Storm Phobias- At What Point Do You Consider It A Problem?

[wuffles]

One of mine reacts by pacing, panting and being clingy. He doesn't harm himself but he can get very worked up if the thunder is constant. I do see this as a problem as he is very upset, there is nothing I can do about it but manage it. If I'm home I put on his Thundershirt, give him a quick pat but remain calm and let him hide or do whatever he wants to do. If I'm at home I generally don't rush home unless it is a very long lasting or noisy storm. Thankfully my boss is a dog owner and lover and understands in those situations.

Our other dog has what I would call a normal reaction to storms. She is not worried and will continue about her normal business. If there is a loud clap of thunder she will startle, but recovers quickly.

I have actually found that having another dog who ignores thunderstorms has been good for our phobic boy. He is usually very picky about his personal space but during a storm will lie closer to our girl than he would normally. I have noticed that she seems to have a calming effect on him I was worried that she would pick up on his fear as she copies him a lot but she seems fine so far.

[kelpiekaye]

Ruby wants to kill the thunder, she runs around looking at the sky barking in between running to me. If I put her inside she gets under the table or if I chain her up she goes in her kennel. As long as she not going to injure herself I dont concider it a problem but I wouldnt like it to get any worse. I wonder if thundershirts work?

[koalathebear]

I would be concerned at any anxiety, mainly because I'd be worried about what might happen if a bad thunderstorm broke out and we weren't home.

During his first thunder storm, Elbie barked a couple of times and paced a little but we've had a few storms since then and he has settled and now seems very unfazed by thunderstorms. I think what helped a lot was that Hoover has never been bothered by thunderstorms and can sleep and rest through the most noisy and dramatic of storms - this seems to have rubbed off on Elbie so now the two of them will play with each other or snooze during the storm.

[LizT]

Last night the storm here in Melbourne was pretty bad and our German Shepherd who sleeps on the back patio but can see into the family room decided to throw himself at the windows!! He does this from time to time and I usually chain him next to his bed, just out of reach of the glass doors. Then he just lays down and goes to sleep, probably deciding that that trick didn't get him anywhere but, well maybe he'll try in again another day!! He rarely even pays attention to thunder whereas my old GSD used to carry on like nobodys business and I ALWAYS let him inside during storms. I think my reaction to his behaviour consolidated the problem and I was determined not to "FEED" the phobia on this fellow. For the most part it works but on occassion I think he remembers seeing the old fellow make a fuss and get let in!

[kelpiekaye]

If you have a dog that is really bad during storms and you put them in boarding kennels, let the boarding kennel people know. We always went for a walk to check on dogs during a storm at the kennels I worked at. Some dogs would try and chew through the wire. We could lock those one in the back of their run that had no wire. It helps to be pre-warned though.

[dancinbcs]

It's a problem for me when the dog displays unwanted, annoying and continuous behaviour, no matter what that is.

For a dog to be used for breeding, I would expect him to notice/not notice the storm, thunder, lighting, and ignore it. A young dog barking at lightning or thunder at first (maybe for 2 storms) would be ok.

Any other displays whilst storms are on, the dog is not bred with.

I consider this a fairly serious fault.

However, living with nervous dogs or nervous owners can bring this on. So the puppy may be storm proof but made otherwise by companions or owner.

Totaly agree with this post. I believe storm phobia is strongly inherirted and will not breed from a dog that is shows any fear of storms, unless thye have been influenced by an owner that has a storm phobia themselves or they have been left out in a bad storm with no shelter and developed a fear of future storms.

This is one of the very worst traits a dog can have as far as owners being able to cope with living with them.

[LizT]

It's a problem for me when the dog displays unwanted, annoying and continuous behaviour, no matter what that is.

For a dog to be used for breeding, I would expect him to notice/not notice the storm, thunder, lighting, and ignore it. A young dog barking at lightning or thunder at first (maybe for 2 storms) would be ok.

Any other displays whilst storms are on, the dog is not bred with.

I consider this a fairly serious fault.

However, living with nervous dogs or nervous owners can bring this on. So the puppy may be storm proof but made otherwise by companions or owner.

Totaly agree with this post. I believe storm phobia is strongly inherirted and will not breed from a dog that is shows any fear of storms, unless thye have been influenced by an owner that has a storm phobia themselves or they have been left out in a bad storm with no shelter and developed a fear of future storms.

This is one of the very worst traits a dog can have as far as owners being able to cope with living with them.

I'm not sure if it can be "Breed specific" or whether certain breeds are better at escaping their yards durings storms but I do note certain breeds appear to do a runner during storms too!

[MolassesLass]

It's a problem for me when the dog displays unwanted, annoying and continuous behaviour, no matter what that is.

For a dog to be used for breeding, I would expect him to notice/not notice the storm, thunder, lighting, and ignore it. A young dog barking at lightning or thunder at first (maybe for 2 storms) would be ok.

Any other displays whilst storms are on, the dog is not bred with.

I consider this a fairly serious fault.

However, living with nervous dogs or nervous owners can bring this on. So the puppy may be storm proof but made otherwise by companions or owner.

Interesting Jed, I'd never thought it serious in terms of breeding but totally see your point.

My bitch who had two litters never worried about storms until she was about 6 years old. Then she started wanting to boss the lightning and thunder around - she goes from window to window looking out trying to find the culprit while softly huff'ing. When outside she looks around when a flash or rumble happens but is happy to sit still and doesn't do the faux-barking. Would you call that a fairly serious fault (that showed late)?

[dancinbcs]

It's a problem for me when the dog displays unwanted, annoying and continuous behaviour, no matter what that is.

For a dog to be used for breeding, I would expect him to notice/not notice the storm, thunder, lighting, and ignore it. A young dog barking at lightning or thunder at first (maybe for 2 storms) would be ok.

Any other displays whilst storms are on, the dog is not bred with.

I consider this a fairly serious fault.

However, living with nervous dogs or nervous owners can bring this on. So the puppy may be storm proof but made otherwise by companions or owner.

Interesting Jed, I'd never thought it serious in terms of breeding but totally see your point.

My bitch who had two litters never worried about storms until she was about 6 years old. Then she started wanting to boss the lightning and thunder around - she goes from window to window looking out trying to find the culprit while softly huff'ing. When outside she looks around when a flash or rumble happens but is happy to sit still and doesn't do the faux-barking. Would you call that a fairly serious fault (that showed late)?

I wouldn't worry about a dog that only reacted at 6 years old and really doesn't seem frightened. Dogs born with a true storm phobia will react from when they are young. The reaction does tend to get worse as they get older but there will always have been some sign and they usually react before the storm arrives, sensing the drop in atmospheric pressure. Most animals know a storm is coming and seek shelter, which is fine, but if panic or stress starts when the barometer drops the dog has a problem. Most dogs that react to storms also react badly to the pure noise of fireworks, but not all dogs that are frightened of fireworks, worry about storms.

Late onset reaction to noise from fireworks or storms can simply be that they are hearing a different frequency as their hearing starts to decline a little with age. My 10 year old that has never worried about anything before and still doesn't care about storms, has just in the past six months decided to worry a bit about loud fireworks for the first time. She wasn't panicked but very clingy last NYE, so I put a t-shirt on her and she settled in about 10 minutes.

[raineth]

Do you consider any stress during a storm to be a problem? What do you think is a normal reaction to a storm? Pacing? Laying in a corner panting or going to a crate? Being unusually 'affectionate', ie seeking close contact when they would not normally?

There is a massive storm here and i am watching 5 dogs.

One is laying in a corner panting (stress related not heat)

2 are sleeping on the couch

One is playing with his ball- completely oblivious

And one seeks close contact each time there is thunder and 'cleans me'- 2 things she would never normally do- in between those bursts she curls up next to one of the other dogs and is almost going to sleep.

Unless the the dog had a coping mechanism that seemed to serve it well (i.e. it did something and when it did that it was able to be stress-free) I would do something to alleviate the stress.

So I would be thinking desensitisation, thundershirt, calming paste, that sort of thing to reduce the dog's stress.

[feistylady]

My late dog Matey used to bark and bark and bark and same with the fire alarm noise when the battery gets low

[persephone]

We have a couple here who pant and shake ...I just put them to bed & leave 'em to it. No special treatment .One little bitch who used to sleep next to mum's room got frightened by a LOUD Clap of thunder one night.. and jumped thru the flyscreen into Mum's room. She sleeps in Mum's room now.

Hamlet has only just started- at age 7. All our pups are encouraged to run/play when it's stormy .. most of them grow up not worrying , but some do, unfortunately.

[Jed]

It's a problem for me when the dog displays unwanted, annoying and continuous behaviour, no matter what that is.

For a dog to be used for breeding, I would expect him to notice/not notice the storm, thunder, lighting, and ignore it. A young dog barking at lightning or thunder at first (maybe for 2 storms) would be ok.

Any other displays whilst storms are on, the dog is not bred with.

I consider this a fairly serious fault.

However, living with nervous dogs or nervous owners can bring this on. So the puppy may be storm proof but made otherwise by companions or owner.

Interesting Jed, I'd never thought it serious in terms of breeding but totally see your point.

My bitch who had two litters never worried about storms until she was about 6 years old. Then she started wanting to boss the lightning and thunder around - she goes from window to window looking out trying to find the culprit while softly huff'ing. When outside she looks around when a flash or rumble happens but is happy to sit still and doesn't do the faux-barking. Would you call that a fairly serious fault (that showed late)?

Doesn't sound as if she is frightened?

A couple of the cavs would bark at the first thunderclap, and at the noise of fireworks. As long as they didnt continue, that was ok with me.

I wonder whether "frightened of storms" behaviour is inherited, or is passed on because the young dog sees the older one doing it, and reacts to the fear. None of my dogs are particularly worried. That's an interesting one to contemplate - but even the dogs I buy don't seem to worry about storms, so I guess they are picking up the feelings of the rest of the pack. And theoretically, it should work in reverse.

I had a BC x which was a total maniac, used to squeeze into a corner somewhere and busily dig up the floor coverings. *sigh*.

Chi Chi worries about storms, and if left alone, paces incessantly around the house until it finishes. I bring her inside. She has been there since a pup, so the vibes of the pack have had no effect on her. But - we are not too sure how the brain is....that could be contributing.

Hereditary or learned behaviour is an interesting concept to consider. However, I have noticed that all of the pups I have bred have been unconcerned about storms ... the ones I've thought to ask anyhow.

[MolassesLass]

Thanks for the reply Jed - again, very thought provoking.