my goden retriver is terrofied of storms and we went and bought a cage (the ones that you carry them in its plastic) and he clawed the side out of it and bled a little bit what should we do about him being afraid of the storms??.
2006-08-18 11:31:52 · 50 answers · asked by paintball rocks 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
If he freaks out that badly, you should talk to your vet about getting him a sedative for when a storm blows through and he starts to wig out. There really isn't any way for you to decrease his fear, but that will make it easier for you to deal with and much safer for him.
2006-08-18 11:37:16 · answer #1 · answered by Julia L. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hard one to crack since storms are so random, but I would begin with putting the dog on a leash during the storm and focus on getting the dog to sit or lay down relaxed. at any signs of anxiety, correct the behavior and refocus the dog. Don't reward frightened behavor by trying to sooth or talk to the dog because it will think the anxious behavior is acceptable. May not be easy at first, and you have to be gentle, but firm.
I had a dog that used to hide in the bath tub whenever she heard fireworks or thunder... after working with her and getting her to sit calmly, she eventually eased up. They have to learn that if they sit calmly through it, nothing bad will happen to them. Dogs live in the hear and now... so don't anticipate the past behaviors and just seek the behavior you want this time. The dog wants a leader, not a sympathizer... Check out Cesar Milan, he has resources on correcting timid behavior... you are NOT stuck with it and fear of stomrs is NOT natural (as was suggested in another post) but you do have to deal with it for the healthy mind of the dog. (a slight sedative may help the first few times if that bad, but I am not a fan of drugging our dogs) If the dog IS relaxed, then brushing and making positive associations that way will help, but NOT if the dog is behaving anxiously... you may have to "pose" the dog into a relaxed state to force the mind to go there as well... Remember dogs look for signals from a strong leader to know how to act.
2006-08-26 08:00:57 · answer #2 · answered by sillyscreennamegonebad 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well you are going to love this...get a tape recording of a thunderstom and play it quietly on your stereo with your dog present. Every day try to turn up the volume a little, if he gets nervous, back it down a little and keep playing with him and combing him, etc. Do this every day until it is really loud. If a real storm came up in the middle of it, he would not be disturbed. Do this every day until he doesnt mind real storms. Then you have to do it every 2-3 days or so for a long time. Soon he will lose his fear entirely. Most people fail to keep this up and then say it fails, but it works if you keep doing it. Good Luck.
2006-08-25 11:41:33 · answer #3 · answered by ask_the_vet 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dog could be reacting to the pressure system that precedes the storm, the sound of the thunder, the flash of the lightning or all three. Most dogs will seek a room where they can't see the lightning (we had one that used to go into the bathroom and crawl into the tub). Verbal reassurance is a must. Play a radio loud enough to drown out thunder sounds. You can buy recordings of thunder...play them on a day that is sunny and bright to desensitize the dog on the days when it is dark and rainy. If it is a reaction to the pressure system, there isn't much you can do...
2006-08-23 02:48:54 · answer #4 · answered by Cleveburgher 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We bring the dog into the house and he usually "holes up" under something like the bed. We leave him there till the storm is over. We also give him a sedative if it seems as if the storms would last more than just an hour or two.
2006-08-26 02:03:15 · answer #5 · answered by lew_lewisje 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I too have had a dog that was terrified of any kind of loud noises. Since he was house broken, we would bring him inside and tell him to lay down in a particular corner. This seemed to calm him. I have gone so far as talking to the vet and having the vet perscribe a mild tranquilizer for him. It helped, but he was kind of like a person that has had a few too many. They know what is going on, but their reaction time is on the slow side. This doesn't hurt the dog. I don;t like to do it often though. I would recommend sitting with your dog and just talking to him while the storm is going on-much like you would to calm an upset child. Hope this helps.
2006-08-18 16:06:36 · answer #6 · answered by Su-Nami 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many dogs are afraid of storms. My dog, Ernie, is very afraid. I let him make a 'nest' in my bedroom closet and when it starts to storm I simply tell him, "Its okay. Just go and get in your nest and everything will be okay." I try not to make to much of it because that will make it worse. The nest idea seems to work very good with Ernie. I do not yell at him or cage him. This only makes them more afraid. Do not leave outside during a storm.
2006-08-24 16:41:14 · answer #7 · answered by erniedogdaisey 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I heard this dicussed on a local call-in radio show hosted by two vetranarians. The advice they gave was to just let the dog be, he or she will most likely go find a quiet dark and "safe" place and stay there until the storm has passed and they feel safe to come out. Do not coddle them by petting them and saying that it's going to be alright, etc. because they will think that you are frightened as well. Just leave them be. For more advice, ask your vet. Hope this helps.
2006-08-18 11:42:13 · answer #8 · answered by margarita 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can get a short acting sedative from you vet in pill form. When you know a storm is comiing, give him one, should take about 1/2 an hour to take effect. If still upset can prob give 1 more. Keep the bottle handy. Pets who are afraid of storms are often afraid of fireworks as well.
2006-08-18 11:39:46 · answer #9 · answered by anniesgran 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
first of all don't make an issue about thunder storms or react to his actions in anyway that he senses you making a big deal of it, a lot of dogs can be very manipulative believe it or not. however if not reacting to his fears doesn't in some way help then your dog may need to be prescribed some kind of sedative from a vet for those stormy occassions. during my years working for a vet there was only one small dog that regularly had to be brought in for a sedative when stormy weather was inevitable, this dog may very well have had a heart attack due to the fear. for this reason i would really recommend that you see and or speak to your vet to discuss your dogs actions to decide whether or not his fear could possibly affect his health in a negative way. always better to be safe than sorry when dealing with a member of the family.
2006-08-25 15:11:45 · answer #10 · answered by LYNN A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cuddle with him, reassure him that everything will be ok. Play the television or radio louder than usual to try to cover some of the storm noise. Give him some long lasting treats or engage him in a game of tennis ball in the house to keep his mind occupied. Just be there to make him feel safe. It is your job to make him feel safe because you know he would lay his life down for you. Pretty simple.
2006-08-25 11:07:49 · answer #11 · answered by rolahey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋