I was on the radio and the subject of storm fear was being discussed. A listener phoned in and said “what is the big deal it is only some bangs and flashes” – my reply – ‘how would you feel if you had a phobia about spiders and were forced to go into a room with them and could not get away from them’? Needless to say the listener had no more to add!
Storm fear, especially when it has developed into the Phobia stage can be a terrible condition for a dog to have. This condition can vary from the dog just hiding away, perhaps trembling or being a bit anxious, right through to full blown phobia where the dog may run in circles and defecate and urinate in absolute terror, or even try to escape by jumping over a fence or go straight through a window – often closed. I hear at least 3 to 4 reports per year on dogs that hung themselves by the collar trying to get over fences and gates to escape – storm phobia is a very serious condition and should not be taken lightly.
What many owners do not realize is that the dog that rushes outside, barks, turns circles and acts a bit like a clown is actually a dog that is not coping and the odds are that this behaviour will gradually become more fearful.
What is a dead cert is that this condition will not just go away by itself – it will get progressively worse and other fears can often develop.
The Use of Medications
As many owners have discovered, meds by themselves will seldom reduce the dog’s fear or solve the concern, the behavioural aspect and helping the dog to cope has to be looked at as well.
Helping Your Dog
In addition to below, a canine behaviourist will bring in further changes to help your dog to cope and if the condition is severe, please do get professional help (www.animal-behaviour.org.za). It is important to bring in the new changes you have made the second the dog starts to react to the storm and this could be as much as an hour before. Dogs actually react to the changes in the Ions and the thunder, lightning and rain seem to be further influences.
Storm fear, especially when it has developed into the Phobia stage can be a terrible condition for a dog to have. This condition can vary from the dog just hiding away, perhaps trembling or being a bit anxious, right through to full blown phobia where the dog may run in circles and defecate and urinate in absolute terror, or even try to escape by jumping over a fence or go straight through a window – often closed. I hear at least 3 to 4 reports per year on dogs that hung themselves by the collar trying to get over fences and gates to escape – storm phobia is a very serious condition and should not be taken lightly.
What many owners do not realize is that the dog that rushes outside, barks, turns circles and acts a bit like a clown is actually a dog that is not coping and the odds are that this behaviour will gradually become more fearful.
What is a dead cert is that this condition will not just go away by itself – it will get progressively worse and other fears can often develop.
The Use of Medications
- If the condition is severe get help from your vet as your dog may need something stronger – after all would you take an everyday headache medication for a migraine? Some of the meds your vet may consider could be Clomicalm, Prozac, Zoloft and on occasion Xanax.
- On the natural side my own preference is the FOTD Behaviour Sprays (previously Avalon Pure Storm Phobia Spray) – absolutely brilliant and will not interfere with any other medication your dog may be on - in fact we were so impressed by them that when the owner retired we took them over! Other options are Pheromone Collar, CalmEze, or Melatonin. It is always a good idea to check with your vet especially if your dog is on any other medication.
As many owners have discovered, meds by themselves will seldom reduce the dog’s fear or solve the concern, the behavioural aspect and helping the dog to cope has to be looked at as well.
Helping Your Dog
In addition to below, a canine behaviourist will bring in further changes to help your dog to cope and if the condition is severe, please do get professional help (www.animal-behaviour.org.za). It is important to bring in the new changes you have made the second the dog starts to react to the storm and this could be as much as an hour before. Dogs actually react to the changes in the Ions and the thunder, lightning and rain seem to be further influences.
- Outside Dogs – bring them inside! Just being with people and away from the terrifying noise immediately reduces the fear and prevents the dog trying to escape the property. This is not always possible so make sure a garage or storeroom is left open for the dog, to place inside a kennel (wooden if possible as these seem to reduce the noise of the storm more) and that a blanket is left partly over the top of it to provide a safe hidey-hole. Place a wad of newspapers on the floor to further deaden the noise. Spray this area and the dog daily with the Storm Fear Phobia Spray. Until the dog is brought inside it is doubtful, even with modifications that this dog will totally overcome its fear.
- Don’t pander to the fear the dog is showing -The most important aspect is not to pander to the dog during the storm with any excess of attention at all – all this will do is make the dog think that there really is a problem and be more likely to reinforce the fear. I am not saying ignore your dog – of course not, it is scared stiff – rather just have the dog sitting next to you or walking around the home with you. I have found that with some dogs doing a bit of TTouch while the storm is on is really beneficial but it must be done in a casual manner – not paying any more attention or showering the dog with love and cuddles. Reward the dog with praise and treats for any lessening of the fear behaviour.
- Create a Safe Place - Dogs normally feel more secure when they have an area they can hide away from the storm. This is based on a dog’s natural ‘den’ instinct. Under no circumstances should a dog be forced into a safe place, it must be the dog’s choice. Place a blanket or an old item of clothing of yours in the safe place. Dogs often feel more secure when they can be near our scent. Ideas for safe places – bathroom, in a cupboard, under a bed, behind a chair or curtains, in a crate.
Ensure that your dog has easy access to this safe place at all times and get into the habit of allowing the dog to chew on a nice bone, such as a cow femur, which it is only allowed to have when in the safe place. Chewing can actually lessen the amount of stress that a dog is feeling. The dog only gets this bone when it its safe place.
Another place that appears to be especially helpful is to place the dog in a car parked in a garage - but bear in mind that you should stay with the dog and if the dog will chew on a bone, let it chew happily in the back seat. |
Since we started using the Avalon Pure for Dogs Storm Phobia sprays (now FOTD Dog Behaviour Sprays), we find that spraying the area the dog is staying in and any blankets is an additional help.
- Exercise - According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK, exercise increases brain serotonin functions in humans and it is believed that it has the same effect on dogs.
- Any owner of a storm phobic dog should keep an eye on the weather forecast and if it is likely that there will be storms occurring take the dog for a long walk or engage in a vigorous game with the dog long before the storm approaches. This should help to balance the serotonin levels and help the dog to cope.
- White Noise - The sound of music or a TV is often helpful in assisting a dog to cope with storms, so too is laughter and singing, so sing along to the music. It has been proven that when humans smile and sing our own stress levels are lowered and this, in turn, will help your dogs. Some dogs seem to prefer happy, upbeat music and others more on the classical side. There are even Lullaby CD’s you can buy for dogs on the internet.
- You’re Reaction – Absolutely crucial! Especially in the case of an owner that starts to stress even thinking about their dogs reaction to a storm as they see the skies darkening and the dogs behaviour starting to change. Our dogs pick up not only on our body language, but also on our emotions, the changes in our own pheromones etc and they will pick up and react to our own fear. If you need medication to relax yourself then consider a natural option or visit your doctor. As mentioned in the section above, dance, sing, act like a clown – do whatever it takes to help your dog cope and this should relax you as well.
- Curtains - simply closing the curtains to keep out the flash of lightening can help many dogs, especially if accompanied by White Noise as above. Try taking the dog to another part of the home where it may be further away from the effects of the storm.
- Counter-conditioning – Basically giving the dog something else to do when storms are around to help it cope. This is one of the most effective ways to help a dog. When there are no storms around, the owner gets into a daily pattern of playing with the dog at the approximate time storms normally occur. Ideas are an inside game of throwing a soft ball up and down a passage, a game of pullies or similar. What we are doing here is to get the dog to engage in an acceptable behaviour rather than an unacceptable one and by doing this we are turning the approach of a storm into a pleasurable experience, rather than a fearful one. As soon as the dog shows signs that a storm is approaching, you get out the toys, turn on the radio and engage in a game. What is important is that these special toys are only used for practice or during a storm as these will then assume great important to the dog and it will be more likely to engage and play.
- TTouch - Due to the major positive changes we have experienced in all dogs I have worked on using TTouch we would say that all dogs with Storm Fear should have TTouch done. These TTouches influence habitual patterns of tension and by giving new information to the nervous system it allows the animal to relax. It will go a long way to lessening stress levels and helping a dog to cope. The TTouch should be done daily when there are no storms around. Even just doing some ear strokes on the ears can help to reduce the stress as per the diagram below. For further info www.ttouch.co.za
- Wrap - In addition to the TTouch body touches, applying what we TTouch practitioners call a Wrap, which is a simple Ace elastic bandage that is placed loosely across the dogs chest, crossed over the back, taken under the tummy and secured with a nappy safety pin, can help our dogs cope. Without going into the scientific reasons why this helps to lower stress it can easily be described as being similar to a Receiving Blanket that is put on a new born baby. It gives a sense of security and is helpful in any stressful situation as well as enhancing the dog’s sense of its own body. The Wrap also tends to touch certain Acupressure points on the dog which will further help to relax the dog. If you do not have access to a Wrap, putting a simple stretch T-shirt on a dog and tying a knot at the bottom, will help.
- Another addition to the Wrap that is proving very successful in many cases is to either put on 3 drops of both Chamomile and Lavender Essential Oils to the Wrap before applying to the dog. Alternatively, you can apply some of the Avalon Pure Storm Spray (now FOTD Dog Behaviour Sprays) to the wrap. Never leave your dog unattended with a wrap on.
A Thundershirt can be used which is brilliant for some dogs. It is very similar to a dog jacket and helps the dog to feel more secure but has the stretchiness of the Wrap at the same time. This really does seem to make a big difference with many dogs, providing a feeling of security and comfort.
Desensitization: Here the pet’s response to the fearful stimulus is decreased while it is exposed to increasing levels of the fearful stimulus when there are no storms around. Where storm or firework fear is involved you would use a tape or CD of a storm (or record one yourself) and slowly and gradually expose your pet to a higher volume. In theory this is an excellent way to help your pet, but unfortunately, with storm fear, the tape or CD does not record the changes in barometric pressure or static electricity, but it will help to lessen the fear response.
As with all behavioural problems, there are unfortunately no guarantees that the problem can be rectified completely. It depends on several factors such as the severity, how long the dog has had the problem, whether other behavioural problems are present, the modifications undertaken, the dog itself and most of all the amount of time an owner is prepared to work on the problem. In such a small space it is impossible to go into the details that this subject deserves but at least this gives you a starting point and do not be afraid to get professional help if needed – your dog deserves it. Good luck!
As with all behavioural problems, there are unfortunately no guarantees that the problem can be rectified completely. It depends on several factors such as the severity, how long the dog has had the problem, whether other behavioural problems are present, the modifications undertaken, the dog itself and most of all the amount of time an owner is prepared to work on the problem. In such a small space it is impossible to go into the details that this subject deserves but at least this gives you a starting point and do not be afraid to get professional help if needed – your dog deserves it. Good luck!
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