Soothing the Storm Phobic Dog

It was a dark and stormy night...
       and with each boom of thunder, each crash of lightening, terror in the dog's heart grew. It reduced him from a self confident, well adjusted family pet to an unrecognizable quivering mass. Having sensed the coming storm well before his owners could see or hear anything, the dog had begun to pace, panting. They spoke, trying to reassure him; but as the storm drew closer the dog began to tremble and shake. Unresponsive to soothing words from his owners, he searched for escape. Climbing onto the sofa he began to dig; as thunder rumbled, the dog moaned and a stream of urine was involuntarily released upon the sofa. He curled his mass down into a tiny ball, oblivious to the puddle where he had just wet, tremoring violently.

The reality of a dog’s thunder storm phobia is more than just unpleasant fiction for some pet owners; it can be nearly as stressful for them as weather changes are for their rattled pets. Keepers of thunder fearing dogs try to anticipate weather changes in hopes of being able to minimize stress. Unfortunately, despite the attentive efforts of their concerned owners, the storm phobic dog rarely gains comfort from its humans' attention. In the end most people are left to helplessly wait out the weather as they watch their pet suffer tremendous emotional distress. In fact, many dog's phobic responses are inadvertently reinforced by their owners' kind but poorly timed attention. While coddling can make the dog's actual fear of storms worsen, the presence of the owner during such an event does have a calming influence, and helps decrease the likelihood of damage or injury. Sometimes storm and noise phobic dogs becomes destructive in their efforts to escape, especially if left alone during a storm. A dog may even injure itself in its highly agitated state; storm phobic dogs have been known to jump through plate glass windows, or break teeth and nails, in attempts to escape.

       What causes some dogs to be so under the weather while others remain unconcerned? No one is certain of a specific cause. In recent years animal behaviorists have theorized that thunder storm phobia arises from a hearing impairment, a trauma, or a biochemical imbalance. Nicholas Dodman, the head of the behavior clinic at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, speculates in his book "Dogs Behaving Badly, an A-Z Guide for Understanding and Curing Problem Behaviors in Dogs" that dogs who fear thunder somehow become charged with static electricity. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the coats of some dogs may build up an electrical charge and then discharge at random giving the dog small shocks. Many t-storm phobic dogs can be found curled up behind the toilet, in the tub, or on tile floors - all surfaces that "ground". While noise is certainly a factor, the genuine storm phobic dog has fears triggered by more than just a loud crash of thunder. Often they are aware of an impending weather change well before the barometer changes or the trick knee begins to twitch. As the sky darkens and the first drops of rain begin to fall, the storm inside the terrified dog is already racing in time with his pounding heart. Storm phobia is a runaway train that can be nearly impossible to derail.


Behavioral treatment for thunderstorm phobias can take two different approaches, both with very limited effectiveness, especially with older dogs:

desensitization--playing a tape of storm sounds, softly at first, and gradually louder--which rarely works since most t-storm terrified dogs are afraid of more than just the noise, and can localize the sound coming from the speakers--which isn't where the real sounds come from!
counter conditioning--offering food, play and a "jolly" attitude during the event the dog perceives as unpleasant, in hopes of changing the dogs perception; however, it won't work if the dog's feelings of fear are greater than its attraction to the positive reinforcers being offered--in fact, if the fear is the stronger emotion, it may actually be positively reinforced instead!

Other treatment measures include:


Medications--drug and natural remedies help some dogs; check with your veterinarian

Prevent static build-up--this from Dr. Dodman--mist the dog's coat with water or rub a used fabric-softener sheet over their coats.

Provide a "storm shelter"--create a secure retreat, such as a closet (add a doggie door for self access and to prevent claustrophobia), or a crate in a darkened room. Dogs that become destructive must not be confined in a place where they can get hurt--the objective is to allow a sense of holing up, not to imprison the fearful dog. The more soundproof the area the better, and the addition of blocking noises--such as a loud radio or television can help mask some outside storm noises.

Avoid using an over sympathetic voice and petting--during thunder storms; you will just be agreeing there is something to be afraid of, that your dog needs to be protected from. As hard as it is, the most kind response is to remain cool and indifferent to bad weather reactions, and to even try to behave as if you personally enjoy bad weather.