 A beautiful summer afternoon can take a terrifying
turn for dogs with storm phobias. While some
don’t turn a hair at thunder and lightning, others find it
a frightening and stressful experience. Instead of letting
your dog frantically pace, pant or try to hide under the
bed, take some steps to ease her anxiety.
Behaviorial conditioning
Dr. Suzanne Hetts, a certified applied animal behaviorist,
starts to address a dog’s fears by determining which aspect
of a storm frightens her the most – is it the thunder, the
wind, a change in barometric pressure, or certain smells?
If the problem is thunder, Dr. Hetts recommends a
program of counter conditioning and desensitization. “Through gradual exposure, you create an easier version of
the stimuli the dog is scared of, like a recording of thunder
at low volume, paired with something that makes the dog
happy, like a food treat, playing ball or petting,” she says. “You gradually make it more intense until it’s like the real
thing. Then the real thing no longer elicits fear because
you’ve replaced it with something good.”
She adds that this method works best if you can prevent
the dog from experiencing a real storm before training
is complete. This means you need to start before storm
season arrives and make a dedication to practice. “The
time to work on this is not in the middle of storm
season,” says Dr. Hetts.
Calming with flowers
For another approach, veterinarian Dr. Mark Newkirk
suggests Bach flower remedies. Aspen is the classic
remedy for storm phobias. “If you’re going to work, you
can put some Aspen in the dog’s water bowl, and even
if the storm comes six hours later, as he drinks all day, he gets it in his system on his own,” says Dr. Newkirk. “If
you’re home and a storm is coming, you can give it orally.”
Bach flower remedies are odorless and tasteless and come in
liquid form. “You can give a few drops every few minutes for
as long as it takes to calm a dog down,” says Dr. Newkirk.
Aspen is just one of 38 Bach flower remedies. You may find a
different one, such as Rescue Remedy or Mimulus, suits your
dog’s needs better. Dr. Newkirk sometimes combines flower
remedies with herbs such as valerian, skullcap or St. John’s
wort to mellow a frightened dog without drugging him.
Emotional alergies
Dr. Newkirk has also had success using Nambudripad allergy
elimination therapy (NAET). This therapy works under
the theory that most problems are caused by undiagnosed allergies, and that acupressure – developed for humans
but adapted for animal therapy – treats the allergies.
“Acupressure can change emotions,” says Dr. Newkirk. “Emotion is a phobia, and why should a noise cause
you an emotional allergy? Through acupressure, you can
reduce or eliminate that fear entirely.”
Wrap him up
Relief for your dog may also be found through the use
of an Anxiety Wrap, which applies slight, maintained
pressure around a large portion of an animal’s body.
The gentle pressure indirectly affects the central nervous
system and this raises the dog’s anxiety threshold. This
means more stimuli is required to cause the dog to react.
“Parents have seen this effect by swaddling their babies,”
says Susan Sharpe, who created the wrap. “Swaddling is
another form of ‘maintained pressure’ in action. While
some dogs relax, others sleep through storms wearing
their Anxiety Wraps. It’s a wonderful sight to see thunder
phobic dogs relaxed and sleeping through a storm.”
Why do some dogs develop storm phobia while others
hardly seem to notice the thunder and lightning? According
to Dr. Hetts, research conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Shull
at the University of Tennessee suggests there might be a
genetic cause.
Dr. Newkirk believes there is also usually an environmental
cause. “There’s usually some inciting thing going
on,” he says. “The noise is there, yes, but something else
has happened – a light flickered or the owner left and
the storm started right afterward. It usually develops as
a dog grows up. I’ve never seen it in a puppy.”
Whatever the cause, rest assured there’s a solution to keep
your dog from feeling scared during summer storms.
Dos and don’ts
DO try to create a safe place from the storm, such as an
interior room or basement where the dog can’t see lightening
or hear thunder. A machine playing white noise can also help.
DON’T pull a fearful dog from his hiding spot. “If he wants
to hide in a closet or cage, he retreated there because he
feels safe,” says Dr. Newkirk. “Don’t pull him out to sit on
the couch with you.”
DO talk to a frightened dog in a calm, reassuring voice.
“Don’t be overly anxious because your dog is,” says
Dr. Newkirk. “If you’re afraid, you don’t want to be with
someone else who’s afraid; you want a leader.”
DON’T crate a dog who is clawing at doors or walls in an
attempt to prevent him from being destructive. “If he’s that
fearful, confining him will only panic him more,” says Dr. Hetts.
“He could get hurt trying to get out.”
DON’T punish a dog who has destroyed something
in a panic.
DO give your dog positive attention. “If you can massage
the ears, play ball, talk in a calming voice or give a body
massage, that will help him relax,” says Dr. Hetts. |
Published in
the June/July 2009 issue of Animal
Wellness Magazine
|
