My dog is afraid of thunder. He gets really scared..shakes, pants, cries, what can I do?

Answer 1

DON"t COO at Ur scared dog!!

'awww... poor Fido! c'mere, honey, izzum scared?" this does =Not! = help, in fact it makes it worse.

contact a local trainer who has experience with fears or phobias;

give Ur dog a new assocaiation with storms, like a TINY amount of a good treat in a Kong or other stuffable rubber toy, that they have to "work at" to get out;

take Ur dog for a ride during storms, if they LIKE car-trips - go to a drive-in for ice-cream [for U] & fruit-sorbet for the dog;

give the dog Rescue Remedy or any of the many homeopathic treatments for anxiety [petCalm, etc].

see a homeopath for specific treatment for Ur dog.
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but WHATEVER U do, do NOT!! cuddle, sympathize, or whimper over the dog!

U can only reward the behavior that U want; if U want a terrified dog who whines, paces, hides, drools, shakes, & may jump out a window or damage their gums/teeth trying to escape the house or a crate, fine;

pet the dog when they are nervous.

IF U WANT A CALM DOG, praise/pet & give ATTENTION for -calm behavior-.

Answer 2

If you comfort the dog, he will think that he has reason to be afraid. I made that mistake for a long time. They got worse. For the last couple of years, I just pretend that nothing is wrong. They are now much better. They still don't like storms, I see the look in their eyes. But, they do not shake, pant, or cry anymore.

Answer 3

Try giving him 5 squirts of Rescue Remedy (Dr. Bach's Flower Remedy) on his tongue when you know a storm is brewing. This will help to calm him and take away his anxiety. Another good tip is to rub a spot of pure Lavender Oil on the bridge of his nose being careful not to get it near his eyes. I have a 9 yr old Golden and she has always been terrified of thunder but since I started giving her the Rescue Remedy and putting the Lavender on her nose she just calms down and stops the pacing and the panting. In fact, she has been known to snore through a thunder storm. Worth a try!

Answer 4

Our family has dealt with scared dogs too. When a storm starts looking like it's coming, we bring them in or chain them up where they can feel secure. And otherwise we let the dogs see us ignoring the storm, rather than raising a fuss about it.

If your dog is having a major anxiety attack, then a mild tranquilizer is in order. And your vet should be able to recommend one.

Answer 5

You can go to your Veterinarian for a mild traquilizer. One that is used frequently is Acepromazine. It usually requires administration about 1 hour before-hand. It's very safe, but usually requires some tweeking until you get the dose high enough to help, but low enough to keep them from being groggy for a period of time.
Hope this helps. I'm a Veterinary Technician

Answer 6

Get a new dog, then maybe he/she will see the reaction your new 1 makes and follow it. Or try getting those cd's with storm sounds and playing while you comfort the dog til he/she gets used to the real thing.

Answer 7

Bring your dog inside and turn on a radio or TV or anything loud enough that they don't hear it as well. It helps if you stay near them as well - just by your presence you'll be offering comfort to your dog.

Answer 8

i have a cocker spaniel and she is afraid of thunder too just try to keep it preoccupied dont console the dog it will only make it worse just play ball with it.

Answer 9

Lots of dogs are like this, actually. If you can believe it, there are dog therapists, & you can get medication for the dog, which will calm it down.

Answer 10

whatever you do, don't comfort the dog. bring him or her inside and give the dog something else to focus on. like a kong with a treat inside or his favorite toy. remain calm yourself and the dog will pick up on your vibe.