Scared of thunder.

[Dunwaters]

As above, my older bitch has developed a real fear of thunder, one rumble and she’s in, sitting on my feet and whining. I wasn’t around yesterday and she ran, turning up at a neighbours in a right state and demanding entry.
When she was younger there was no issue but it’s definitely getting worse as she gets older, she’s 8 now.
She’s not gun shy and generally is pretty unflappable, just this one issue.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Aye - my old girl has hated it all of her life but for the past year or so she has been deaf as a post. We had the best thunderstorm yesterday in many years with huge hailstones hammering the conservatory roof and she slept right through it. Funny how a dog that has heard many hundreds of shots, many at close range gets the yips when thunder is about.
Maybe someone has a proper explanation for it….

 

[User00036]

My dad used to say it was thin skulls on the dog. Collies are notoriously bad, my cattle dogs got a thick skull, but is bloody terrified of thunder. Go figure. Try & gee em up a bit, happy distractions, things that make their tail wag. Fussing them is a bit like sharing their fear, they pick up on it. So I just stick with the happy stuff. It seems to work, she doesn't mind it so much now. Dont know if that makes sense. Dogs are amazing they can sense thunder long before we can hear it.

 

[old keeper]

I suspect animals hear thunder rather differently from us, certainly, pheasants will hear thunder and start shouting well before we hear it.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Yup
Old lurcher hates it. Leaves him a wide eyed shivering wreck , have to cuddle him in on the couch to calm him down.


Although that might be his plan !

 

[Buchan]

Pay no attention to them, cuddling reinforces the fear as the dog then thinks you are frightened! THunder is a bugger as it can't be predicted, but you can desensitize then "sounds scary" is worth a look, as is an adaptil collar and a chat with a behaviour minded vet nurse if it is relaly bad.

 

[Rake Aboot]

My dog says he’s glad I don’t listen to vets

 

[Dunwaters]

Pay no attention to them, cuddling reinforces the fear as the dog then thinks you are frightened! THunder is a bugger as it can't be predicted, but you can desensitize then "sounds scary" is worth a look, as is an adaptil collar and a chat with a behaviour minded vet nurse if it is relaly bad.

She doesn’t ask can she have a cuddle, she climbs up and demands it, if she’s out and she wants in, she comes in, closed doors or windows are no barrier.
She’s quite a determined lady.

 

[deerstalker.308]

She doesn’t ask can she have a cuddle, she climbs up and demands it, if she’s out and she wants in, she comes in, closed doors or windows are no barrier.
She’s quite a determined lady.

The adaptil collar for £30 is well worth a try, albeit you’ll never know when you’ll need it with thunder but they actually do do something, the danger will be you won’t think it’s worth it short term but you may be surprised in the long run, worth a try. Get them on Amazon and shop around for the best price.

 

[hcm1]

Have a chat with your vet. I am using more behaviour modifying medications recently as I feel stress, fear and anxiety can be just as bad for animals to suffer with as pain is.

 

[Cumbrian 1]

Great song the dog needs a better taste in music

 

[Triggermortis]

Might the difference between thunder and gunshot to a dog not be something to do with the type/speed or length of time of the pressure wave felt by the dogs sensitive hearing?

 

[wully1234]

Mines loves any sort of big bangs , weapon or fireworks but not thunder..
From what ive read , they may be able to sense the charged electrical particles in the atmosphere and this may be what causes the behaviour rather than the noise itself
Some dogs/breeds were used to alert the owner/shepherds etc. of an incoming storm in years past ,I take it by the same mechanism

 

[Tagoat]

Laugh if you wish ......... personally, approx 20mins prior to a storm breaking I get an intense "thick/heavy" headache & my knees become rather rheumatic.
Explained to me once by an eminently sensible bod, as the body reacting to the drop in air pressure.
Clears as soon as the storm passes.
Perhaps those dogs are suffering sensations they don't understand?

 

[Dunwaters]

Might the difference between thunder and gunshot to a dog not be something to do with the type/speed or length of time of the pressure wave felt by the dogs sensitive hearing?

I think she can, she seems to know when a flash is imminent, she definitely anticipates the bang.

 

[newsatten]

My last Lab was the same !
Bomb proof with any noise apart from thunder!
She’d be straight upstairs and under a bed,
As she got older and put on a few pounds that became an issue
Went she passed I gave up rough shooting,
She was the most amazing dog/friend and irreplaceable for,

 

[viking90]

Have a chat with your vet. I am using more behaviour modifying medications recently as I feel stress, fear and anxiety can be just as bad for animals to suffer with as pain is.

I have to ask, what made you go for behaviour modification drugs?

 

[Selous]

There are recordings of thunderstorms on Spotify that you could use to try to desensitise. Start by playing at very low volume and gradually increase

 

[hcm1]

I have to ask, what made you go for behaviour modification drugs?

Largely to try to combat fear of the vets. It would be lovely to be able to "train" the fear away but sadly time is very often a limiting factor and most owners are not in a position to carry out extensive time consuming behaviour modification plans for the sae of 1 or two vet visits a year.

 

[Beagler]

The Beagle we used to quake and shiver at bonfire night. I got a CD of gunshot and fireworks and played it in my hi fi on low volume then gradually turned up the volume till the dog didnt react. Eventually he used to ignore the fireworks and just slept through it all.

Maybe you can desentisise your dog in a similar manner with a thunder sound effect CD