How do I help keep my dog calm during a thunderstorm?

Question

I have a 6 year old dachshund and she is terrified of thunder storms. When thunder sounds, she runs for someones lap, under a bed, or just runs around the house trying to find a "safe place". She also cries. I try my best to help her by petting her and comforting her when she does run to me, but she ends up running off when thunder sounds again usually (sometimes she does stay). Is there anything I can do to make her more calm during a storm? Is it natural for all dogs to be scared of storms like this?

Answer 1

Does your dog have a kennel or doggie-bed? I would keep an open kennel in a quiet, dark room for her. Give her that 'safe-place' that she's been looking for. She can run to it and 'wait out the storm'. Petting and reassuring her is a great technique - kudos for doing it.


If you feel she is getting uncontrollably worked up over it (it doesn't sound like that is the situation), you can talk to your vet. They might give you a sedative prescription if they feel the situation warrants it. Most of the time a medication is only needed when the dog become uncontrollable, looses control of urine/bowel movement, or is a threat to himself or others because he isn't 'thinking' clearly due to fright.

Many, many dogs are terrified of thunder storms. Yours is not the only dog, so don't feel alone.

For the average thunder-storm-fear you can try essential oils such as lavendar (put a few drops on your hand, rub into palms, and then calmly pet/massage your dog). [to make sure your dog is not allergic to lavendar oil, try doing this on an average day on a small area of his body and make sure the skin does not react - some essential oils are strong and occasionally you find a dog that doesn't tolerate them]

There is also something made from floral essences called Rescue Remedy. Its usually available at a health food store; some of the larger pharmacies might carry it. You would use it similar to the lavendar oil and it works in a similar way.

good luck!

Answer 2

A lot of small dogs and some large breed dogs are frightened during a thunderstorms, the best thing to do during the storm is to comfort her but don't talk to her, just hold her and do what you would normal do during a storm, like watching the rain come down with her in your arms and petting her or just sitting on the couch and watch TV during the whole storm try not to talk to her, talk but not to your dog.
You can desensitize her from the booms of thunder. You will need to purchase a tape or CD that is only of thunder storms.
Play the music and play with your dog, if she starts to shake or show signs of being afraid try to ignore that and get her to pay attention to you and the toys you have or the treat that she would want on any other typical day. This will take some time and eventually she will calm down when a storm happens.
Good Luck

Answer 3

My dog doesn't like thunderstorms either. She does the exact same thing as your dog, (whining, hiding, jumping on people), but she also hyperventilates. We usually create a 'safe spot' for her such as a table with a blanket over the edges, or a corner of a room with a kind of cavelike feel to it. Also, it helps if you keep the volumes up on the TV or radio to help cut down hearing the thunder. And, keep as many lights on as possible so lightning doesn't frighten her either (my dog learned that when she saw lightning, thunder was coming).

On the other hand, by petting her and soothing her you're showing that it's okay to 'freak out' during a storm. If you ignore the storm, she'll learn that it isn't that bad, and will learn to ignore it too.

Answer 4

Get her a crate that she can use as her safe place, her hidey-hole. You can put a blanket over it to make it more like a cave. Shut the door of the crate so she can't go tearing around and hurt herself or even get outdoors and injured.
Play soothing music (obviously nothing with a lot of drums)
There are meds that your vet can prescribe; it just depends on whether you want to dope the dog. You may not always be around when a storm rolls in, whereas the crate can be there for her any time.
My married daughter has a 9-yr old male dachsie and he does this too; we found the crate and the music were about all we can do for him.
Do her eyes get real dilated and weird? I ask because Frasier's do...it's like he doesn't really see us or even know who we are. He came to us as a 3-yr-old rescue and we joke that he got loose during a t'storm in Lexington (KY) and ran all the way to Louisville, where he was picked up.

Answer 5

Electricity crackles in the fur of animals before it is 'feelable' by us mere humans.
It's uncomfortable -- think of how you feel when you get a 'spark' when you touch something electrical. Not good.
A lot of dogs will run for something ceramic (like a bathtub) when inclement weather approaches. Ceramics don't conduct painful electricity.

Or... Put your dog on your lap and smoothe down the clothing you're wearing. That will keep electrical crackles from passing from the dog to you and back again.

Give your dog a safe haven. I put a bunch of cotton blankets in the corner of my clothing closet. My pup RAN there and was safe, and didn't get zapped by crackling electricity. She ran there for the next 15 years.
My next dog? Didn't react to thunder/lightning at all. Loved being outside and being rained on.
So who knows?
I've had Fraidy Cats and I've had Warrior Princesses.
Short answer to your question -- make sure you have non-conductive (cotton) fabric nearby. Put it on your lap, and then put the dachsie there.
Make a save haven of cotton in a cupboard, and make sure the door is cracked open.
Hope some of this helps.

Answer 6

Dogs can sense how people feel. Your dog is probably responding like this because she witnessed a person being very nervous during a storm. Try to remain as calm as you can during the storm, use a soft voice and reassure her that if you're not afraid, she shouldn't be afraid.

Answer 7

Stop petting her and comforting her when she acts so fearful. You're only telling her that she's right to be afraid. Instead do something like starting a training session with her. Ignore the storm yourself. Tell her to sit and reward her with a small treat for doing what you tell her to do. Resist the urge to reward her in any way for acting afraid.

My yorkie is afraid of noises, too, like the vacuum, so I started turning on the vacuum with him in the room and letting it run while I got out his favorite squeaky toy. First I played with his squeaky toy with him at the opposite side of the room as the vacuum, then gradually moved closer to the vacuum. I can't say he loves the vacuum, but he doesn't freak out over it anymore and I can get him to walk past it calmly.

My dachshund on the other hand..... When I start the vacuum, she runs to get a tennis ball and drops it in front of the vacuum. I guess she thinks the vacuum will throw it for her now?

Answer 8

Dogs have sensitive hearing, 10 times our hearing ability. My yorkie is also afraid of the thunder, I normally just re-assure her and stroke her. She eventually calms down. All you can do is talk to her calmly, stroke her and Im sure she will feel more secure. It is natural for all dogs to be afraid of thunder storms, all the previous dogs I have had were also afraid. Dont worry too much, just console her during the storms.

Answer 9

You may have to talk to your vet about getting doggie valium for the poor thing when you have bad storms. Other than comfort it, there is not much you can do. We had a large old dog, and even though she could hardly walk, if it stormed she would climb into the bathtub. We could hardly get her out because she was so heavy and we would have to lift her.It is more common than you think, probably a survival instinct from the wild dog days of their ancestors.

Answer 10

My Lhasa Apso gets scared during thunderstorms too. My vet told me that holding him and petting him and talking to him like a baby didnt help at all but only reinforced the behavior. He told me to talk to her normally and try playing with her and distracting her. I dont know that this has been 100% effective in my situation. Crating him with a soft blanket inside and placing a blanket over the crate and leaving the front part of the crate uncovered generally calms him. Best Wishes!!