You and your dog are relaxing together one evening. He’s stretched the length of the couch, snoring loudly. Suddenly, your dog undergoes a personality change. He begins nervously pacing and whining. The peaceful mood is gone, and no matter what you do, you can’t calm him down.
Finally, there is a peal of thunder, and your dog is off and running, looking for a place to cower in safety. He might even shake violently or find a shoe to destroy. You had no idea you were signing up for this when you adopted him. It’s just something he does, and you have to deal with it. Or do you?
Manage Your Dog’s Thunder Anxiety
As a professional dog trainer and Tellington TTouch Practitioner, I see dogs of all kinds experiencing anxiety -- and fear of thunder in particular. Dogs can sense a storm coming long before you realize it, because they’re especially sensitive to barometric pressure and changes in the atmosphere. Thunderstorm anxieties can worsen with age and generally do not go away without intervention. Thankfully, there are a few methods and tools that can help alleviate your dog’s thunderstorm anxieties.
First, assess the severity of your dog’s fears. Perhaps your dog is only lightly panting or pacing. Then he’s on the low end of the fear scale. But if he refuses to eat, destroys things (especially when you’re not in the house), drools excessively or gets so agitated that he injures himself, then his fears are a bigger concern. Try these basics to teach alternate behaviors for mild thunderstorm anxiety:
- Feed your dog just prior to, and during, the storm or simply get out some treats and practice commands or tricks. This helps him have a positive association with the event.
- Give your dog a high-value chew or toy during the storm, such a stuffed KONG or a bully stick. Chewing helps alleviate stress -- and better a bully stick than your shoe.
- Get your dog comfortable. Give him a light massage and some physical bonding time.
- Don’t coddle. You don’t want to reinforce your dog’s fear. You simply want to provide some support and gentle comfort.
When a Thundershirt Might Help
One drawback to these measures is that you have to be home at the time of the storm. Your dog also might be too stressed to respond to the above techniques if he suffers from more intense anxieties. In both instances, I recommend trying a Thundershirt.
A Thundershirt is basically a light body wrap that exerts gentle pressure along the dog’s torso. It can have a dramatic calming effect on dogs that are agitated, nervous or anxious. Using a Thundershirt is the same principle as swaddling a baby or using pressure vests on children with autism. Light pressure can calm not only the body, but also the brain.
The idea of using light pressure on animals was originated by Linda Tellington-Jones, who developed the TTouch Method, a form of bodywork and balanced movement for animals that can release tension, increase body awareness and alleviate anxieties. Lengths of stretchy fabric, such as ACE bandages, were configured in a figure eight around the chest, shoulders and belly of horses that were difficult to get into their trailers.
This provided the horses with more spatial awareness and seemed to calm them physically and mentally, making getting into a trailer a much less stressful process. Over the past 30 years, the use of body wraps has been used with a range of other animals. The Thundershirt provides the same light pressure in a much simpler and easier-to-use design.
One of the reasons I recommend the Thundershirt is its accessibility both in price and ease of use. It’s easy to put on your dog quickly and adjust for an ideal fit. I also recommend the Thundershirt because it’s very safe to leave on your dog while you aren’t home. So if there’s a storm while you’re away, your dog can still be comforted by the Thundershirt.
I see about an 80 percent success rate in using the Thundershirt to alleviate storm anxieties in dogs. Some dogs require additional training and behavioral modification, but the Thundershirt can be an important tool in a successful treatment plan. In some cases, it might be necessary to work with a professional dog trainer (you can find a rewards-based trainer at APDT.com) and your veterinarian to set up a plan to alleviate your dog’s fears.
Start Early to Train Your Dog to Tolerate Thunder
Prevention is the best medicine to help a dog deal with thunder. When it’s still a puppy, your dog should be trained to not fear thunder. As soon as you bring your puppy home, start using thunderstorms as an excuse to have a party. Break out all his favorite toys and play on the floor with your puppy. Give him treats and practice basic commands.
You can also play simulated thunderstorm recordings to acclimate your dog. These can be especially helpful if you adopt a puppy or dog during the winter months, before thunderstorm season. Play the CD during feeding time to create a positive association with storms and you’ll be well-prepared for summer storm season.
Photo: @iStockphoto.com/anactor
