Thunder storms and dogs?

The Coffee Shop
1

Here’s one for the resident dog psychologists.

We’re in the middle of a thunder storm and my 10 yr old black lab is terrified. He’s hiding under a desk in the basement and shaking. I’m trying to console him at this very moment.

Strange thing is that this is a more recent behaviour patern. When he was younger thunder storms didn’t bother him at all. Now thunder, a muffler backfire, fireworks, etc send him into a tizzy. The same was true for my golden retreiver who also didn’t develop this fear until later in life.

I can’t understand why my dogs would feel so insecure at this age. I doubt if this pattern can be reversed, but am wondering if anybody else has had these kinds of dog experiences and have any idea what the reason is?

2

Here’s one for the resident dog psychologists.

We’re in the middle of a thunder storm and my 10 yr old black lab is terrified. He’s hiding under a desk in the basement and shaking. I’m trying to console him at this very moment.

Strange thing is that this is a more recent behaviour patern. When he was younger thunder storms didn’t bother him at all. Now thunder, a muffler backfire, fireworks, etc send him into a tizzy. The same was true for my golden retreiver who also didn’t develop this fear until later in life.

I can’t understand why my dogs would feel so insecure at this age. I doubt if this pattern can be reversed, but am wondering if anybody else has had these kinds of dog experiences and have any idea what the reason is?
Our ~8 year old rescue German Shepherd Dog is terrified of thunder, also, and has always been so. She seeks us out (even in the middle of the night) when a thunderstorm hits. No clue as to why.

3

When in doubt do a google. Interesting insight here:

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_FearOfThunder.ph

4

Strange thing is that this is a more recent behaviour patern.

I have no idea if this is an old wive’s tale or if there’s any validity to it. I was planning to try this with my scaredy-dog the next time we have a thunderstorm when I’m home:

I’ve been told (not by any dog behaviorist or vet, though) that much of the problem isn’t the thunder itself, but the static electricity present in a storm, which (I’m told) is unpleasant for the dog. They make the classic Pavlovian association between the thunder and the unpleasant feeling, so then, they are conditioned to associate that unpleasantness with many sudden, loud noises. (Sounds a little “iffy” to me, but what the heck).

I was advised to run an ordinary dryer sheet over the dog’s coat at the beginning of a thunderstorm to help counteract the static electricity. Sounds WAAAAY out there to me, but I’ll give anything a try to ease the stress on my boy.

If you try it, let me know whether it works or not. I’m dubious.

5

Thanks for the post. Maybe you’re on to something. Read the reason why they claim this product works:

http://www.stormdefender.com/index.html

6

I have a 10-yr old yellow lab that is afraid of thunderstorms and loud sudden noises in general. She’s done this ever since she was a puppy; she used to hide under the kitchen table but now runs upstairs to our bedroom and huddles in the corner on her bed.

7

http://www.stormdefender.com/index.html

Interesting. Maybe this person who told me about it actually knows what she’s talking about!

Edit: Makes me wonder, though, why storms don’t affect my other dog the same way. Maybe he just has better coping mechanisms! :slight_smile:

8

Interestingly enough, I have generally noted this behaviour more in field dogs (hounds, spaniels, retrievers) than in other breeds. None of my terriers ever even blinked at a storm. That said, terriers are notoriously though and pian tolerant when comapred to other breeds, so maybe there is a general sensitivity issue going on here as well - they just ingore the discomfort/signal.

To the OP - you may find if this solution works, your dog will settle down with the backfires and other bangs as well. Since none of those have a static charge, you dog may have made the association between any loud bang and the storm phenomena. Breaking that association could be helpful.

9

My late Sammy and my current Golden Retriever both were/are afraid of t-storms and other loud noises. Our Sammy would go find something to get under…a bed, a desk, anything cavelike. Hoover, our Golden, on the other hand, just wants to get as close as possible to us…he will literally try and sit on our noggins while we are trying to sleep! Sometimes it gets so bad we have to put him in his crate just so we can sleep.

Spot

10

Interestingly enough, I have generally noted this behaviour more in field dogs (hounds, spaniels, retrievers) than in other breeds. None of my terriers ever even blinked at a storm. That said, terriers are notoriously though and pian tolerant when comapred to other breeds, so maybe there is a general sensitivity issue going on here as well - they just ingore the discomfort/signal.

That probably explains the differences between many (most?) dogs, but probably not mine. Both are yellow labs. The one that weathers storms well is full blood lab. The fraidy-dog is mostly lab with something else in him (we think maybe chow chow – maybe THAT explains it – I’ve heard chows are rather neurotic).

11

Yeah - well go figure. That was just my observation, and is by no means scientific nor comprehensive. I wish I did understand what the triggers were, and how to deal with them, since this is not an uncommon phenomena and the answer could help a lot of people.

You may be right about the chow bit, especially since many chows are milled. Good chows are not neurotic, but there is a lot of bad bloodline out there. Maybe the pet blanket will work. Hope so.

12

My little mixed dog gets terrified when it storms. She heads to get under something also. She really is comforted when we throw a blanket over her, I never thought of it but maybe the static storey is true. I dunno maybe?

13

The static build-up idea makes sense to me. I’ve always wondered about my black lab.
He’s not bothered by other loud noises, including shotguns/hunting all his life. The only things he’s afraid of are thunder…and the cat.

14

interesting theory on the field dogs v. terriers and ours fit right into it all

our lab is a bird dog/field dog and is absolutely terrified in storms! she hides in the bathroom and just shakes. it is so weird because she isn’t remotely shy or scared with the sound of a shotgun. however, a truck driving down the street rattling or a storm completely freaks her out.

on the other hand, our border terrier doesn’t even notice when it is storming. literally, she just sleeps right through everything and isn’t bothered in the slightest. noises and storms can come and go and she just goes about her business as usual.

i wish i could find a way to comfort our lab because it is so sad to see her terrified!

15

Small Thread Hijack - Why do lab owners describe their lab by color? All three colors can come from any colored mother and can be found in the same litter. Does anyone think there is any tempermental or other difference indicated by color? (Proud owner of a sweet black lab.)

Our black lab pays no attention to storms or loud noises. Growing up, our shepherd mix and our German Shepherd were nervous/afraid when it thundered and on the 4th of July.

David K

16

We had a Great Pyrenees. She always suffered from “Separation disorder”. She became very unruly when we were gone and HATED being in any type of cage or even locked in the house. When she was around 6-7 yrs old the symptoms worsened and she became afraid of storms and loud, unknown, noises, storms, fireworks, backfires, gunfire etc. The symptoms escalated to the point that we took her to the vet and she was given what we called “Puppy prozac”. This seemed to help but did not alleviate the symptoms.

One day during a particularly nasty storm when both my wife and I where at work she became so scared she clawed out the screen and jumped out of the second story window of house. She ended up incurring internal injuries and we had to put her to sleep 2 days later.

Frankly I’m sure this is like a mental illness for a human. Need to find out what behavior modifications or medicines need to take place in order to manage the symptoms.

~Matt

17

My Akita/GSD cross has always been scared of storms, fireworks, loud noises, and rain. When he was younger, his reactions were mostly confined to refusing to go outside (sometimes for two days) and hiding in the bathroom or under a desk.

As he has gotten older, however, his behavior has gotten progressively worse. He pants, and slinks around the house, dashing from hiding spot to hiding spot, looking all wild-eyed and terrified. He will go without food for days, even a week at a time, and spends the bulk of his days in the basement bathroom. When he is not hiding during a storm, he will BOLT–in his panic he took out a screen door during a storm earlier this summer, and we had to spend an hour searching for him in the driving rainstorm. And, since his bladder/bowel control isn’t want it used to be (at 7 he’s getting up there for a large dog)…if he tries to stay inside for days, he has accidents. He’s pooped in the kitchen a few times, and on July fourth, he peed on the couch as he absolutely SHOOK in terror.

We tried to give him a valerian root extract…which works when we can get him to take it. problem is, the event usually occurs before we get him the biscuit–and then he won’t eat it. Firecrackers are unpredictable–and a random one can set him off for DAYS. And as for storms, well, he knows they are coming long before we do b/c of the pressure changes.

We finally got a perscription for sedatives, and will be trying that the next time teh forecast calls for rain. I don’t WANT to drug him, but he’s starting to pose a danger to himself.

Our other dog (a sheltie/GSD cross), who was a rescue, and was abused and spent the first few months of her life tied to a pole, came to us terrified of everything…except storms. July 4th came and went, she watched the fireworks. Huge storms roll through, she’ll play happily outside. When Sam hides in the basement, she runs down and tries to get him to play–and then just looks confused when he ignores her :frowning:

18

No idea.

My 11 year old Lab sleeps through just about anything. We were at the cottage last weekend when a huge thunderstorm rolled through. Lasted about an hour. Max slept through the whole thing.

19

I’m skeptical of the whole theory. I’ve got two standard poodles - brother and sister. One is terrified of loud noises, thunderstorms, etc., the other has no problems at all. The terrified one tries to hide and the other one just wanders around as normal. I had a yellow lab several years back and he was never bothered by storms or noises either. Our terrier mix just barks at the noises, but isn’t terrified. I doubt this is anything more than every dog is different and has their own little quirks, and has nothing to do with static.

20

Our 9 year old lab started doing the same about 8 yrs old, which is strange for a field trianed dog. July 4th week is always fun.