AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION BELOW, WHICH WE CAN TAILOR TO THE ARTICLE CONCERNED - THIS WOULD LINK TO THE ACTUAL PAGE THE PRODUCT IS SITUATED ON, AS PER THE SAMPLE OF THE THUNDERSHIRT IN THE BODY OF THIS ARTICLE
Storm Phobia in Dogs
( by Scotty Valadao – Animal Behaviour Consutant (ABC of SA™) – TTouch Practitioner)
There is very little worse for a dedicated dog owner than to watch their beloved dog run around in circles, defecating and urinating in absolute terror, or trembling and shaking. Can anything be done to help dogs that suffer from this phobia? Most definitely yes.
Over the last five years I have been using a combination of behavior modification, TTouch and veterinary assistance (where necessary), to help dogs suffering from this terrible phenomena. Not all dogs have had a 100% turnaround, but they have all improved to varying degrees and learnt how to cope better with the fear.
What causes this phobia?
Not all dogs are actually storm phobic and some cope with storms better than others. Basically a phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of the specific stimuli.
It was previously thought that it could be the sound of thunder or the flash or lightning, or even the strong wind that often accompanies a storm that affected our dogs. Studies have since revealed that these events are more likely to be secondary occurrences rather than the primary phobic cause. It was then thought that it is the static electricity that builds up before a storm that was the primary phobic source. Many dogs seem to seek out the bathroom and can be found lying behind a sink, in the shower or even in the bath. Dr. N. Dodman, veterinarian, behaviourist and author, says ‘a factor in common to all bathrooms is that they provide excellent electrical grounding because of the associated plumbing’. Dr. Dodman has also had clients who reported that they often receive minor electrical shocks (static electricity) from their dogs when they handle them during a storm.
Further studies into this phobia indicate that it may be the changes in Ions that take place during a storm that are affecting our dogs and ongoing research into this is currently taking place. Ions are simply atoms or molecules that have gained or lost an electron. The ones that have lost an electron are called positive ions (these are the bad ones) and the ones that have gained a molecule are called negative ions (good ones).
When an ion becomes positive it can affect our lives dramatically. The best example is some of the winds, such as the Sirocco in Italy and the Mistral in France. When these winds are blowing people experience stress, depression, anxiety and sleeplessness. Another area where positive ions can affect us is that negatively charged particles are attracted to our computer screens and the positively charged particles are attracted in the opposite direction – which means towards the user. This can result in skin and eye irritation and adversely affect health.
Now we come to the negative ions – the good ones. In environments such as mountains, waterfalls and beaches, these ions are in abundance. Think about how relaxing it can be being out in the mountains, near a waterfall or at the sea. This is not just because we are on holiday or the beautiful scenery; it is because in areas such as these there are huge amounts of negative ions. When these negative ions enter our bloodstream, they are believed to cause biochemical reactions that increase levels of serotonin (the happy hormone) which in turn helps to make us feel more relaxed, alleviates depression and overall makes us feel much better.
An Ion researcher, Michael Erman, PhD of Columbia University in New York says “the action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods”. In studies conducted by Columbia University on people who suffered winter and chronic depression it was shown that negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants.
Over the last five years I have been using a combination of behavior modification, TTouch and veterinary assistance (where necessary), to help dogs suffering from this terrible phenomena. Not all dogs have had a 100% turnaround, but they have all improved to varying degrees and learnt how to cope better with the fear.
What causes this phobia?
Not all dogs are actually storm phobic and some cope with storms better than others. Basically a phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of the specific stimuli.
It was previously thought that it could be the sound of thunder or the flash or lightning, or even the strong wind that often accompanies a storm that affected our dogs. Studies have since revealed that these events are more likely to be secondary occurrences rather than the primary phobic cause. It was then thought that it is the static electricity that builds up before a storm that was the primary phobic source. Many dogs seem to seek out the bathroom and can be found lying behind a sink, in the shower or even in the bath. Dr. N. Dodman, veterinarian, behaviourist and author, says ‘a factor in common to all bathrooms is that they provide excellent electrical grounding because of the associated plumbing’. Dr. Dodman has also had clients who reported that they often receive minor electrical shocks (static electricity) from their dogs when they handle them during a storm.
Further studies into this phobia indicate that it may be the changes in Ions that take place during a storm that are affecting our dogs and ongoing research into this is currently taking place. Ions are simply atoms or molecules that have gained or lost an electron. The ones that have lost an electron are called positive ions (these are the bad ones) and the ones that have gained a molecule are called negative ions (good ones).
When an ion becomes positive it can affect our lives dramatically. The best example is some of the winds, such as the Sirocco in Italy and the Mistral in France. When these winds are blowing people experience stress, depression, anxiety and sleeplessness. Another area where positive ions can affect us is that negatively charged particles are attracted to our computer screens and the positively charged particles are attracted in the opposite direction – which means towards the user. This can result in skin and eye irritation and adversely affect health.
Now we come to the negative ions – the good ones. In environments such as mountains, waterfalls and beaches, these ions are in abundance. Think about how relaxing it can be being out in the mountains, near a waterfall or at the sea. This is not just because we are on holiday or the beautiful scenery; it is because in areas such as these there are huge amounts of negative ions. When these negative ions enter our bloodstream, they are believed to cause biochemical reactions that increase levels of serotonin (the happy hormone) which in turn helps to make us feel more relaxed, alleviates depression and overall makes us feel much better.
An Ion researcher, Michael Erman, PhD of Columbia University in New York says “the action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods”. In studies conducted by Columbia University on people who suffered winter and chronic depression it was shown that negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants.
.
There is very little worse for a dedicated dog owner than to watch their beloved dog run around in circles, defecating and urinating in absolute terror, or trembling and shaking. Can anything be done to help dogs that suffer from this phobia? Most definitely yes.
Over the last five years I have been using a combination of behavior modification, TTouch and veterinary assistance (where necessary), to help dogs suffering from this terrible phenomena. Not all dogs have had a 100% turnaround, but they have all improved to varying degrees and learnt how to cope better with the fear.
This leads to the theory that it is the changes that occur in the atmosphere when a storm is approaching and the negative ions changing to positive ones that affects our dogs. To me, at least, this makes a lot of sense as the majority of storm phobic dogs I have worked with, and from the storm phobia research I am currently conducting, it is clear that the majority of dogs react approximately 30 minutes before we humans become aware of an impending storm.
Can this condition be prevented?
Although I do not have scientific proof that it can be totally prevented, there are things we can do which will lessen the reaction. Firstly, buy a puppy during the storm period. During the period from 3 – 16 weeks a puppy has what we term ‘a window of opportunity’ during which it can be successfully habituated to virtually anything – after this age the ‘curtain closes’ and it is harder to get pups to accept novel or different stimuli. The research to date shows that over 80% of the dogs in the program exhibiting storm fear phobia were purchased from Rescue Shelter, Pet Shops or back yard breeders. Purchasing your pup from a knowledgable, committed breeder could therefore be a way of limiting the chance of this phobia ensueing. Ensure that you take the puppy to a good puppy school where a lot of emphasis is placed on habituating the pup to a variety of different noises, including storms. The research received back so far has indicated that puppy schools and owners are not doing enough to habituate pups to noises. The owner can take this practice even further by purchasing a CD (available at vets) with the sound of a storm on it or even taping the sounds of a storm themselves and habituating the pup to this on a regular basis. Although a CD does not replicate the actual conditions of a storm such as changes in barometric pressure, it will go a long way to helping to prevent this problem by getting the pup used to the different noises such as thunder, wind, rain, hail etc that can be experienced during a storm.
There also appears to be a correlation between dogs that are exhibiting storm fear phobia and other behaviors, such as separation anxiety, demanding behavior and fear behavior. Therefore the owners should do all they can to ensure that their dogs are self-confident and that House Rules are put into place to make the dogs feel more secure in the human/canine pack.
Due to the major positive changes I have experienced in all dogs I have worked on using TTouch. TTouch is a gentle way of working with animals using specific circles, lifts and slides that helps both health and behavior. These TTouches influence habitual patterns of tension and by giving new information to the nervous system it allows the animal to relax. I would recommend that every single dog owner learns how to do this amazing modality. It will go a long way to lessening stress levels and helping a dog to cope.
Is this condition genetic?
Although there does not appear to be a genetic link from the viewpoint that if a dam suffers from this phobia, her pups automatically will, research does indicate some genetic predisposition in certain breeds such as the Herding, Gundog and Terrier Groups (and crosses of same) that seem to be more prone to suffering from this phenomena. It could well be that the fact that these breeds are genetically geared to respond quickly to stimuli, contributes to the high incidence of the phobia in these groups. In the research I have accumulated so far not one of the dogs in the program is a breed (or cross) other than those mentioned above.
What age does it start?
In research undertaken in the UK in 2001 it was shown that the majority of dogs develop this phobia under 1 year of age and my research to date confirms this. This could be a result of insufficient exposure to storms and noise stimuli during the ‘window’ period, or could be ‘one event learning’ wherein a pup has received a fright during a severe storm, especially when the pup is going through a fear period. The owner’s reaction, by comforting and pampering the dog, could contribute towards the fear being reinforced.
When it comes to late onset phobia, this appears to be more prevalent in the Herding and Gundog Groups and seems to occur mostly at 3-4 years of age in the Herding Groups and at about 7 yrs in the Gundog Groups. Not enough research has been undertaken to understand why this happens, but my own research is starting to point to the cause of this being an ‘one event learning’ occurrence and again, could be due to the above breeds being genetically designed to react to stimuli or perhaps it occurs only with dogs that were not exposed to storms during the 3-16 week window period. Hopefully further research will help us to understand why late onset storm phobia occurs.
Future research from the scientific field will undoubtedly find out whether it is the change in ions or static electricity, or even a combination of the two, but in-between how can this knowledge assist us to help our dogs?
Ion and Static Electricity Modifications
Dr. Dodman suggests that one of the ways to reduce static electricity is to rub the dog’s coats with an antistatic strip that is used in laundry and have the dog on a conducting surface such as tiles or linoleum. Other things you can do are to dampen the dog’s coat with water or use a misting bottle and spray the coat lightly. If you have a dog that makes a beeline for the bathroom, run the tap or even better, open the shower and let it run. If you have a humidifier, try putting this on in the same room as the dog. There is not enough evidence to prove this really makes a difference yet, but I have one client that swears by it. If you can, invest in an Ionizer, which changes the positive ions to negative ions, as this may assist.
Don’t pander to the behavior your dog is exhibiting during a storm
Although owners are told to ignore their dogs during storms, I do feel that this is rather excessive and the terminology ‘ignore’ is often misunderstood by owners. As a behaviorist if I tell a client to ignore a particular behaviour, simultaneously I tell them to reward any good behavior exhibited. In the case of a dog that was storm phobic, I encourage the owner to praise the dog for any lessening of the behavior and if the dog was following the owner around, to allow it to do this, but also try to sing or laugh. Singing and laughter help us, the owners to relax, and guess what, if we are more relaxed about the dog’s behavior, the dog will pick this up from us and in turn become more relaxed itself. If the dog came and sat next to the owner, to allow this, but do not pet or try to comfort the dog. If we praise or comfort a dog while it is showing fear, all we are doing is reinforcing the behavior we do not want.
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. Another place that appears to be especially helpful is to place the dog in a car - but bear in mind that the owner should stay with the dog and the car to be in a garage.
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 rawhide bone, which it is only allowed in the safe place.
This will make this area even more appealing to your dog as well as give it something to do during the storm. Chewing can actually lessen the amount of stress that a dog is feeling.
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. Serotonin is a brain chemical that assists in passing messages to the nervous system and performs many functions including the regulation of mood, and during exercise serotonin levels are increased. 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.
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.
FOTD Behaviour Sprays for Dogs
This is still one of my favourite option to help dogs with Storm and Noise issues. It is a herbal mix and work on a cumulative basis and at a cellular level, so not only does it lessen the dogs anxiety, it seems to help them to get over the perceived fear at the same time. This is something that I always recommend. In fact, their products are so good that I now keep stock myself, so anybody wanting to purchase can contact me at [email protected] or view at
https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/dog-behaviour-sprays.html
Counter-conditioning
This is one of the most effective ways to help a dog cope. 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. This could be 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 behavior 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 dogs shows signs that a storm is approaching, you get out the toys, turn on the radio and engage in a game.
Electro-Magnet Therapy
This is used for various health problems and many owners claim that putting a magnet under the dog’s blanket or providing a special magnetic pad for the pet to lie on helps to calm the dog. There are even collars and discs available to put on a collar. A word of warning – if your dog is one of those that runs away or goes crazy during a storm, there is always the possibility that the collar may get caught on an object and seriously injure the dog, so rather don’t use this method.
Pheromone Collar
This mimics the pheromones that a bitch secretes that comfort and reassure her puppies. These appeasement pheromones have the same effect on adult dogs. This works on the same basis of the D.A.P diffuser with the added benefit that it is around your dog’s neck at all times. In addition it contains Lavender and Chamomile which provide a soothing fragrance. There has been a definite lessening of fear behaviour in dogs using this collar. Once again, you can speak to your local vet about this product.
Tellington TTouch
I firmly believe that the success I have achieved with dogs with this phobia is due to the TTouch rather than the behavior modifications, although I always combine the two. TTouch has an immediate calming effect on dogs and the beauty of this modality is that it is very easy to learn, effects are accumulative, and the owner can do it.
In humans, we have two hemispheres in our brains – the left side of the brain is our thinking side and the right side is our creative side and we tend to operate in one or the other, rather than the balanced state. During research done on humans some years ago it was shown that not only did TTouch balance the left and right hemispheres, but it also showed that the people having TTouch done on them by a practitioner over a period of an hour automatically went into the alpha, theta and delta brain states – these are states of deep relaxation.
While researching the storm phobia, I happened on an article on Hemispheric Specialization in Dogs for Processing Different Acoustic Stimuli published by Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, wherein the results of their research ‘revealed that dogs process their species-typical vocalizations using the left hemisphere and the thunderstorm sounds using the right hemisphere, since the right hemisphere is used for processing vocalizations when they elicit intense emotion, including fear’. In addition to TTouch influencing serotonin and dopamine levels and causing relaxation and reduction of stress in the body, that it also assists in balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain could be one of the reasons why it is so successful in helping dogs with storm phobia and other fear behaviour.
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. 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, or to place the Wrap in about 500ml of cool water to which the above drops have been added. Leave a few minutes, squeeze out and then apply. The fragrance that these oils emit is very calming.
Over the last five years I have been using a combination of behavior modification, TTouch and veterinary assistance (where necessary), to help dogs suffering from this terrible phenomena. Not all dogs have had a 100% turnaround, but they have all improved to varying degrees and learnt how to cope better with the fear.
This leads to the theory that it is the changes that occur in the atmosphere when a storm is approaching and the negative ions changing to positive ones that affects our dogs. To me, at least, this makes a lot of sense as the majority of storm phobic dogs I have worked with, and from the storm phobia research I am currently conducting, it is clear that the majority of dogs react approximately 30 minutes before we humans become aware of an impending storm.
Can this condition be prevented?
Although I do not have scientific proof that it can be totally prevented, there are things we can do which will lessen the reaction. Firstly, buy a puppy during the storm period. During the period from 3 – 16 weeks a puppy has what we term ‘a window of opportunity’ during which it can be successfully habituated to virtually anything – after this age the ‘curtain closes’ and it is harder to get pups to accept novel or different stimuli. The research to date shows that over 80% of the dogs in the program exhibiting storm fear phobia were purchased from Rescue Shelter, Pet Shops or back yard breeders. Purchasing your pup from a knowledgable, committed breeder could therefore be a way of limiting the chance of this phobia ensueing. Ensure that you take the puppy to a good puppy school where a lot of emphasis is placed on habituating the pup to a variety of different noises, including storms. The research received back so far has indicated that puppy schools and owners are not doing enough to habituate pups to noises. The owner can take this practice even further by purchasing a CD (available at vets) with the sound of a storm on it or even taping the sounds of a storm themselves and habituating the pup to this on a regular basis. Although a CD does not replicate the actual conditions of a storm such as changes in barometric pressure, it will go a long way to helping to prevent this problem by getting the pup used to the different noises such as thunder, wind, rain, hail etc that can be experienced during a storm.
There also appears to be a correlation between dogs that are exhibiting storm fear phobia and other behaviors, such as separation anxiety, demanding behavior and fear behavior. Therefore the owners should do all they can to ensure that their dogs are self-confident and that House Rules are put into place to make the dogs feel more secure in the human/canine pack.
Due to the major positive changes I have experienced in all dogs I have worked on using TTouch. TTouch is a gentle way of working with animals using specific circles, lifts and slides that helps both health and behavior. These TTouches influence habitual patterns of tension and by giving new information to the nervous system it allows the animal to relax. I would recommend that every single dog owner learns how to do this amazing modality. It will go a long way to lessening stress levels and helping a dog to cope.
Is this condition genetic?
Although there does not appear to be a genetic link from the viewpoint that if a dam suffers from this phobia, her pups automatically will, research does indicate some genetic predisposition in certain breeds such as the Herding, Gundog and Terrier Groups (and crosses of same) that seem to be more prone to suffering from this phenomena. It could well be that the fact that these breeds are genetically geared to respond quickly to stimuli, contributes to the high incidence of the phobia in these groups. In the research I have accumulated so far not one of the dogs in the program is a breed (or cross) other than those mentioned above.
What age does it start?
In research undertaken in the UK in 2001 it was shown that the majority of dogs develop this phobia under 1 year of age and my research to date confirms this. This could be a result of insufficient exposure to storms and noise stimuli during the ‘window’ period, or could be ‘one event learning’ wherein a pup has received a fright during a severe storm, especially when the pup is going through a fear period. The owner’s reaction, by comforting and pampering the dog, could contribute towards the fear being reinforced.
When it comes to late onset phobia, this appears to be more prevalent in the Herding and Gundog Groups and seems to occur mostly at 3-4 years of age in the Herding Groups and at about 7 yrs in the Gundog Groups. Not enough research has been undertaken to understand why this happens, but my own research is starting to point to the cause of this being an ‘one event learning’ occurrence and again, could be due to the above breeds being genetically designed to react to stimuli or perhaps it occurs only with dogs that were not exposed to storms during the 3-16 week window period. Hopefully further research will help us to understand why late onset storm phobia occurs.
Future research from the scientific field will undoubtedly find out whether it is the change in ions or static electricity, or even a combination of the two, but in-between how can this knowledge assist us to help our dogs?
Ion and Static Electricity Modifications
Dr. Dodman suggests that one of the ways to reduce static electricity is to rub the dog’s coats with an antistatic strip that is used in laundry and have the dog on a conducting surface such as tiles or linoleum. Other things you can do are to dampen the dog’s coat with water or use a misting bottle and spray the coat lightly. If you have a dog that makes a beeline for the bathroom, run the tap or even better, open the shower and let it run. If you have a humidifier, try putting this on in the same room as the dog. There is not enough evidence to prove this really makes a difference yet, but I have one client that swears by it. If you can, invest in an Ionizer, which changes the positive ions to negative ions, as this may assist.
Don’t pander to the behavior your dog is exhibiting during a storm
Although owners are told to ignore their dogs during storms, I do feel that this is rather excessive and the terminology ‘ignore’ is often misunderstood by owners. As a behaviorist if I tell a client to ignore a particular behaviour, simultaneously I tell them to reward any good behavior exhibited. In the case of a dog that was storm phobic, I encourage the owner to praise the dog for any lessening of the behavior and if the dog was following the owner around, to allow it to do this, but also try to sing or laugh. Singing and laughter help us, the owners to relax, and guess what, if we are more relaxed about the dog’s behavior, the dog will pick this up from us and in turn become more relaxed itself. If the dog came and sat next to the owner, to allow this, but do not pet or try to comfort the dog. If we praise or comfort a dog while it is showing fear, all we are doing is reinforcing the behavior we do not want.
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. Another place that appears to be especially helpful is to place the dog in a car - but bear in mind that the owner should stay with the dog and the car to be in a garage.
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 rawhide bone, which it is only allowed in the safe place.
This will make this area even more appealing to your dog as well as give it something to do during the storm. Chewing can actually lessen the amount of stress that a dog is feeling.
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. Serotonin is a brain chemical that assists in passing messages to the nervous system and performs many functions including the regulation of mood, and during exercise serotonin levels are increased. 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.
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.
FOTD Behaviour Sprays for Dogs
This is still one of my favourite option to help dogs with Storm and Noise issues. It is a herbal mix and work on a cumulative basis and at a cellular level, so not only does it lessen the dogs anxiety, it seems to help them to get over the perceived fear at the same time. This is something that I always recommend. In fact, their products are so good that I now keep stock myself, so anybody wanting to purchase can contact me at [email protected] or view at
https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/dog-behaviour-sprays.html
Counter-conditioning
This is one of the most effective ways to help a dog cope. 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. This could be 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 behavior 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 dogs shows signs that a storm is approaching, you get out the toys, turn on the radio and engage in a game.
Electro-Magnet Therapy
This is used for various health problems and many owners claim that putting a magnet under the dog’s blanket or providing a special magnetic pad for the pet to lie on helps to calm the dog. There are even collars and discs available to put on a collar. A word of warning – if your dog is one of those that runs away or goes crazy during a storm, there is always the possibility that the collar may get caught on an object and seriously injure the dog, so rather don’t use this method.
Pheromone Collar
This mimics the pheromones that a bitch secretes that comfort and reassure her puppies. These appeasement pheromones have the same effect on adult dogs. This works on the same basis of the D.A.P diffuser with the added benefit that it is around your dog’s neck at all times. In addition it contains Lavender and Chamomile which provide a soothing fragrance. There has been a definite lessening of fear behaviour in dogs using this collar. Once again, you can speak to your local vet about this product.
Tellington TTouch
I firmly believe that the success I have achieved with dogs with this phobia is due to the TTouch rather than the behavior modifications, although I always combine the two. TTouch has an immediate calming effect on dogs and the beauty of this modality is that it is very easy to learn, effects are accumulative, and the owner can do it.
In humans, we have two hemispheres in our brains – the left side of the brain is our thinking side and the right side is our creative side and we tend to operate in one or the other, rather than the balanced state. During research done on humans some years ago it was shown that not only did TTouch balance the left and right hemispheres, but it also showed that the people having TTouch done on them by a practitioner over a period of an hour automatically went into the alpha, theta and delta brain states – these are states of deep relaxation.
While researching the storm phobia, I happened on an article on Hemispheric Specialization in Dogs for Processing Different Acoustic Stimuli published by Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, wherein the results of their research ‘revealed that dogs process their species-typical vocalizations using the left hemisphere and the thunderstorm sounds using the right hemisphere, since the right hemisphere is used for processing vocalizations when they elicit intense emotion, including fear’. In addition to TTouch influencing serotonin and dopamine levels and causing relaxation and reduction of stress in the body, that it also assists in balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain could be one of the reasons why it is so successful in helping dogs with storm phobia and other fear behaviour.
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. 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, or to place the Wrap in about 500ml of cool water to which the above drops have been added. Leave a few minutes, squeeze out and then apply. The fragrance that these oils emit is very calming.
Thundershirt
The Thundershirt is very similar to a dog coat, it just fits a lot snugger and provides a constant, gentle pressure. This seems to have the effect of making the dog feel more comfortable and secure and really is a wonderful aid to be considered. Additionally it can be used any time is exposed to a situation where it may feel nervous, such as travelling, fear of loud noises and so much more.
Medication
Although there are a lot of natural remedies that can help dogs with this phobia, I personally believe that all dogs that suffer from storm fear phobia should be examined by the owners vet and the vet be the one to decide whether or not a dog needs medication rather than the owner. After all, would you take an everyday headache remedy for a migraine? This will ensure that the dog receives exactly what it needs to help the condition and the correct dosage and the outcome is likely to be more successful.
De-Sensitizing
Desensitizing is simply getting your dog used to the noises of a storm when there are no storms around by gradually exposing the dog to increased volume of the fear stimuli.
This was one of the first methods used to help dogs overcome their fear of storms and although it can be very successful in the case of firework and other noise related fear, it has never had much success with storm phobia. This is due to what we now believe is either the static electricity or the changes in ions – something that we cannot replicate.
However, I have found with my own clients that after we have partaken of the other modifications and the condition has improved, that undergoing desensitization has been successful in helping dogs cope with secondary fearful stimuli, such as thunder, wind and rain related noise.
De-Sensitizing
Desensitizing is simply getting your dog used to the noises of a storm when there are no storms around by gradually exposing the dog to increased volume of the fear stimuli.
This was one of the first methods used to help dogs overcome their fear of storms and although it can be very successful in the case of firework and other noise related fear, it has never had much success with storm phobia. This is due to what we now believe is either the static electricity or the changes in ions – something that we cannot replicate.
However, I have found with my own clients that after we have partaken of the other modifications and the condition has improved, that undergoing desensitization has been successful in helping dogs cope with secondary fearful stimuli, such as thunder, wind and rain related noise.
When to start?
As soon as possible! The longer a dog is inflicted with this phobia, the worse it seems to get. The ideal time to start modification is outside of the storm period when you can bring into place the modifications and TTouch, but even starting in the rainy/storm period can start the process of your dogs coping.
Dogs can be helped using the above modifications, but what has to be realized is that this takes total owner commitment. Although doing a little bit sometimes may assist slightly, to really help a dog get over this phobia is needs to be activated and implemented by the owners.
The Thundershirt is very similar to a dog coat, it just fits a lot snugger and provides a constant, gentle pressure. This seems to have the effect of making the dog feel more comfortable and secure and really is a wonderful aid to be considered. Additionally it can be used any time is exposed to a situation where it may feel nervous, such as travelling, fear of loud noises and so much more.
Medication
Although there are a lot of natural remedies that can help dogs with this phobia, I personally believe that all dogs that suffer from storm fear phobia should be examined by the owners vet and the vet be the one to decide whether or not a dog needs medication rather than the owner. After all, would you take an everyday headache remedy for a migraine? This will ensure that the dog receives exactly what it needs to help the condition and the correct dosage and the outcome is likely to be more successful.
De-Sensitizing
Desensitizing is simply getting your dog used to the noises of a storm when there are no storms around by gradually exposing the dog to increased volume of the fear stimuli.
This was one of the first methods used to help dogs overcome their fear of storms and although it can be very successful in the case of firework and other noise related fear, it has never had much success with storm phobia. This is due to what we now believe is either the static electricity or the changes in ions – something that we cannot replicate.
However, I have found with my own clients that after we have partaken of the other modifications and the condition has improved, that undergoing desensitization has been successful in helping dogs cope with secondary fearful stimuli, such as thunder, wind and rain related noise.
De-Sensitizing
Desensitizing is simply getting your dog used to the noises of a storm when there are no storms around by gradually exposing the dog to increased volume of the fear stimuli.
This was one of the first methods used to help dogs overcome their fear of storms and although it can be very successful in the case of firework and other noise related fear, it has never had much success with storm phobia. This is due to what we now believe is either the static electricity or the changes in ions – something that we cannot replicate.
However, I have found with my own clients that after we have partaken of the other modifications and the condition has improved, that undergoing desensitization has been successful in helping dogs cope with secondary fearful stimuli, such as thunder, wind and rain related noise.
When to start?
As soon as possible! The longer a dog is inflicted with this phobia, the worse it seems to get. The ideal time to start modification is outside of the storm period when you can bring into place the modifications and TTouch, but even starting in the rainy/storm period can start the process of your dogs coping.
Dogs can be helped using the above modifications, but what has to be realized is that this takes total owner commitment. Although doing a little bit sometimes may assist slightly, to really help a dog get over this phobia is needs to be activated and implemented by the owners.
Some Simple TTouches
Noah’s March
Here we are making slow, relaxing movements with our hands held flat and lightly. Use long sweeping strokes and keep your fingers relaxed. Make sure you cover every inch of the dog’s body and work all the way down the legs and paws, sliding your hand off the paw and onto the floor – this seems to make a dog feel more grounded.
The Ear TTouch
Many owners will find that they are already doing a variation of this TTouch. The ear contains over 200 acupressure points and the tip of the ear has an acupressure point that can stop an animal (or human) from going into shock. Click on diagram and then drag corners to enlarge
Noah’s March
Here we are making slow, relaxing movements with our hands held flat and lightly. Use long sweeping strokes and keep your fingers relaxed. Make sure you cover every inch of the dog’s body and work all the way down the legs and paws, sliding your hand off the paw and onto the floor – this seems to make a dog feel more grounded.
The Ear TTouch
Many owners will find that they are already doing a variation of this TTouch. The ear contains over 200 acupressure points and the tip of the ear has an acupressure point that can stop an animal (or human) from going into shock. Click on diagram and then drag corners to enlarge