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Is your dog having a bad time during a thunderstorm? Is he completely petrified and leaving you at a loss as to how to handle the situation? As an owner, it can be a little sad to see your pet so anxious.
It is necessary to convey to the animal that the situation is not as threatening as it appears. Plus, if you don’t calm it down, it can cause some damage to items in the house while it’s panicked. So, we’re going to discuss some of the options you have to deal with your dog and reassure him that this too will pass.
Why are dogs afraid of storms?
The main reason a dog panics during a storm is because it doesn’t understand where the noise is coming from. But, beyond that, there are various other triggers that can cause a dog to be afraid.
Reactions to noise may be the result of noise phobia. Noise phobia comes from a dog’s survival instincts, so it may think a fight or flight situation is happening where it needs to protect itself.
It is also sensitized to changes in the behavior of those around it. Dogs can see people scrambling to close the windows, turn off the air conditioner or the TV. This commotion will make it panic.
Dogs are said to be able to sense changes in air pressure. Dogs feel static electricity running through their fur, which adds to their restlessness.
Finally, dogs may respond to certain sounds, which have been linked to genetic fears.depending on dog breed, they may have different levels of anxiety about the storm. This is directly related to the historical evolution of the dog breed.
How to prepare Strom in advance?
If you hear thunderstorms in the forecast, you should take action in advance. Since storms more or less occur in the evening or afternoon, you can take your dog out of the garden at that time. A dog may become more frightened or fearful if left alone during a storm. It could be more relaxing if someone was there to take care of it.
Dogs can also be trained to tolerate scary sounds beforehand.
The technology that must be deployed here is called throttling. Sound recordings that resemble thunder can be played to dogs at a comfortable pitch. While volume needs to be kept to a minimum, it can be increased gradually so that the dog eventually gets used to it. The idea is to desensitize the dog to the fear caused by thunder. Of course, this approach by itself may not be enough; it’s not just the sound that causes panic, but other factors during the storm as well.
7 Tips on How to Calm Your Dog During a Storm
Here are some tips for managing your dog during a storm:
1. Calmly reassure the dog
You can talk to your dog in a soothing tone. Keep the dog close to you; you might pet it a little to let it know it’s fine. Dogs tend to take cues from you that it might calm down.
Also read: How to Soothe an Aggressive Dog (Effective Aggressive Training Tips)
2. Build them a safe little space
During times of stress, it’s inevitable that a dog will go to spaces it feels protected, such as under the bed, in a closet, or in a dark bathroom. You can let it hide where it thinks is safer.Otherwise, you can keeping your dog in a kennel or crate. Consider spreading a thick blanket on one side of it.
3. Put it somewhere soundproof
Choose a room that will successfully isolate sound during a thunderstorm. The room is better with brick walls than wood. If the dog was kept here, it probably wouldn’t be disturbed by the thunderous noise. If you can’t avoid choosing a room with windows, try covering them with heavy drapes or using hardware to create another type of insulation.
4. Distraction
Another tactic is to mask the thunder with other noises. You could try playing something on the stereo or TV, preferably soothing music. Or, if your air conditioner or floor fan is making a lot of noise when running, you can also try leaving it on during a storm.
5. Cover it with Thunder Coat
Some dog owners report that, Thunder Parka Helps Calm Anxiety Disorders in dogs. The firm pressure that a dog feels around its upper body can be very relaxing to its nerves. For this, the owner must make the dog comfortable to wear this wrap.
6. Natural Remedies
Massaging your pet’s body can be a helpful strategy. For example, lavender essential oil can be dabbed on the bottom or rubbed on the bottom with a bandana. This helps reduce the animal’s anxiety levels. Other serums may also be used if prescribed by a veterinarian.
7. Visit the veterinarian
If the problem worsens, you must see your veterinarian for appropriate medication. Anti-anxiety medications may be needed, in addition to other tests that may be needed. Strict professional help should be sought in this regard.
Also read: 8 Natural Anxiety Remedies for Dogs
in conclusion
When your dog starts to panic during a storm, it’s only natural to worry about him. Every dog owner is naturally protective of their pets. In this article, we discuss various ways to handle this situation so the dog doesn’t get too anxious.
Caring for a dog in this situation can become a little tedious. It should be remembered that dogs do not choose to be afraid of thunderstorms and angry. On the contrary, it cannot understand reality, so it needs to be treated with patience.
common problem
Science claims that compressions go a long way in relieving anxiety in dogs. Apply constant but reassuring pressure to the dog’s torso. This is known to lead to the release of relaxation hormones such as oxytocin or endorphins.
For the first few times, it is recommended to change the Thunder T-shirt every few hours. This is to gauge how the pet reacts to the lid, and if it gets agitated.
Of course, in the end, you can keep this shirt on for hours. Simply remove it every 30 minutes to allow skin to breathe.
Sileo or medetomidine make the dogs insensitive to all the noise without making them too sleepy. Benzodiazepines are effective, but they should have been tried before so there is no problem with dosage levels. Taking Prozac and Xanax before a storm is also helpful.
Dogs may show results if done in a systematic manner. However, not all elements of thunderstorms, such as changes in air pressure, can be reproduced during training. Thus, responses to training may not be fully desensitized.
