Facing Your Dog's Fears of Thunderstorms Intelligently

By Geraldine Dimarco


Anxiety in dogs is a relatively familiar concern that has besieged the poor animals and their worried owners alike. Unfortunately, unlike their human counterpart, dogs cannot articulate these fears and can only express themselves through harmful and destructive behavior. Because of unreasonable and very often gripping dog fears, many of the victims dig through walls and floors until they are bleeding in an attempt to get away from their source of fear.

Fear of thunderstorms is one of the most common phobias that dogs have. If your dog has this phobia, you have to consult with your vet regarding the most effective treatment you can use. Pharmaceutical medicines are available to help cure this condition. However, be aware that these medications will not heal the root problem of the fear; most of these drugs only serve as tranquilizers to calm the animal.

Because drugs and chemicals are often harmful to any immune system, work with methods that are natural and non-invasive first. We will discuss various things you can do to treat dog fears without having to use medication, specifically those concerning noise phobia.

Playing relaxing music is one of the easiest ways to ease anxiety in dogs. Music therapy has been scientifically proven to reduce the stress levels of human beings as well as animals. Five minutes of harp music will noticeably calm the dog; ten to twenty minutes more of a soothing melody will bring him to a state of deeper relaxation.

A body wrap will also help in taking away the nervousness of the animal. The stimuli of the canine are extra sensitive-- the maintained and constant pressure of the wrap eases this tension. Use an old t-shirt or whatever stretch fabric to bind the torso firmly. Do this before he actually gets restless so he will not relate the feeling of tension with the wrap.

A technique used by many dog behaviorists is counter conditioning. This is the method that attempts to counteract the feared circumstance by displacing it with another situation that generally gets a favorable response from the dog. If you are able to simulate a thunderstorm scenario, the rumbling of the supposed storm should begin very softly. As you subtly increase the volume, give the dog delicious treats to distract him.

If these do not work, a natural supplement that improves this phobia is melatonin. Melatonin is an over the counter medication people use to treat insomnia. When the proper dosage is administered to the canine, he remains awake but has distinctly stopped being fearful. Be aware though, that there are differing manufacturers so the quality and dosage one should mete out will differ. Consult your veterinarian before you proceed.

The fear of thunderstorms that dogs exhibit varies in degree. Some people say that rescued dogs may be more susceptible to this because many have been traumatized severely in the past. Schedule regular check-ups with your vet for disturbances in your dogs behavior to accurately diagnose and treat the problem.




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