Easing Thunderstorm Fears
By Kristy Alee, Certified Canine Trainer & Behavior Specialist, ABC Pet Resort & Spa
April showers bring to mind blooming flowers and chirping birds. However, for some of our canine friends, it brings a sense of panic. Many dogs suffer from what is termed “thunderstorm phobia”. What exactly is this phobia and how does your dog develop it? Thunder phobia in dogs can range from a mild fear response of panting and pacing, to an extreme agitation where they become destructive. Phobias can develop from a single experience or from repetitive exposure to a fearful stimulus. Some dogs are genetically predisposed to develop this fear and or have never been exposed to the stimuli as a puppy. Others associate a traumatic experience they had with the stimulus. Meaning, your dog suffered an unpleasant experience during a thunderstorm. With repetitive exposure to unpleasant events, dogs become more fearful and reactive when the behavior is reinforced. As well -intentioned owners, we try to help our dogs during these times by giving them attention and affection. Unfortunately these reactions cause our dogs to feel more anxious and fearful.
So what do you do when your dog begins to tremble and claw at your doors? There are many ways to work with dogs who have thunder phobia. Each dog is an individual, so what works for one may not work for another. Those unfortunate dogs that experience extreme reactions often need professional intervention from a veterinarian. Since we are unable to control the weather, drug therapy often helps dogs cope during these events.
If you want to help your dog yourself, a program involving desensitization and counter-conditioning can help retrain your dog. Your goal during this process is to gradually change your dog’s unwanted behavior to a more desirable one. First, you need to find out what stimuli are responsible for the phobic behavior. It could be one of several including lightning, loud thunder noise, darkness, or simply black clouds and rain. Unfortunately, many aspects of a storm are difficult to recreate. If noise is the issue, then begin by reproducing the sound of a thunderstorm. Visit www.legacycanine.com for a great CD. If you are using a recorded version of a thunderstorm, you first need to make sure that it does indeed illicit the fear response in your dog. Begin by playing the storm noise at a low level , one that does not illicit the behavior. Use a high-valued treat to reward. You also want to work on getting your dog to lie quietly in his favorite resting place while you are treat-rewarding. If your dog loves his tennis ball more, try playing games with his favorite toy. Practice short sessions giving treats to your dog for each calm behavior. You want to teach your dog to associate positive things with low levels of the feared stimulus. Be sure to ONLY reward your dog when he is calm and showing no signs of fear or anxiety. Gradually, you will increase the volume so that your dog learns to tolerate the storm. If you see a fearful response during this period, you have moved too fast and need to back up.
Some of our dogs actually react to the drop in barometric pressure and or the static electrical charges in the atmosphere. If your dog is hiding behind the toilet or bathtub, they are using that area as a grounding mechanism to not feel these changes. Try placing your dog into the bathtub with a comfortable bed until the storm ends. There are also doggy protective capes that have a metallic lining to help discharge the dogs’ fur (www.stormdefender.com). A cheaper version involves rubbing your dog down with an unscented dryer sheet to get rid of that fur rising static!
Developing a calm environment with the use of aromatherapy can also be helpful. Mix lavender essential oil with water in a spray bottle and spray it into the air. You can also make a bandanna wrapped in dried/fresh lavender and chamomile to tie around your dog’s neck during the storms. There are several recommended homeopathic remedies on the market including “Rescue Remedy” and “Calm Down.” These are drops that can be added to your dog’s water and or placed directly into the mouth during the event. The use of DAP, the Dog Appeasing Pheromone, has been successful for some dogs. It is a replication of the soothing maternal signal. Spray DAP into the air or even on your pet’s bedding during a storm. Find your dog’s safe place. Many dogs like to retreat to a closet or even behind furniture. Make these areas accessible to your dog during these events. Play soothing music and or a white noise to help drown out the sound of thunder.
Remember never to reinforce your dogs anxiety and fear with petting and coddling voices. Never punish your dog for feeling fear. Keep yourself calm and quiet, and your dog will follow in your footsteps.
Found In: Training
