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Noise phobias. How to help your dog survive a thunderstorm. The dog is afraid of loud sounds (shots, thunderstorms, fireworks): what to do

22/06/2016, 11:00

Many dogs are afraid of thunderstorms. They try to hide, breathe heavily, can empty the intestines or bladder, gnaw on various objects - in a word, show destructive behavior. In some dogs, fear is so strong that they spoil property and even injure themselves in an attempt to escape from the weather. These dogs have real panic attacks, and their results can be unpredictable.

Why are dogs afraid
Some dogs are naturally more fearful than others. Certain breeds are highly sensitive to loud sounds. Sometimes fear appears as a result of some kind of incident. If a dog is injured, which was accompanied by a loud sound, for example, a firecracker was thrown at it or a car standing next to it reversed, dogs begin to associate any loud sound, including thunder, with the event that frightened it.
Fears can be compounded. Some animals begin to be afraid of all sounds in general: wind noise, rain, etc. They even begin to sense the approach of a thunderstorm in advance.

How fear manifests itself
The manifestations of fear can be different in different animals. Some hide in the bathtub, closet, and other confined spaces. Others scratch the floor, try to climb the walls, huddle closer to the owner.

What can be done
If your dog shows signs of stress or fright during a thunderstorm, never punish him for this behavior. Yes, of course, it is unpleasant if your pet chewed furniture or ruined something else, but punishment in such cases will only increase the dog's fear of a thunderstorm. Your own actions can affect how your dog behaves during the next thunderstorm. Many well-meaning owners try to calm the animal down. But the dog can perceive this as an encouragement of his behavior, and in the future a thunderstorm will be a chance for him to receive increased attention.

  1. Check with your veterinarian. If your dog is afraid of a thunderstorm, check with the doctor if any additional medical conditions may increase his anxiety. Thyroid problems, seizures, excess weight, pain, and other conditions can increase the stress and anxiety of your four-legged friend. Your veterinarian may be able to recommend medications to help your dog. In modern veterinary medicine, Prozac, Valium and other antidepressants are used, among other things, for the treatment of anxiety disorders in animals.
  2. Create counterconditions. You can try to create counter-conditions for the dog, as long as the stress does not prevent it from eating. In this case, with the approach of a thunderstorm, something pleasant for the dog should happen: it receives treats, you play with it, the atmosphere in the house is calm and joyful. When the weather is fine, play the thunderstorm disc at low volume while the dog is eating and drinking. Increase the volume gradually, but be careful to keep your dog calm. This training can take several months and should be started during the season when there are no real thunderstorms.
  3. Try an anti-stress wrap. More recently, a product has appeared on the pet market to help dogs cope with feelings of fear and anxiety. Anxiety Wrap® uses targeted pressure and acupuncture principles to help your dog stay calm. The principle is reminiscent of baby swaddling. An anti-stress wrap allows you to target nerve receptors in such a way that later the dog needs a more serious reason to experience stress. This product helps not only with the fear of thunderstorms, but also with other problems associated with stress, for example, barking, anxiety when parting with the owner, traveling in a car, digging the ground, etc. "Proven product efficacy of 89%. It is a safe and effective treatment for stress and anxiety during thunderstorms," ​​according to a clinical study led by Dr. Nicholas Dodman and Nicole Cottam of Tufts Veterinary Academy.

Hopefully our tips will help your dog cope with the stress of a thunderstorm.

As a rule, any dog, regardless of, has its own fears. Sometimes it is quite easy to deal with them, but there are such phobias that are difficult to get rid of with help. One of them is the fear of thunderstorms in dogs.

Causes

Thunderstorms can be afraid of dogs of different breeds, regardless of age and gender. The fear of this natural phenomenon is difficult to explain with any rational reason. Most likely, the dog is not afraid of the thunderstorm itself, but simply reacts negatively to some of the components of this phenomenon.

The pet may be afraid of irritants that arise during a thunderstorm.

  1. Loud sound of thunder. Dogs are often afraid of loud noises. An animal can react especially sensitively, which always reacts emphatically negatively to sounds.
  2. Sharp flashes of light (lightning).
  3. Wind.
  4. A sharp change in atmospheric pressure.
  5. Sounds of the rain.

Sometimes the phobia of a thunderstorm is difficult to overcome also because the animal is afraid of not one factor, but several. In this case, you have to carry out a number of exercises that will help your dog calm down during a thunderstorm. Often, one of the reasons for the practical insurmountability of such a phobia in pets is the reaction to those stimuli that a person does not feel at all. We may simply not understand what exactly our pet is afraid of, since the anatomical structure of a dog and a person is different, and people perceive natural phenomena differently than our pets. This is precisely the reason that the pet can quite calmly react to loud sound, light, rain, wind, change in atmospheric pressure, but is still afraid of a thunderstorm.

What to do?

If a pet is afraid of a thunderstorm, first of all, it is necessary to observe him during this natural phenomenon and draw the correct conclusions.

  1. Pay attention to where the pet hides in the room or house during a thunderstorm. You can arrange a cozy place for him there, spread a soft bedding, etc. This will help the animal to cope better with anxiety.
  2. Play soft music to drown out the noise of rain, wind, and thunder.
  3. In order for the phobia of a thunderstorm to be not so strong, one must behave as naturally and calmly as possible. Then the pet will probably be much less frightened. Often a dog's fright is associated with the anxiety state of its owner during a thunderstorm.
  4. If you focus too much attention on the fear of your pet and devote a lot of time to the frightened dog, he may decide that something really scary and unusual is happening.

It is important to remember that sometimes the fear of a dog is not associated with a phobia, but simply with the unexpectedness of such a phenomenon. In this case, it is necessary to behave correctly with the pet during a thunderstorm, to be as calm and natural as possible. If you ignore these rules, ordinary fear can turn into a real phobia.

Thunderstorm, thunder and lightning - these elements can not only frighten animals, but also cause real horror. Moreover, not only small decorative dogs can be afraid of them, but also dogs of impressive size and ferocious appearance. Of course, after a bad weather, the pet will come to its senses, but fear can cause serious stress. In addition, panic often develops into a phobia - a fear of loud noises. Why is a dog afraid of a thunderstorm, and how to react to the owner when his brave guard, hearing a sharp pop, draws his tail, ears and climbs into the booth?

Many animals sense the impending weather change long before the first manifestations occur. Frogs begin to actively, loudly and non-stop croaking - to the downpour, the fish in the aquarium have gathered on the surface - wait for bad weather, the birds crowded together on the same tree and sing songs - it will be sunny and warm, the cat chooses a more comfortable place - a thunderstorm is expected.

As for dogs, they also react to the approach of a storm - the pet may refuse to go for a walk, on the street it will strive to return home as soon as possible, worry and even whine, folding its ears and tucking its tail. Some dogs crawl under furniture or settle at the owner's feet, twisting into a "ball" as compactly as possible.

The origins of the problem

It is not known for certain why many dogs experience fear during a thunderstorm. Perhaps they are worried about sudden changes in pressure, electrified air, smell. Usually, if a dog is afraid of a loud sound, he reacts in the same way in other situations - during fireworks and fireworks, if he hears shots, the noise of construction equipment, etc.

Among the most common reasons for this fear are the following:

  • bad experience of the past- perhaps the pet, while still a puppy, experienced severe stress during a storm, got into an unpleasant situation, ran away from home, etc.
  • owner misconduct- the dog was frightened, and the owner took pity on him in every possible way and took care of him. Therefore, it is not surprising that the dog will react in the same way every time, believing that this behavior is encouraged;
  • animal adopts human behavior- if the owner is afraid and nervous during a storm, the dog may behave in the same way - not because of fear, but rather because of solidarity.

Of course, we must not forget that fear is a natural natural reaction of the body that allows wild animals to survive in a cruel world. But it is worth distinguishing it from a phobia - an obsessive state, or cowardice.

How does a phobia manifest?

The owner should be alarmed by the following symptoms of uncontrollable fear in the pet:

  • incontinence;
  • aimless wandering;
  • frightening attempts to escape - sharp movements, the dog can jump out the window or frenziedly gnaw the door;
  • increased salivation;
  • gnawing, intense licking of the paws;
  • aggressive attacks, including on the owner;
  • strong tremors, up to convulsions;
  • dilated pupils;
  • continuous barking, howling.

If a thunderstorm causes such behavior in a dog, then we are talking about a phobia, which negatively affects the general health of a four-legged friend. In a dog, the work of the cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, respiratory systems can be disrupted, and disruptions in digestion and metabolic processes often occur.

The state of an animal during the manifestation of a phobia is akin to a human panic attack. Horror literally obscures the mind, and the dog cannot control its own actions.

How to help a four-legged friend

Even experts do not give a 100% guarantee that the animal will be able to get rid of the phobia, but it is quite possible to reduce the intensity of its manifestations. First of all, the owner should choose certain tactics of behavior:

  • during the manifestation of fear, you should not pay excessive attention to the pet;
  • the dog should not be praised, caressed, scolded, physical punishment applied;
  • the owner is advised to behave calmly, as if nothing is happening;
  • owner's confidence is the key to success;
  • you can offer the dog a routine that gives him pleasure - comb it with a massage brush, play, distract him with the usual commands.

Most often, a phobia requires medication. He is appointed by a veterinarian who will give all the necessary recommendations. But sometimes it is enough to correct behavior and change the environment:

  1. Experts advise to reduce the impact of irritating factors on the pet - of course, a thunderstorm cannot be prevented, but the owner can not take the dog to noisy events and walks during fireworks.
  2. A tired dog will react less intensively to noises - if meteorologists warn of a thunderstorm, it is worth taking the pet to the training ground until the weather conditions deteriorate, take a longer walk with him, play. Exercise increases the production of serotonin in the body, and the dog becomes calmer.
  3. You can help your dog get used to the noise - a running air conditioner, range hood, and other household appliances can help reduce the phobia.
  4. In case of a thunderstorm, it is advisable to close the dog in a room with drawn curtains, cotton balls can be placed in the ears. Some small dogs can handle stress more easily when in a carry bag.
  5. If the dog huddled under the bed, bath or closet, you should not pull it out of there. When the weather improves, it is enough to call the pet, and he will come out on his own.
  6. A sick animal reacts more sharply to stressful situations - soreness, discomfort make it nervous and irritated.

How to correct your pet's behavior

There are many techniques that can change the behavior of a pet, more precisely, its reaction to the cause of unreasonable fear. First of all, it is worth using the method of opposition, when the negative association associated with noise is replaced by a positive one. In this case, before bad weather, you can offer your pet something pleasant - a favorite game, a treat, caress him or take him for a walk and swimming in a pond.

The second technique is desensitization, when a pet's strong reaction to noise gradually diminishes. Initially, he is accustomed to quietly noisy devices, then louder devices are used. In a relaxed environment, you can do the following exercise:

  • go to the resting dog and stroke him, repeating "quietly";
  • if he starts to get up, be active, the action should be stopped;
  • when the dog settles down, start fondling him again and at the same time say "quietly";
  • you can treat your pet with a treat, but only when he is completely relaxed;
  • this should be done regularly to get the expected result.

It is recommended to let your dog listen to the thunderstorm on audio, starting at a moderate volume and gradually increasing it. If the sound scares the dog, you need to turn down the volume. To make the situation more similar to the original, you can draw the curtains, dim the lights. Did this act scare the dog? You need to stop everything, but not show your interest in the behavior of the dog. You cannot pity him, scold him, pay undue attention to him.

You can set the recording on a timer so that the dog listens to it alone. Regular sessions will be enough to stop the dog from overreacting to them. And when the weather really turns bad, you should do the same as during training sessions.

Watch the video if your dog is afraid of a thunderstorm, how to help

Sudden storm - what to do

Most often, dog owners do not have time to prepare their pet and prepare themselves for a future event - a thunderstorm, fireworks, etc. Therefore, they have to act suddenly, when the pet shows all the signs of terror:

  1. First of all, if the dog, frightened by the noise, ran away to the side of the house, you should not run after him, "headlong" - you need to wait for the time and calmly approach him.
  2. You can't let the dog off the leash, hoping that he has learned all the previous lessons. He can run away wherever he goes and get into trouble.
  3. A shy four-legged one should be provided with a chip and an address plate.
  4. When the dog is in a panic, speak to him in a calm tone, without showing nervousness or anger.

If a thunderstorm overtook the owner with the dog in an open place, you must not forget about your own safety. It is necessary to find shelter - away from water bodies and closer to the ground.

All dogs are different - some are very stress-resistant, while others react to any noise. Therefore, when raising a pet, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of its psyche and apply suitable tactics.

Summer is the time for thunderstorms. And many dogs are afraid of thunderstorms. And some just show a panic fear of this natural phenomenon. Thunderclaps are so terrible for four-legged cowards that they try to hide anywhere - under the table, under the bed, but at least under the mistress's skirt, completely ignoring the commands and shouts.

This behavior of the dog raises questions: does the animal have a spoiled psyche, and is it possible to wean the dog from being afraid of thunderstorms? So, you can wean a dog from being afraid of a thunderstorm, and this is not so difficult to do, the main thing is to show patience and not succumb to the destructive feeling of pity for your pet trembling with fear.

Some owners think that the fear of thunder is whims, and do not pay attention to it, or even get annoyed with the dog and spank him out of frustration, instead of adequately assessing the problem and helping the pet. But the fear of thunderstorms and other similar fears - before gunshots, fireworks and similar sharp sound effects, are harmful to the health of dogs, as they cause severe stress, which can lead to health problems, especially in older dogs. Actually, the dog is rather afraid not of the thunderstorm itself, but of the thunderclaps - like any sharp and unexpected sound, not even necessarily loud.

Thunderstorm fear can be of three types: weak, medium and strong. It all depends on the individual qualities of the dog. With a weak degree, the dog simply expresses anxiety and tries to find the source of the sound with his eyes, but remains controlled, with a moderate degree - the dog reluctantly obeys commands, fusses and even refuses goodies, and with a severe degree it loses control over itself and completely breaks out of obedience - tries run away and hide, trembles, whines, rushes about, and resists if they try to take her out into the street, closer to the source of fear.

In all three cases, you cannot do one thing - to calm down and caress the dog so that it stops panicking. The fact is that affection and a treat from the owner means for the dog the approval and encouragement of its behavior, in this case - the fear of a thunderstorm. That is, the dog is not something that does not calm down from your caresses, but, on the contrary, wants to show his fear even more so that he can be pitied and cuddled. And many cunning dogs can even begin to pretend, portraying a desperate fear of a thunderstorm, just to get an extra portion of delicacies and master's love.

Therefore, here you need to gain firmness and wean the dog from fear using more effective methods. If the dog is simply worried at the sound of thunder, it needs to be distracted - to practice the commands. Following the commands, the dog will concentrate on this activity, and it will have no time to be distracted by extraneous sounds and be afraid.

In addition, it is necessary to behave emphatically calmly so that the dog understands that nothing terrible is happening. Playing with your favorite toy or just active activities are also good distractions.

You can check with your veterinarian and give your dog a herbal sedative before a thunderstorm.

You can buy a cassette with the sounds of thunder, and gradually train your dog to turn it on during feeding, first quietly, and then with increasing volume. During the thunderstorm itself (or other sources of such frightening noise), if the dog has a strong fear, it is necessary to keep it on a leash so that it cannot escape and run away.

You need to run together - in a square, as in training. The dog will get the feeling that it is running away from danger, but, at the same time, it will not move away from it, and will gradually get used to it. Also, when running, adrenaline will be released into the blood, which will also reduce fear.

Regular training with your dog will give positive result- she will cease to be afraid and will remain controlled even with the harshest sounds. In general, if you cannot reduce your dog's fear of a thunderstorm on your own, you can use the services of a professional dog handler. It's better than getting in trouble every time in a thunderstorm.

Many owners of shy animals perceive fear in a dog as whims and do not show due attention to them, which is completely in vain. If the dog is not helped, then this fear progresses and very soon can develop into a real phobia, which is dangerous to health, especially in old animals. And, of course, in no case should the dog be punished, spanked and raised to her voice, so you will frighten the pet even more.

As a rule, a dog is afraid of a thunderstorm precisely because of the sound of thunder. Often this fear in a dog has its own reasons. You can often hear stories that sometime in the new year or just during a walk, the pet was so scared of the firecracker that now it is afraid of any loud sound. Particularly severe fear in a dog is observed if it has experienced some serious incident accompanied by a loud sound, for example, an accident.

Depending on the strength of the fear, the dog's fear can be divided into three degrees:

Weak- the dog shows a slight anxiety, looks for the source of thunder with his eyes, but at the same time remains controlled, responds to the nickname and fulfills all the commands of the owner.

Average- the dog fusses noticeably, during thunder it can bark, reluctantly follows commands and refuses delicacies.

Heavy- the dog loses control of itself, trembles, rushes, constantly whines and cracks, and it looks more like cries of despair, persistently licks the same place, until irritation appears on the skin, tries to hide, often climbs into a secluded place and sits there until the storm is over. It also happens that the dog does not control urination and bowel movements. Many dog ​​owners even talk about completely inappropriate behavior, for example, when the pet gouged out part of the door from the hallway to the room, which was never noticed behind him.

In all three cases, the dog needs help! The most common mistake of owners, if a dog is afraid of a thunderstorm, is an attempt to calm it down, talk in an ingratiating tone, caress and give a treat. You cannot do this, this will only reinforce the fear in the dog. The fact is that the dog will perceive such fawning as encouragement, and will think that being afraid is normal and even good, because they begin to look after you, stroke and treat you. The dog begins to think that shaking, whining and tucking his tail is the behavior that the owner likes. At the same time, animals may even begin to deceive you, feigning fear in order to get an extra portion of attention and affection.

How to help your dog relieve fears

If your dog is rather afraid of a thunderstorm, then it is necessary to monitor the weather forecast, and before the thunderstorm give him a safe sedative, for example, based on herbs. If such remedies do not help, then consult your veterinarian to find out more effective medications for your pet. However, only drug treatment is indispensable here. Be patient and gradually accustom your dog to the scary factors.

There are several effective ways to help your dog get rid of their fear of thunderstorms. First you need to stop calming the animal and feeding it a treat. On the contrary, the owner should behave emphatically calm. In order for the dog to calm down, you can try to distract him by playing or practicing commands. You should not give up this activity, faced with a reluctance to obey, be persistent, but in no case grab it or shout, so you will only increase the fear in the dog.

For the prevention of especially strong fear, it is necessary to record the peals of thunder on a disc and turn it on for listening to the dog 2-3 times a day for an hour. This is a very effective exercise. At the beginning, the sound must be made quiet so that the dog does not feel fear, but at the same time draws attention to it. When your pet gets used to the sounds and stops listening to them, record it louder to get the pet's attention again. At the same time, the fear of the dog should be ignored, not reassured or encouraged. It is necessary to listen to the recording for several months every day, during which time the dog will most likely get used to them and stop being afraid. Gradually, she will understand that the thunderclaps come from the player and do not pose a danger to her, so she will stop paying attention to them.