Dog lover, does your dog have this problem

[Lab4games]

afraid of thunder is not a major issue at all.

unless there is real danger of him injuring or killing himself...

 

otherwise just distract him with toy/food whatever u can during thunder. get his attention away from the thunder.

 

if u hug him and feel sorry for him during thunderstorm, he will associate the fear of thunderstorm and know that it is ok to fear and seek refuge with u. then he will never overcome this fear.

 

 

[Clarence07]

I once posed this question to a Vet.

he suggested getting those CDs which has 'thunder' sound and play it often at home.

i have not tried it out yet and i am not sure how effective it is.

when i am not home, i would usually leave the radio on for my doggie.

 

[Torquey]

try bach flower remedy.

 

The Bach flower essences is a kind of therapy developed for humans but can be used for animals also.

They are extracts from flowers and are used to treat physical, mental or emotional state of mind.

 

It comes in liquid form in a small bottle. Just one or two drops in your pet's bowl of water is good enuf.

 

It used to be available from a shop in Centrepoint but cant find it there anymore.

Can try asking shops selling essential oils / aromatheraphy (for humans that is).

 

 

 

[Altivo]

afraid of thunder is not a major issue at all.

unless there is real danger of him injuring or killing himself...

 

otherwise just distract him with toy/food whatever u can during thunder. get his attention away from the thunder.

 

if u hug him and feel sorry for him during thunderstorm, he will associate the fear of thunderstorm and know that it is ok to fear and seek refuge with u. then he will never overcome this fear.

 

that is very true....

 

[Altivo]

Thunderstorms

 

Fear of thunderstorms is common in dogs, and tends to get worse as they age. It is partly genetic. While some aspects of this problem remain a mystery, we know a lot that can make life easier for thunderstorm-phobic dogs and their families. Best of all, you may be able to help your dog avoid developing this fear in the first place.

Prevention and Precautions

 

Why do dogs fear thunderstorms? Too many dogs are left outdoors during storms, sometimes with no shelter at all. Anyone would be scared with good reason. Keep your dog inside during storms.

If you want to take your dog outdoors during a storm, do it safely. Some dogs do better when protected by raincoats and boots. Make the trip outside a fun adventure or calm occasion rather than a stressful experience. Special rewards for pottying outside in the rain are a good idea. Make storms occasion for special times with your dog to create positive associations. Games, treats and special activities are time well spent during storms.

 

Don't be tense during storms. Be upbeat with the dog, not impatient or pitying with your touch or your voice. The dog will pick up on your emotions and body language, so make them confident.

 

Dogs feel "rewarded" for fearful behavior if you pet and praise when the dog is behaving fearfully. Rewarding a behavior increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring more often, even when the individual is not conscious of being rewarded for it. Give rewards when the dog is behaving confidently, calmly, or happily. Work with your dog to develop ways to elicit these behaviors so that you can do so during storms and then reward. This is powerful training that will help you and your dog in all aspects of life.

 

Be aware that this fear can be "contagious" from one dog to another. This makes it all the more important to handle both the fearful dog and a new dog carefully, so that you improve how the dogs feel about storms rather than letting the fear get worse, or even feeding it by how you manage the dogs.

 

Causes and Triggers

 

Dogs react to a variety of things associated with storms, and it helps to know what these are for your dog. You may never know them all, but at least a general understanding will help you understand the extent of this fear.

 

The loud noise is scary to some dogs, and the dog can hear it at a much greater distance than humans can. The dog has early audio warning of an approaching storm, and most storm-phobic dogs eventually start reacting long before the sounds are loud.

 

Electricity in the air may be a major factor in dog storm phobia. Is there something unpleasant about this to the dog's sensations? Does it perhaps become even scarier to a dog who has been trained with an electronic collar, or frightened by a static shock in everyday life? We have a lot more questions about the effect of electricity on dogs than we have answers.

 

The smell of the air changes when a storm approaches, and of course the keen nose of a dog detects this early. The air pressure changes, too, and a dog's ears are more sensitive to pressure changes than most people. In some cases, it might hurt.

 

The family may change routine when a storm is approaching. If the family is fearful, gets irritable with the dog, or treats the dog in some unpleasant manner during this time (puts the dog outside, for example), that could feed the dog's fear.

 

Anything that has become associated in the dog's experience with thunderstorms can become a trigger for the fear. So, anytime one of these triggers happens is an opportunity for you to help your dog overcome the fear.

 

For the More Severe Cases

 

Veterinarians, veterinary behavior specialists, and dog families deal with thunderstorm fears as this problem is so common. Different things seem to help different dogs. Beyond the above tactics, here are some things you may decide to try:

 

-A quiet, dark, sheltered refuge. Your dog may find the preferred spot independently, leaving you to simply make sure it stays consistently available to the dog. Chosen places dogs include basements, bathrooms (sometimes in the bathtub), closets, and crates that are kept in secluded parts of houses.

 

-If your dog becomes frantic and as a result might suffer injury or do damage during a storm, you may need to develop a good means of confining the dog. Sometimes a secluded crate works, if the dog has been conditioned to rest calmly in a crate.

 

-The DAP Diffuser is showing some promising results in calming fearful dogs, and doesn't seem to have negative side effects, so consider setting one up in the area used by the dog.

 

-You and your veterinarian or veterinary behavior specialist may decide to medicate your dog with an anti-anxiety drug for the entire storm season or year-round (these medications generally do not work until the dog has been on them for weeks), or a sedative during storms. Due to the unpredictability of storms, it may not be possible to administer a sedative when it's needed.

 

-For some reason, there are dogs who find it comforting to get under a "security blanket" to combat storm fears. Due to the risk of overheating a dog, don't force this method. You might give it a try, though, monitoring the dog to see if it helps and to find a covering that provides the benefit without excessive heating. Don't leave a dog alone with the covering if the dog is likely to chew and swallow pieces of it.

 

-A behavior specialist can help you work out a behavior modification program to work on this problem. Such a program might include a tape of storm sound effects and training for your dog that you can use when the fears start. Learning more about communicating with your dog and modifying dog behavior in positive ways is always time well spent.

 

Don't take thunderstorm phobia lightly, even if the problem seems minor in your dog. Handled badly by humans, it will get worse, and dogs have been known to jump through glass windows during storms. Some dogs will throw up when it storms. Many dogs have fled fenced yards. This is a major problem that calls for intelligent handling at the first sign. Treat storms as a routine part of life, nothing to fear, and even perhaps occasion for some special times. Do these things before your dog ever shows signs of phobia, and perhaps you'll never experience a serious case.

[Keithhiap]

I ever brought him down a couple of time.

The best part is he does urine and walk normally, but in faster pace.

Once done he will quickly go home.

 

 

[Ngck]

I once posed this question to a Vet.

he suggested getting those CDs which has 'thunder' sound and play it often at home.

i have not tried it out yet and i am not sure how effective it is.

when i am not home, i would usually leave the radio on for my doggie.

 

 

play thunder sound often wait the dog go mad how?

[Yooyoo99]

My 4 month old toy poodle hid at 1 corner of the playpen during a thunderstorm, and shivering as well. I sayang the dog for a while, bao bao a bit, then put it back to the playpen and sit near to it. Also draw the curtains to the window to keep out sights of the lightnings.

 

2nd time thunderstorm (minor storm), it doesn't react as bad. It freezes up for a while, but relaxes when i sit nearby watching tv. It just went to sleep after some time.

 

[Bluepica]

Hi I got my transistor radio at Mustafa, a sony one cost only S$15 , oh buy rechargable batts as well. Cos quite taxing on the batts when u on it at least 12 hours a day. I also got a LED light, those type that u just press and the lights come on.

 

get a radio clock and on the laylio 24hrs a day... electricity consumption is negligible.

use ur Caltex Star points to redeem one from Star shop

 

my dog afraid of Cross.... vampire??

[Unfair]

this is my 3 dog, and the first 2 have no problem except this one.

 

Breed ShiTzu.

 

At puppy stage, whenever there is thunder, he is not afraid.

 

5 years later, he has grown up and changed to afraid of SOUND of thunder.

 

as everyone of us is working. he is lonely at home. Once there is Thunder, he will run around the house, is like searching for an hideout.

 

worst case, he will bang the living room dog, like he is wanting to go out, and run away from the Sound of thunder.

 

Anyone has any resolution for such case or have your dog been behaving similar like mine?

 

Kind of sad for him, while i was working, when i heard thunder, i feel sad for my pet.

 

Haiz

 

omg

i was reading the above, thought its the other dog that should be scared of thunder lol

 

[Clarence07]

Anything in excess is not good. For example, too much dog treats may not be good for the doggie :)

 

I have yet to try that out. I would think in moderation would be good. The idea like some forummers suggested is to condition the dog not to fear the sound by getting him/her used to it. Hence, also rewarding the dog when he/she learns not to fear the sound would also help.

 

[Lab4games]

My 4 month old toy poodle hid at 1 corner of the playpen during a thunderstorm, and shivering as well. I sayang the dog for a while, bao bao a bit, then put it back to the playpen and sit near to it. Also draw the curtains to the window to keep out sights of the lightnings.

 

2nd time thunderstorm (minor storm), it doesn't react as bad. It freezes up for a while, but relaxes when i sit nearby watching tv. It just went to sleep after some time.

 

 

my dog also shiver in the past and find places to hide.

i don't hug him.

 

i got him to follow me around the house to let him know it's perfect safe to be in any part of the house. i throw his fav balls. nothing will work overnight to change his fear. it takes a lot of time n effort.

 

these days he doesn't shiver, but can tell he is still a little worried /afraid of thunder. so it's a marked improvement!

 

found out one night that he slept through the night even though the thunder woke me up many times.

 

 

[Orac]

My sis Jack Russel is a garung dog on normal days.

 

When it rains or thunderstorm... he'll panic and frighten and run around the flat non-stop.

 

Once during a afternoon thunderstorm they caught him stuff his little head in between 2 pillows on mum's bed with his butt poking out only.

 

If wet weather happens in the early morning like 2-3am, even worst, no one can sleep peacefully with this dog running around the house!

 

Seems like all dogs have the same reaction to thunderstorm.

[Donut]

my JRT is very indifferent to thunderstorms. he behave very normally. lucky for me.

 

he's also not scared of heights..... sometimes i wonder if he has some brain damage or not... dunno what is called "danger".....

[B777jubilee]

wahahhaha. ur dog afraid of cross? hee

 

I got 2 Jack Russells.... 1 is damn scared of thunder. 1 totally bo chap when there is thunder. so it differs from dog to dog. my previous dog also not afraid of thunder, but rather he loves to bark in response to it

[Seevic]

this is my 3 dog, and the first 2 have no problem except this one.

 

Breed ShiTzu.

 

At puppy stage, whenever there is thunder, he is not afraid.

 

5 years later, he has grown up and changed to afraid of SOUND of thunder.

 

as everyone of us is working. he is lonely at home. Once there is Thunder, he will run around the house, is like searching for an hideout.

 

worst case, he will bang the living room dog, like he is wanting to go out, and run away from the Sound of thunder.

 

Anyone has any resolution for such case or have your dog been behaving similar like mine?

 

Kind of sad for him, while i was working, when i heard thunder, i feel sad for my pet.

 

Haiz

 

Its normal. Let him slowly get accustomed to it & overcome the fear. Most importantly, dont grab hold of him. Instead let him run to where he wants to. he will usually find his own spot which he likes and feel most comfortable in.

 

 

 

[Blackwind]

this is my 3 dog, and the first 2 have no problem except this one.

 

Breed ShiTzu.

 

At puppy stage, whenever there is thunder, he is not afraid.

 

5 years later, he has grown up and changed to afraid of SOUND of thunder.

 

as everyone of us is working. he is lonely at home. Once there is Thunder, he will run around the house, is like searching for an hideout.

 

worst case, he will bang the living room dog, like he is wanting to go out, and run away from the Sound of thunder.

 

Anyone has any resolution for such case or have your dog been behaving similar like mine?

 

Kind of sad for him, while i was working, when i heard thunder, i feel sad for my pet.

 

Haiz

 

whenever things that scare my dog happens i will IMMEDIATELY put on an act and make it seem like a fun event. when your dog sees u happy he will feel happy too haha

 

the other time i crashed onto my glass rack. the 1m by 1m glass pane landed with a super loud crash on me smashing into a million pieces. i was bleeding badly. my dog saw the whole thing and was super terrified but before he could react i quickly started playing catching with him (he loves playing catching). his fear instantaneously disappeared.

 

thunder use the same trick.

nowadays if got thunder also he will be sleeping with his belly up.

if one of those super loud thunder he will go near the window to get ready to fight with the thunder

 

[Keithhiap]

if saying to condition him, haiz, sad to say, i have move out to Sengkang, living with wife, could not bring him home.

 

even i bring him home, he will miss my mum more then me.

 

for instance before shifted out, when whole family came home from somewhere else, the first thing my dog is search for my mum.

 

but my mum is kind of old already, could not help me in terms of conditioning him.

 

soob soob...