Our Summer has been lovely and hot but with it has come some afternoon thunderstorms – and night time ones too.

I personally love a good thunderstorm.

I love the lightening and how it can brighten up the night sky.

To me it’s nature putting on a fine show.

HOWEVER, not everyone loves a thunderstorm.

Namely our dogs!

For some dogs it’s a horrifically harrowing time.

Dogs can sense a thunderstorm coming way before we can !

Whether it’s through their sense of smell and the change in environmental smells or vibrations through the ground, they can tell.

If  a dog who is booked into my dog salon for grooming is scared of thunderstorms, and one is on it’s way, I’ll reschedule.

There’s no point putting them through grooming AND a thunderstorm as well.   It’s too distressing!

We want to try and keep our dogs as comfortable as we can during a thunderstorm.

If you have a dog that’s scared of thunderstorms, let us know what you do for your dog during that time.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR DOG IS SCARED OF THUNDERSTORMS?

Some dogs can show all sorts of different behaviours when it comes to thunderstorms.

Our next door neighbour’s Border Collie use to run around in the rain barking at the storm!

Some dogs will cower and try to hide in places like wardrobes, behind the toilet, under the bed – somewhere they feel safe.

Signs your dog can show when scared of thunderstorms:

• your dog may start to whine or even howl;
• the whining may turn into barking;
• they might start looking for a place to hide;
• they might urinate in places they don’t normally;
• tail between their legs;
• start panting excessively;
• start pacing around;
• yawning or lip licking;
• cowering down, with head down and ears back;
• shaking;
• not eating;
• running in the back yard barking at the storm;
• they may follow you around more than usual;
• anxiety ridden behaviour like nervous destructive chewing – Billy scratched through our wall right through to the timber frame during a thunderstorm when we weren’t home!!

It’s important to notice the change in behaviour your dog displays when there’s a thunderstorm coming!

This way you can note it down and be aware of it.

NOTE – it’s important to be patient and understanding.  If you’re not home and your dog has become destructive during the storm, be aware the destruction is not from your dog being naughty it’s because of fear.

When Billy scratched through our wall the first thing I did was to see if he was okay!  Then I noted that where he had scratched was near the front door.  The door we walked out of to leave him.

It was almost as if he was scratching to get through so he could get out and find us.  He could’ve ripped up the lounge or pillows or done anything else but his attention was at the back of the front door!

WHY IS MY DOG AFRAID OF THUNDERSTORMS?

Dogs are amazing beings, their sense of smell is a gazillion times better than ours so they can smell a thunderstorm coming.

Things that can make your dog afraid of thunderstorms:

• changes in the atmosphere – your dog is more aware of the change before it happens than we are;
• wind – wind carries many many different smells and with all of them swirling around, it can send our dogs a bit nuts;
• trees moving around – the constant movement may send your dog into a frenzy;
• rain – some dogs don’t like the sound of rain on the roof, or getting wet;
• hail – hard balls of ice falling from the sky can be very scary for some dogs;
• the sky lighting up with lightening – usually lightening has electricity connected to it and dogs can sense this also which can make for a scary time for them;
• vibrations in the ground – this can be scary for your dog also;
• loud bangs – for some dogs loud bangs are enough on their own but add everything else and this is a recipe for a fearful time.

We had a tree struck by lightening out the front of our house a few years ago, February 2021 to be exact and I can still remember the loudest of loud noises that made as well as making the ground jump……………it was crazy.

It also burnt our tree to a crisp and we had to sadly get it removed because of the big crack down the middle of it!

While it was exhilarating for a storm lover, it was extremely terrifying for any dog within close proximity.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG IS SCARED OF THUNDERSTORMS?

With all the different things that can happen in the environment during a thunderstorm, it’s no wonder some dogs are afraid.

Different dogs respond to different things so here’s some ideas to try during a thunderstorm:

• make sure they have a safe comfortable place to go to preferably inside out of the storm.  They may prefer under the bed, in a wardrobe, somewhere dark and less noisy.  Follow your dog and see where they go during the storm and where they feel safe.  Don’t force them out of their comfort zone during a storm, it’s where they feel safe from the storm.
• comfort your dog but don’t coddle them – it’s great if you can be there with your dog during a storm to offer some comfort, but coddling them too much will reward their scared behaviour.  Your dog will then think this behaviour is good to have during a storm.  Let your dog know they are okay and nothing bad is going to happen to them but don’t over do it.
• distract your dog – if your dog is only responding to the storm because there’s no other distraction, then play with your dog.  Don’t force them only do this if they’re up for it.  This is only if your dog is mildly scared and is up for play during the storm.
• try to be home when there’s a storm – I know this can be easier said than done because sometimes storms come up and we’re all at work etc.  If you can’t get home see if a neighbour or friend or someone your dog trusts can check on them during the storm.
• let your dog be near you – if you can be home during a storm – just laying on the bed or lounge with your dog might be enough for them.
• close the blinds/curtains – so your dog can’t see the storm, trying to take the edge off it.
• turn on the TV or  calming music to try to distract from the storm noise – however you don’t want to overload your dog with too much noise either so if it’s not working then obviously don’t do it;
• cameras if you are out during a storm – we have camera’s throughout the house, so if we are out we can log in and see what Billy is doing.  We don’t talk to him through the camera as it can cause him more anxiety.  However if your dog is displaying fear during the storm hearing your voice may comfort them during that time.
• make sure  your fences are secure – if your dog is outside or can go outside during a storm, make sure your fences are all secure.  So many dogs try to escape during thunderstorms.  Make sure your dog can’t escape your yard or house.

Items you can use during a thunderstorm for your dog:

• thunder shirts – these are like a dog jumper but they wrap around your dog – almost like they’re in a permanent hug;
• anxiety beds – this can give your dog somewhere comfy to lay during the storm;
• noise cancelling headphones/soft ear muffs – now your dog may hate having something on their head so if this is the case don’t bother, it may make them worse;
• a happy hoodie – we use these for grooming, they cover the dogs ears in the bath, and will be softer to use than headphones, the idea is to muffle the sound of the storm;
• essential oils – be very careful here, especially if you’ve never used oils before.  Lavender is meant to be a good calming essential oil – however you want an organic oil.  There are companies who already have calming sprays made up.  DO NOT spray it directly onto your dog, you could spray it on a bandana (not on the side that touches their skin) and place it around your dog’s neck so the smell is enough to calm them.  Or spray it around their bed, not directly onto it.  Just enough so they can smell it.
• pheromone products – you can buy these from your pet stores.  The idea is they put out the pheromones of the whelping mother and this should comfort your dog as well.
• medications – depending on your dog’s level of fear and anxiety during a storm, the only option may be medication just for the duration of the storm;
• calming treats – again, this will depend on your dog’s level of fear during the storm as to whether they will work or not.

This will all depend on how fearful your dog is during a thunderstorm.

You may need to use a few of the above techniques in conjunction with each other.

It’s important to know your dog’s behaviour and find out what works for them.

DESENSITIZATION TECHNIQUES TO TRY!

Desensitization is when you slowly make the thing your dog is fearful of – no big deal anymore.

So for instance we’re talking about thunderstorms.

When there is no thunderstorm, you could play thunderstorm noises, low at first and see how your dog responds.

Each time they don’t respond you can reward them at first with treats, and eventually with phrasings words like good boy/girl etc.

Progressively you would play the thunderstorm noises louder and each time your dog doesn’t respond you reward them.

The idea is to try to get them to realize it’s no big deal.

However also recognize, thunderstorm music is just a start, because there’s thunderstorm music and there’s an actual thunderstorm.

It takes time and patience.

There are Behavioural Veterinarians you can seek that can help you as well as trusted Dog Trainers you can try also.

To find them just ask on your local community Facebook Page or ask other dog owners.

For me – word of mouth is the best advertising because the people you’re speaking with are those who have experienced the services you’re asking about.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

Thunderstorms can be so fearful for our dogs.

It’s important to be aware of our dog’s behaviour during the thunderstorm and to comfort them during these times but not coddle them.

There are many things to try, you just have to see what works best for your dog and their level of fear during the storm.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW – HOW YOUR DOG HANDLES THUNDERSTORMS AND WHAT YOU DO TO COMFORT THEM?