Mira reacts very sensitively to different noises. Some things have improved significantly over the years through a lot of training. Other things have gotten worse, such as the fear of thunderstorms. And as I keep finding out on social media, many dogs are afraid of thunderstorms. I have found a way for us to help Mira significantly. In this article, I will give you some tips on how you can support your dog.
Fear of thunderstorms – bad training?
I keep reading claims that a dog that is afraid of thunderstorms, fireworks, etc. is poorly trained. But how can it be explained, for example, that dogs do not show this behavior for years and that it creeps in with age? And how can you actually train effectively for thunderstorms or even fireworks, under real conditions?
Of course, you should get your dog used to a lot of different noises as early as possible. However, timing and the right training are also important here. There are no guarantees. A stupid situation can lead to your dog making negative associations with noises. I don’t think that dogs with fears are poorly trained. I myself have had an incredible fear of heights since I was a child. Where does that come from? I can’t tell you, because I’ve never experienced anything negative in my memory.
Our dogs are not robots that we can simply program. Of course, we can make things easier for them with certain training approaches. But sometimes good management is all that helps. We don’t always get a well-trained dog as a puppy. Mira, for example, was six months old when she came to me and not particularly well-trained. During the first six months of her life, practically everything that could go wrong went wrong.
Fear of thunderstorms due to bad experiences of your ancestors?
Some time ago I read a report about the development of fears. Unfortunately I can’t remember exactly where it was, so I can’t link you to a source. I can tell you the following: If there was a devastating fire in the family in the past, it is likely that the descendants of that family are afraid of fire – even if the fire happened generations ago. It is questionable whether this can be transferred 1:1 to our dogs. Nevertheless, it makes sense to me. Whether and how strong fears are certainly depends on a predisposition and the behavior of the mother animal. But of course also on the dogs’ own experiences in their lives. Fear of thunderstorms is therefore real and not “making a fool of themselves”. It only has something to do with “bad” training to a limited extent.
How does Mira behave during thunderstorms?
If you have been following us for a while, you may know the answer: Mira always chooses the forward approach as a solution. She barks, gets upset, runs back and forth. Her answer is “fight”. In a way, she mirrors me, but she already has this strategy with her. Other dogs react by fleeing or freezing. But the bottom line is one thing: no matter what solution strategy your dog chooses, he is afraid of thunderstorms unless he stays completely relaxed. Be sure to pay attention to body language, for example a tucked tail, heavy panting, stressed face, but also complete tension.
Mira’s pupils dilate and her face literally collapses. There are many other signs that your dog is not feeling well. However, it would go too far at this point to explain all of the body signals, especially since they are very individual.
So pay attention to your dog, you know him best and will quickly notice whether he is relaxed or not.
Why is my dog afraid of thunderstorms?
There are different reasons why your dog might be afraid of thunderstorms. Many dogs are mainly afraid of the loud thunder. Sudden loud noises can frighten dogs. They may quickly associate wind/storms or rain with thunderstorms and are afraid of a rain shower. It is also assumed that dogs clearly feel the drop in air pressure and that their fur sometimes becomes electrostatically charged. If your dog then gets a slap because the static charge is discharging, this leads to an additional association.
He could also have learned his fear from his mother or other dogs. Of course, dogs learn certain rules of behavior from others and if a friendly dog shows strong fear, that could be a sign to your dog that he must be afraid too.
The reasons for certain fears are not always obvious. Dogs usually communicate much more sensitively than we do. That’s why you should never think that your dog shouldn’t act like that. It is also often said that we transfer our own fears to dogs. However, I love thunderstorms and could watch them for hours. So why is Mira afraid?
Dog is afraid of thunderstorms – the best tips
I don’t want to beat around the bush any longer. So we’ll start straight away with the best tips that have really helped us. Please note: If your dog is afraid of thunderstorms, try to stay indoors. If you still have to go out with him, make sure he is double-secured (collar and harness – even a safety harness if possible – and two leashes). Better safe than sorry! Many people also swear by a GPS tracker for safety.
Play thunderstorm sounds
It is often recommended to desensitize the dog. There are CDs for this, for example. You can also find thunderstorm sounds on YouTube and Spotify , for example . The advantage of a streaming platform like Spotify is that you can set it to repeat automatically. The recommendation is that you play the sounds very quietly and gradually turn them up louder. This way you get your dog used to the sounds. However, this option didn’t work for us. The problem with it is that Mira can clearly tell the difference between when I’m just playing thunderstorm sounds from a playlist and when it’s a “real thunderstorm.”
You should also be aware that your dog can sense thunderstorms due to the change in air pressure. And of course, that is something you cannot replicate. It is a good support and I can only recommend it to everyone as a first step. Unfortunately, in most cases it is not the solution to the problem of fear of thunderstorms.
But playing thunderstorm sounds still makes sense. Specifically just before and/or during a thunderstorm. If your dog can basically distinguish the sounds from the radio from real noises, he will have a hard time doing so if the playlist is playing at the same time as a real thunderstorm. And this is a trick that had a big impact on making Mira more relaxed. So if you know that a thunderstorm is imminent, start quietly, turn on the playlist and gradually turn it up a little. During the thunderstorm, just leave it playing. I immediately noticed a clear improvement in Mira. We’ve had a few thunderstorms here recently and Mira even slept. Hard to imagine a year ago!
Tip: don’t use your phone
Another tip at this point: Don’t play the sounds on your cell phone, but use a speaker or an internet radio. This can fill the room better and thus offers a larger background noise. I bought an internet radio some time ago that I can also use to stream Spotify via Bluetooth. I’ll link it to you here. If you buy the radio or another product via the link, I will receive a small commission. The price will not change for you. This way you support my blog 🙂