetch or engaging in some sort of enjoyable activity. If your
dog is too frightened to participate then you need to turn down
the intensity of your thunder stimulus and try again later.
This may be a long process requiring a lot of patience but
in the end your dog will be much more comfortable during a
storm.