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Tuesday, April 13, 2010
How to Help your dog weather a storm
Maybe you've heard the stories about animals that signal the approach of a storm. Cows lie down. Crows fly low to the ground. Spiders leave their webs.
And dogs, apparently, go flat-out berserk.
"I've heard of dogs that have actually jumped through screen doors," said Deb Boswell, a dog behavior therapist in West Des Moines. "Their first response to a storm is fight or flight. They don't really understand that they can't get away from it."
Research indicates that dogs are sensitive to changes in barometric pressure and even electrical charges in the air, which often go haywire before the onset of the storms that roll across Iowa about this time every year. Some animals respond in mild ways, such as pacing or panting, while others become more destructive.
Quantcast
Fortunately, there are ways to help dogs (and to a lesser extent, cats) overcome their fears. We asked Boswell, who works with the dog-training company Bark Busters (barkbusters.com), and a few other experts for their best advice.
— Make sure your dog has an ID tag or an implanted microchip. It's important Fido can be identified if he makes a mad dash out of the house or yard. Along those lines, keep him away from any doors or gates where he could escape.
— Create a safe place. Sometimes dogs will seek out a safe place on their own, but if they need a little guidance, section off a quiet den-like area where they can feel secure. Close any windows and curtains, and lead the dog to the space before the storm arrives.
Keep in mind that some dogs relax more easily after discharging the static build-up that accompanies the electrical imbalance in the atmosphere, so they'll seek out electrically grounded locations, such as pipes, a toilet or bathtub in the basement.
(Just as Register reporter Mike Kilen, whose 80-pound boxer-Lab mix made a beeline for the bathroom during a storm last week.) Boswell suggests setting out a natural rubber mat to ease a dog's stressful reaction to an approaching storm.
If your dog must remain outside, cover the doghouse or kennel with cardboard or a light-weight blanket to block out bursts of lightning.
— Put your dog in a crate. Since dogs can become destructive when they're scared, a crate is the best way to keep them safe and your belongings intact. If you don't use a crate, remove any items that your dog could damage or that could hurt your dog if he chewed them.
— Remain calm. Dogs can pick up on human behavior. If you remain calm, they might follow your lead. If you go bonkers, so will they.
Mick McAuliffe, an animal behavior specialist with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, knows of a woman who suffered from a fear of storms (technically, keraunophobia) and crawled under a table whenever one approached. Her dog did the same.
— Set up distractions. Give your dog a good rub down or toss around a chew toy. Turn on the TV or quiet music on the radio. Boswell says harp music is particularly effective.
"I tell you, I put it on once and thought 'Oh my gosh, I'm about to fall asleep,' " she said.
She also recommends music produced by "Through A Dog's Ear" (throughadogsear.com), which develops music specifically for dogs and donates free CDs to animal shelters.
— Wrap your dog in a blanket. Bianca Zaffarano, a clinician at the primary care department of Iowa State's College of Veterinary Medicine, suggests wrapping your dog securely in a blanket or a jacket.
There are specially designed anti-anxiety blankets with metallic linings to neutralize electrical imbalances (anxietywrap.com), but plain old bedspreads usually do the trick.
— Expect piddle. Extreme fear can make some dogs incontinent. Just be prepared and try not to react if they make a mess.
— Condition your dog to get used to noise. To give your dog some practice, play a recording of a thunderstorm and gradually increase the volume.
Boswell, who lives near Jordan Creek Town Center, cooked up a similar trick to help her dogs prepare for the fireworks displays at Christmas and the Fourth of July: She tosses a clunky object — a brush works well — into the dryer about an hour before the fireworks begin. The irregular clanks and bangs help Lucy and Paddy get used to the outdoor noise that follows.
— Consider "doggy downers." In extreme cases, sedatives may be the best way to help your dog — but only temporarily.
"You're basically just putting out fires," Zaffarano said. "You can pop them with drugs, but the drugs themselves don't work that well unless you start them with some kind of desensitization protocol" — such as the thunderstorm recording or the brush-in-the-dryer trick — "before storm season arrives."
And remember: If you do decide to sedate your dog, consult your veterinarian first and never (never!) give your dog human medications.
"The bottom line is: You gotta help the dog," Boswell said. "If you don't deal with the issue, the dog is never going to get over it on its own."
Source: By MICHAEL MORAIN • mmorain@dmreg.com • April 13, 2010
And dogs, apparently, go flat-out berserk.
"I've heard of dogs that have actually jumped through screen doors," said Deb Boswell, a dog behavior therapist in West Des Moines. "Their first response to a storm is fight or flight. They don't really understand that they can't get away from it."
Research indicates that dogs are sensitive to changes in barometric pressure and even electrical charges in the air, which often go haywire before the onset of the storms that roll across Iowa about this time every year. Some animals respond in mild ways, such as pacing or panting, while others become more destructive.
Quantcast
Fortunately, there are ways to help dogs (and to a lesser extent, cats) overcome their fears. We asked Boswell, who works with the dog-training company Bark Busters (barkbusters.com), and a few other experts for their best advice.
— Make sure your dog has an ID tag or an implanted microchip. It's important Fido can be identified if he makes a mad dash out of the house or yard. Along those lines, keep him away from any doors or gates where he could escape.
— Create a safe place. Sometimes dogs will seek out a safe place on their own, but if they need a little guidance, section off a quiet den-like area where they can feel secure. Close any windows and curtains, and lead the dog to the space before the storm arrives.
Keep in mind that some dogs relax more easily after discharging the static build-up that accompanies the electrical imbalance in the atmosphere, so they'll seek out electrically grounded locations, such as pipes, a toilet or bathtub in the basement.
(Just as Register reporter Mike Kilen, whose 80-pound boxer-Lab mix made a beeline for the bathroom during a storm last week.) Boswell suggests setting out a natural rubber mat to ease a dog's stressful reaction to an approaching storm.
If your dog must remain outside, cover the doghouse or kennel with cardboard or a light-weight blanket to block out bursts of lightning.
— Put your dog in a crate. Since dogs can become destructive when they're scared, a crate is the best way to keep them safe and your belongings intact. If you don't use a crate, remove any items that your dog could damage or that could hurt your dog if he chewed them.
— Remain calm. Dogs can pick up on human behavior. If you remain calm, they might follow your lead. If you go bonkers, so will they.
Mick McAuliffe, an animal behavior specialist with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, knows of a woman who suffered from a fear of storms (technically, keraunophobia) and crawled under a table whenever one approached. Her dog did the same.
— Set up distractions. Give your dog a good rub down or toss around a chew toy. Turn on the TV or quiet music on the radio. Boswell says harp music is particularly effective.
"I tell you, I put it on once and thought 'Oh my gosh, I'm about to fall asleep,' " she said.
She also recommends music produced by "Through A Dog's Ear" (throughadogsear.com), which develops music specifically for dogs and donates free CDs to animal shelters.
— Wrap your dog in a blanket. Bianca Zaffarano, a clinician at the primary care department of Iowa State's College of Veterinary Medicine, suggests wrapping your dog securely in a blanket or a jacket.
There are specially designed anti-anxiety blankets with metallic linings to neutralize electrical imbalances (anxietywrap.com), but plain old bedspreads usually do the trick.
— Expect piddle. Extreme fear can make some dogs incontinent. Just be prepared and try not to react if they make a mess.
— Condition your dog to get used to noise. To give your dog some practice, play a recording of a thunderstorm and gradually increase the volume.
Boswell, who lives near Jordan Creek Town Center, cooked up a similar trick to help her dogs prepare for the fireworks displays at Christmas and the Fourth of July: She tosses a clunky object — a brush works well — into the dryer about an hour before the fireworks begin. The irregular clanks and bangs help Lucy and Paddy get used to the outdoor noise that follows.
— Consider "doggy downers." In extreme cases, sedatives may be the best way to help your dog — but only temporarily.
"You're basically just putting out fires," Zaffarano said. "You can pop them with drugs, but the drugs themselves don't work that well unless you start them with some kind of desensitization protocol" — such as the thunderstorm recording or the brush-in-the-dryer trick — "before storm season arrives."
And remember: If you do decide to sedate your dog, consult your veterinarian first and never (never!) give your dog human medications.
"The bottom line is: You gotta help the dog," Boswell said. "If you don't deal with the issue, the dog is never going to get over it on its own."
Source: By MICHAEL MORAIN • mmorain@dmreg.com • April 13, 2010
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