As an owner, it is important to realize that sounds such as thunder can terrify even the best-bred dog. It should also be known that age, gender and race have nothing to do with the fear of thunder. The fact is that the sound your dog is so afraid of can be too high or too low for people to hear.
Solving a problem
The first step in helping a scared dog is to recognize fear signals. The least signs of fear include staying close to the owner, being very quiet, and generally being confused and uncomfortable. These reactions can occur hours before the storm starts, as the dog’s ears are its best sensory resources. During the height of the storm, when the thunder is loudest, the fear responses can become more intense. Dogs have been known to hide, jump over fences and through windows and even collapse. The dog’s sole purpose is to immediately escape danger. A scared dog is not interested in food or attention such as play or reward.
Desensitization is a process in which the dog gradually overcomes his fear. The training involves first exposing the dog to low amounts of the stimulus so that the sound does not trigger a fear response. Once you are convinced that the dog is no longer showing fear signals at that level, you can increase the intensity of the sound. The training can take several weeks and must be done during a time when a real storm is unlikely to occur. A real storm can cause anxiety to relapse if the training was not completed.
Counter-conditioning is a method of changing the dog’s response to a particular stimulus by associating the stimulus with a reward for a different behavior. For each calm response, the dog is given a reward so that the dog associates the storm as non-threatening and displays calm behavior. This method, in combination with the desensitization training, has a long-lasting effect because the dog has learned that thunder is not associated with fear, but with calmness. It is very important not to reward or punish anxious behavior.
Another method of treating fear of storms is through drug therapy. Anxiolytic drugs can calm the dog. Drugs can be used if the fear response is so bad that the dog could hurt himself or others. The ideal situation is a combination of tranquilizers with behavioral change. Treatment with these agents should be discontinued as soon as possible. These drugs can help prevent the extreme reaction if the workout is not over yet. It’s not that dogs overcome their fears of thunder and noise by getting older, although they can be trained to tolerate the noises or even enjoy the storm along with the owners through persistence and training.
Research
Dr. Andreas van Recum, Ohio State University researcher at the Veterinary School, says some dogs’ anxiety is linked to noise and barometric pressure. A recent study shows that certain breeds develop more fear of storms. Some dogs can’t understand that a storm makes a lot of noise, but doesn’t bite. New research shows at least some of the fear is genetic. This fear of storms mainly affects work and sports dogs. Shepherds (including Border Collies and German Shepherds) and hounds (including Beagles and Basset hounds) are more likely to develop this fear. Golden and labrador retrievers, whippets are also listed. Herders have been bred to respond quickly and to exhibit predation behavior. This combination can create a fearful dog.