It is heartbreaking to watch your ordinarily calm and happy dog anxious as a dog lover during a thunderstorm, especially during summer when thunder is more frequent. Dogs are sensitive to sound, so thunder sound loud to human is more intense to dogs.
During a thunderstorm, dogs tremble, pant, and pace around due to the loud sound. And in some cases, they give mild signs of stress like licking their paws, yawning, panting, or getting destructive due to stress, such as chewing the carpet, etc.
Don’t worry if you have been wondering how to comfort your anxious dog during a thunderstorm; it is not rocket science. Happy Garden CBD is ready to provide you with tips on calming your dog during a thunderstorm.
Dog enthusiasts, experts, and trainers have studied and given several reasons dogs get anxious during a thunderstorm. Here at Happy Garden CBD, we believe it deals with the intensity of sound the dog can hear. First, of course, dogs are more sensitive to sound than humans, hearing sounds at a distance four times farther than humans. In addition, they hear sounds with higher frequency, so they detect thunderstorms sound earlier before we do.
Also, it is a survival mechanism to be scared of loud sounds, which thunder is part of. Your dog may be anxious due to changes in the barometric pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. According to National Geographic, the dog can sense the changes in the air pressure.
In addition, the accumulation of static electrons during lighting and thunder on the dog’s fur can cause anxiety. At the same time, the loud sound of wind and heavy rain can stimulate feelings of fear in the dog.
One of the most appropriate things to do is allow the dog to go to a safe place during thunderstorms to hide from chaos and noise. So naturally, dogs drift towards a dark closet such as a bathroom to feel comfortable and safe during a thunderstorm. To make their safe place further comfortable, you can move the dog’s bed to that area.
Also, dogs feel more comfortable and calm when they realize they are safe around your house or apartment. Dogs who feel insecure in your environment may be scared during thunderstorms and might try breaking out to flee thunderstorms.
Just as humans find comfort using a weighted blanket to comfort their anxious minds, the use of ThunderShirt for dogs also provides a warm cozy wrap for dogs. The ThunderShirt is a pressure wrap for uncomfortable dogs; it provides comfort for your dog by applying pressure on its chest and torso.
ThunderShirt, when worn correctly, it is scientifically believed to stimulate the release of endorphin. A neurotransmitter that provides a sense of comfortability and promotes calmness. It gives a feeling almost equivalent to hugging your dog and giving gentle strokes.
As a dog enthusiast, one of the ways you introduce to comfort your anxious dog is to opt for the supplements such as cannabidiol (CBD) oil and other CBD products. CBD oils help to treat dogs’ anxiety. Cannabidiol or CBD is a chemical compound obtained from cannabis plants. It treats anxiety in dogs by altering its response to the hormone serotonin, which promotes sleep and calmness.
Advice from Happy Garden CBD: Ensure you visit your veterinarian before considering giving your dog any supplement to ensure it is safe for use.
Providing your dog with toys and puzzle treats is a way of distracting the dog from the surrounding environment during thunderstorms. It helps distract them from the roaring sound of thunderstorms, howling wind, and heavy rain. In addition, if your dog gets destructive when anxious, buying toys that help with chewing can help distract the dog from the happenings in its environment.
Also, the use of soft and soothing music to create background noise can help to provide a distraction for your dog. Like humans, dogs feel uneasy and scared when they hear a sudden noise, and noisy background could help. Though this might not work for all dogs, it may help reduce their anxiety.
Irrespective of the above method you try, comforting your dog during a thunderstorm is essential. If ignored, the anxiety caused can progressively affect your dog in several ways: its relationship with you, the dog getting destructive, injuring itself, or your family members.
This article has provided an ultimate guide to why dogs get anxious and how you can comfort them to treat their anxiety.
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