How do you calm a dog down that is afraid of thunder storms?
04-20-2011, 08:28 PM
#51
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,712
Originally Posted by JulieR
Okay, this is going to sound very unpopular but just hear me out. LOL
DO NOT comfort a dog that is afraid. Don't coddle him, pet him or otherwise try to "love" him better.
Why not? For the same reason that you DO pet him when he does something good: you are telling him that whatever he just did is the right thing to do! So when you pet him while he's panicking in a storm you're telling him he was right - he SHOULD be afraid!
Instead, you need to be calm and confident. Lead by example - project the idea that there is nothing to fear, and that you are in control of the situation. You aren't going to let anything bad happen to him, but you can't tell him that with words or petting - instead, let your body language and energy tell him that.
As tough as it is, you have to ignore the behavior you don't want. In this case, I would put him in a sit or down position next to you, silently project your calm confidence and read a book or sew something. As long as he is sitting where you asked him to be, ignore him until he calms down - THEN you can praise him, thereby reinforcing the relaxed behavior.
No drugs, no feeling sorry for him. Instead help him face his fears and get over them. It isn't easy and it won't be instant, but I promise it's well worth the effort!
DO NOT comfort a dog that is afraid. Don't coddle him, pet him or otherwise try to "love" him better.
Why not? For the same reason that you DO pet him when he does something good: you are telling him that whatever he just did is the right thing to do! So when you pet him while he's panicking in a storm you're telling him he was right - he SHOULD be afraid!
Instead, you need to be calm and confident. Lead by example - project the idea that there is nothing to fear, and that you are in control of the situation. You aren't going to let anything bad happen to him, but you can't tell him that with words or petting - instead, let your body language and energy tell him that.
As tough as it is, you have to ignore the behavior you don't want. In this case, I would put him in a sit or down position next to you, silently project your calm confidence and read a book or sew something. As long as he is sitting where you asked him to be, ignore him until he calms down - THEN you can praise him, thereby reinforcing the relaxed behavior.
No drugs, no feeling sorry for him. Instead help him face his fears and get over them. It isn't easy and it won't be instant, but I promise it's well worth the effort!
04-20-2011, 08:34 PM
#52
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: canterbury uk
Posts: 1,036
Originally Posted by JulieR
Okay, this is going to sound very unpopular but just hear me out. LOL
DO NOT comfort a dog that is afraid. Don't coddle him, pet him or otherwise try to "love" him better.
Why not? For the same reason that you DO pet him when he does something good: you are telling him that whatever he just did is the right thing to do! So when you pet him while he's panicking in a storm you're telling him he was right - he SHOULD be afraid!
Instead, you need to be calm and confident. Lead by example - project the idea that there is nothing to fear, and that you are in control of the situation. You aren't going to let anything bad happen to him, but you can't tell him that with words or petting - instead, let your body language and energy tell him that.
As tough as it is, you have to ignore the behavior you don't want. In this case, I would put him in a sit or down position next to you, silently project your calm confidence and read a book or sew something. As long as he is sitting where you asked him to be, ignore him until he calms down - THEN you can praise him, thereby reinforcing the relaxed behavior.
No drugs, no feeling sorry for him. Instead help him face his fears and get over them. It isn't easy and it won't be instant, but I promise it's well worth the effort!
DO NOT comfort a dog that is afraid. Don't coddle him, pet him or otherwise try to "love" him better.
Why not? For the same reason that you DO pet him when he does something good: you are telling him that whatever he just did is the right thing to do! So when you pet him while he's panicking in a storm you're telling him he was right - he SHOULD be afraid!
Instead, you need to be calm and confident. Lead by example - project the idea that there is nothing to fear, and that you are in control of the situation. You aren't going to let anything bad happen to him, but you can't tell him that with words or petting - instead, let your body language and energy tell him that.
As tough as it is, you have to ignore the behavior you don't want. In this case, I would put him in a sit or down position next to you, silently project your calm confidence and read a book or sew something. As long as he is sitting where you asked him to be, ignore him until he calms down - THEN you can praise him, thereby reinforcing the relaxed behavior.
No drugs, no feeling sorry for him. Instead help him face his fears and get over them. It isn't easy and it won't be instant, but I promise it's well worth the effort!
04-20-2011, 09:20 PM
#53
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 1,029
[quote=JulieR]
Well, like article says, it won't help, but its not gonna hurt either.
This is just a personal pet peeve of mine. I have spent 20 years training dogs: mine, foster dogs, other people's dogs and I keep hearing how by petting your scared dog you will reinforce the fear, and that drives me nuts because its just not true.
You are absolutely right that if you freak out with the dog you will possibly make it worse, because the dog can cue off of you that there is something wrong. But you are not going to make it worse if you pet your dog or reassure him.
And you can show him with calm kindness that he can come to you for comfort.
True. She was a legend, lol. And you are right in that a new onset of fearful behavior should incur an immediate trip to the vet.
But since I had such good results using meds and behavior modification, after years of both of us suffering and her behavior getting worse, I believe early intervention is helpful. I started right away with a different dog who was terrified of fireworks, and he improved quite a lot. There's no reason for your dog to suffer when the meds are easily available and inexpensive.
Originally Posted by rushdoggie
In my experience with rescues, anyway. For years I nurtured the anxiety and never understood why that didn't work. Now, I get it.
This is just a personal pet peeve of mine. I have spent 20 years training dogs: mine, foster dogs, other people's dogs and I keep hearing how by petting your scared dog you will reinforce the fear, and that drives me nuts because its just not true.
You are absolutely right that if you freak out with the dog you will possibly make it worse, because the dog can cue off of you that there is something wrong. But you are not going to make it worse if you pet your dog or reassure him.
You can't verbalize and reason with a dog. But you can show him with your calm confidence that you are in control of the situation and THIS is not a time where fear and worry are necessary, or healthy.
However, it sounds like your dog's anxiety was WAY off the charts, and medication in cases like that can be lifesaving. For any extreme anxiety a trip to the vet is in order, just to rule out anything that might stand in the way of homegrown measures.
But since I had such good results using meds and behavior modification, after years of both of us suffering and her behavior getting worse, I believe early intervention is helpful. I started right away with a different dog who was terrified of fireworks, and he improved quite a lot. There's no reason for your dog to suffer when the meds are easily available and inexpensive.
04-20-2011, 10:00 PM
#54
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Peotone IL
Posts: 2,802
My shih tzu, Mickey, always slept with me at the foot of the bed. It takes a lot to wake me up & I rarely heard storms, but Mickey woke me up by sitting on my head :D It was if he couldn't get close enough to me.
04-21-2011, 02:26 AM
#55
Power Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 13,257
Originally Posted by JulieR
Okay, this is going to sound very unpopular but just hear me out. LOL
DO NOT comfort a dog that is afraid. Don't coddle him, pet him or otherwise try to "love" him better.
Why not? For the same reason that you DO pet him when he does something good: you are telling him that whatever he just did is the right thing to do! So when you pet him while he's panicking in a storm you're telling him he was right - he SHOULD be afraid!
Instead, you need to be calm and confident. Lead by example - project the idea that there is nothing to fear, and that you are in control of the situation. You aren't going to let anything bad happen to him, but you can't tell him that with words or petting - instead, let your body language and energy tell him that.
As tough as it is, you have to ignore the behavior you don't want. In this case, I would put him in a sit or down position next to you, silently project your calm confidence and read a book or sew something. As long as he is sitting where you asked him to be, ignore him until he calms down - THEN you can praise him, thereby reinforcing the relaxed behavior.
No drugs, no feeling sorry for him. Instead help him face his fears and get over them. It isn't easy and it won't be instant, but I promise it's well worth the effort!
DO NOT comfort a dog that is afraid. Don't coddle him, pet him or otherwise try to "love" him better.
Why not? For the same reason that you DO pet him when he does something good: you are telling him that whatever he just did is the right thing to do! So when you pet him while he's panicking in a storm you're telling him he was right - he SHOULD be afraid!
Instead, you need to be calm and confident. Lead by example - project the idea that there is nothing to fear, and that you are in control of the situation. You aren't going to let anything bad happen to him, but you can't tell him that with words or petting - instead, let your body language and energy tell him that.
As tough as it is, you have to ignore the behavior you don't want. In this case, I would put him in a sit or down position next to you, silently project your calm confidence and read a book or sew something. As long as he is sitting where you asked him to be, ignore him until he calms down - THEN you can praise him, thereby reinforcing the relaxed behavior.
No drugs, no feeling sorry for him. Instead help him face his fears and get over them. It isn't easy and it won't be instant, but I promise it's well worth the effort!
Ditto this. I have heard this also. Also heard that if you rub a dog with a fabric softerner sheet before it storms, that may help. Something about electricity going through the hair upsets the dog than anything!
04-21-2011, 03:22 AM
#56
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Guelph, On. -
Posts: 2,021
I rescued a Short haired pointer from the Humane Society for my kids. So I half expected some problems but not the Thunderstorm one. We tried everything. The only thing that worked for us was to sit on her, literally, as she tried to get out windows etc. So my sons and I took turns no matter what the time of night. We'd get her laid down beside the sofa and wedge her there with our legs while we watched whatever was on TV in the dead of night.
She was caught outside once while we were all away from the house and we recovered her 20 miles from us. Drugs did nothing. But we still loved her dearly.
MK
She was caught outside once while we were all away from the house and we recovered her 20 miles from us. Drugs did nothing. But we still loved her dearly.
MK
04-21-2011, 03:56 AM
#59
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 2,157
Originally Posted by craftybear
How do you calm a dog down that is afraid of thunder storms?
Last night here in central Indiana we had some bad storms and my new shih tzu dog, Sophie, was scared to death and paced the family room floor. She is 5 years old and I just rescued her on April 11th.
Last night here in central Indiana we had some bad storms and my new shih tzu dog, Sophie, was scared to death and paced the family room floor. She is 5 years old and I just rescued her on April 11th.
04-21-2011, 04:06 AM
#60
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: VA
Posts: 311
I have to agree with julieR. I am hearing impaired and I generally do not react to thunder because for me it is like a rumble that I wonder if it is thunder. And since I do not react at all, neither does my dog.
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