Dog is afraid of thunderstorms

I have a black lab / border collie cross that is incredibly annoying every time there is a thunderstorm. She gets all nervous and wants to crawl up into my lap. She basically just freaks out. Extremely high strung dog.

Does anyone have any advice on how to mellow her out?

 

My dog was also afraid/scared of loud thunderstorm but would just hide himself under bed or table and just quietly sitting there and bit shaking. We just try to comfort him by touching or hugging and talk to him that it was nothing or do not be scared.

 

I think this is the same with my dog being afraid of loud noises of firecrackers. Well, dogs usually have high sensitive hearing because they can hear even the littlest of sound. And maybe it hurts their ear that’s why they hide or needs your caress or to hear your calming voice to keep away from the noise. Perhaps they were more afraid that their eardrums may be broken or the like.

 

Dog's ears are very sensitive and hearing thunderstorms or any loud noises is a torture for them. Just take this opportunity to show your dog that you love them. Try to give them their favorite toys or just staying by their side.

 

My dogs is to, he runs under the bed or in his little house scared to death of the thunder. I pick him up and he is shaking so hard, poor little thing.

 

My dog isn't so scared of thunderstorms but my grandma's dog was terrified of them. Whenever it would storm it was so cute because he would run into the bathroom and get into the bathtub- which is exactly what they tell us to do if a tornado comes trhough the area if you don't have a basement.

 

Being scared of thunderstorms is quite normal for dogs. Maybe the sharp flash of lightning and clap of thunder reminds them of guns. Myself, I would just keep my dogs close to me until the storm was over. They somehow feel comforted that I was near at hand.

 

There's not really much you can do to mellow your dog out, since you can't change the circumstances of a thunderstorm. I would suggest trying to distract your dog. Take it as an opportunity for some indoor playtime. If it's night time and you're about to head to bed, maybe crate your dog? They often find the confined space comforting. If that doesn't work, you might have to just bite the bullet and let your dog into your bedroom. I know my dog takes that as an opportunity to hide under my bed.

 

Distracting her isn't going to work... she is quite focused on being afraid. There is no distracting her. Just letting her do what she wants isn't really an option either since I don't really want her laying on top of me and panting in my face all night. I usually just end up locking them in the bathroom. They seem okay with that.

 

They say that some dogs are very in touch with nature. How if you watch farm animals you can usually tell when a bad storm is about to come. THey will suddently seek shelter, or act weird. So maybe dogs realize the danger that a thunderstorm can bring?

 

Good to know that you have found a working solution. My Candy would just hide under the bed until the storm is over. Maybe she feels safer in the confined space down there. I noticed that dogs, if given a choice, would prefer to sleep in an enclosed space with just a small opening which they could look out through.

 

that's true victor, I think it has something to do with their instincts from their wolf lineage. Dogs like to have a 'cave=like' sleeping place.

 

There are audiotape recordings of thunderstorms that can help desensitize your dog to the noise. You should never attempt to comfort your dog or pet him to "reassure" him when he is afraid like that, nor should you make a big deal over the storm. Both of those things reinforce in his mind that it is all right to be afraid and may worsen the fear over time. Treat the storm as if it is no big deal. When a big thunderclap sounds, say something like "wow! that was a BIG one!" or "how awesome was that!" in a cheerful voice. By treating it as no big deal, your dog will eventually come to realize that the noise will not come into the house and kill him. Finally, if there is a GNC store near you, you can buy something called "Rescue Remedy." Adding some RR to your dog's water before a storm can help take the edge off and help him relax.

 

I like that tip about encouraging the dog to overcome its fear of thunderstorms with encouraging words. However the use of the "Rescue Remedy" raises some questions. It sounds like some kind of transquiliser. Will it become addictive?

 

I believe there are also earmuffs for dogs called “Mutt Muffs” that could protect your dog’s hearing. But of course it’s still better if they overcome their fear of thunderstorms.

 

If you can get firecrackers, you may try playing a game with your dog using them. Once the dog gets used to loud explosions, thunderstorms should not be frightening anymore.