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Calming Your Pet’s Thunderstorm Fears

A dog's fear of storms can be lessened if the owner takes the time to overcome the problem.

That’s according to William Fortney, Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Medicine Pathobiology at Kansas State University. “There are three choices in handling a storm phobia. One is the use of medication, the second is desensitization and the third is a combination of the first two."

Thunderstorm phobias are common in all breeds of dogs. Research indicates the fear usually begins in puppies but no one knows what the original stimulus was.

"The problem with understanding thunderstorm anxiety is that you can't tell exactly what is triggering the fear reaction, it could be the lightning flash. It could be the vibration of the house when the thunder goes off. It could be the noise. It might even be the smell of the ozone following lightning. There are multiple stimuli and it's hard to be sure which one is setting the dog off," says Fortney.

Tranquilizers can keep a dog calm. The problem with thunderstorms and medication is that most medications take 30 to 60 minutes to work. Owners have to anticipate when the storm is going to occur. The weather channel has helped a lot in trying to predict when to give medication.

Another approach involves desensitizing the animal using the recorded noise from a thunderstorm. Cassette tapes and CDs are available in many pet stores or online. The principle is to play them just below the level, or threshold, where the dog starts getting scared. If the noise of a storm is the stimulus that sets them off, the tape should desensitize them to the sounds.

Another tip is to use distraction whenever a dog begins to show fear. Try playing fetch or introducing a chew toy or food.

What owners shouldn't do is reinforce the fearful behavior. “Do not spend a lot of time petting the animal because it is afraid. Cuddling the animal, holding the animal, letting the animal get in the bed, these are rewards that encourage and reinforce the dog's fearful behavior. Try to divert its attention instead, although that can be kind of difficult in the middle of the night,” says Fortney.

For more information, visit the Pet Health News link of Kansas State University:
www.mediarelations.ksu.edu/WEB/News/NewsReleases/pethealth.html