2007-02-20 01:20:37 · 13 answers · asked by jeanniesnider 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
My brother's dog gets totally freaked out during thunderstorms and 4th of July. She won't even go out to do her thing. She'll hold it for a full day if she wants to.
But on the thunderstorm thing, I heard that dogs can feel storms coming because of the barometric change in the air. They feel it particularly in their ears....from what I heard....I could be wrong.
2007-02-20 01:35:26 · answer #1 · answered by Madrider 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs have sensitive hearing and thunderstorms are extremely loud to them. Aside from the fact they don't have a concept of what a thunderstorm is besides a lot of loud noise. It's also the same reason dogs get worked up around the 4th of July even if you can't hear the fireworks.
2007-02-20 09:29:56 · answer #2 · answered by tamman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In most cases, I think it's the noise. Also the vibration from the thunder. That is a scary thing, when you don't know what is going on.
But I started rethinking this, after rescuing a cocker who had epilepsy. He certainly wasn't afraid of noises, but he would become a quivering heap at the approach of a thunderstorm. So I believe that it is the electrical discharges in the air that upsets them. He would be particularly sensitive to electricity because of the epilepsy, which scrambles the electrical impulses to the brain.
That's my theory, anyway.
2007-02-20 09:41:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is unknown why some pets become afraid of noises; it is a common problem in dogs, but less so in cats. The fear can soon become a phobia, which is defined as A persistent, excessive, and irrational fear response. In the case of thunderstorms, pets may also be fearful of storm-associated events such as a change in barometric pressure, lightning, electrostatic disturbances, and even smells associated with the storms. Noise phobias can include fear of thunderstorms, firecrackers, gunshots, and even the sound of birds.A noise phobia may be traced to a particular bad experience of a noise, but often, no triggering event can be ascertained. In almost all instances, the fear of noises and storms escalates, worsening with each exposure. Soon the pet may become fearful of similar sounds or events associated with the noise. For example, a pet afraid of thunder may also become afraid of rain, or a dog afraid of gunshots may show fear at the mere sight of a hunting rifle.
2007-02-20 09:28:24 · answer #4 · answered by miley_fan9 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fear of the unknown.
Properly socialized, it almost never happens.
All that is needed is to expose the puppy to the conditions BEFORE fear memory develops (about 12 weeks of age). If the condition has already been made a fun event for them before they are capable of remembering that they were afraid of it the first time they saw it they will never have a problem with it.
2007-02-20 09:53:29 · answer #5 · answered by tom l 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Some dogs are sensitive to the noise. I have one dog that is afraid, the smaller ones, it does not bother them
2007-02-22 23:02:30 · answer #6 · answered by Peppermint Patti 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same reason children are...loud noise...random flashes of light...and dogs hearing is supersensitive compared to humans...so it is actually that much louder to them...
2007-02-20 09:29:19 · answer #7 · answered by Terry C. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure, but I have to tranquilize one of my poms at the slightest sign of a storm because she becomes a nervous wreck. (not to mention the 4th of July, too) My other pom could care less!
2007-02-20 09:26:45 · answer #8 · answered by Pom♥Mom Spay and Neuter 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think I'm more freaked out by them than my dogs are...At least they can hide under the table; I don't quite fit!
2007-02-20 09:24:27 · answer #9 · answered by Yo LO! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One of my dogs would shiver and get really upset by thunder...the other would lay there and look at the other one.
2007-02-20 09:28:24 · answer #10 · answered by IGH3Rat 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋