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Jun 11 2015

Helping Dogs with Thunder Phobia

Home » News » Helping Dogs with Thunder Phobia

Why is my dog so terrified of thunder?

Fear of loud noises is common in dogs and arises from their natural instinct to survive. When they face a threatening situation (strange sound, strange animal, strange person, etc.), fear is nature’s way of protecting them from harm. The dog’s fear alerts him to potential danger and stimulates a “fight or flight” mechanism to keep him safe by either addressing the danger or fleeing from it.

The problem is that some dogs have an excessive fear of thunderstorms and develop a phobia. These dogs react adversely to the noise but also to the associated lightning, change in barometric pressure, windy conditions and darkening sky. When thunder-phobic dogs get really scared, they act out.

What are the most common signs of thunder phobia?

Scared dogs can react in many different ways. Some dogs seek the comfort of their owners and won’t leave their sides during bad weather. But since owners aren’t always at home during stormy weather, dogs may seek a cozy place to hide or may pace constantly. Others bark continuously or become destructive in the home; there are stories of dogs who scratched at the door until their feet bled, or of owners coming home to find piles of urine and feces all over the house.

What can I do to help my dog through thunder storms?

We all feel badly for the poor dog that suffers from excessive storm anxiety. How sad to see them so miserable. There are several ways pet owners can help their dogs deal with storm phobia.

With a lot of patience and persistence, and sometimes the help of a veterinarian, many dogs are able to move past their phobias. Hopefully your dog – and you – won’t dread summer thunderstorms anymore!

LifeLearn Team | LifeLearn News

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