Help! My Dog is Afraid of Thunder!

BOOM! Crackle… BANG!

Fireworks, thunderstorms and other uncontrollable noise in the environment are tricky for some pets. While some of these things can be lots of fun for most humans, they can be a nightmare for the dog.

With the right conditioning and the right temperament, dogs can often learn to enjoy them too, but that is not the case for all dogs. They can be confusing with extreme light changes, loud bangs and even atmospheric pressure changes that they can feel. If you have a dog who is sensitive to things like thunder storms, they’ll likely not enjoy the Victoria Day and Canada Day festivities coming up. There are no fail-safe cures for sound sensitive dogs during holiday fireworks, but there are some things that you can do to make them feel safer.

Crating

If your dog is not crate trained, you might consider it, especially for situations like this. Dogs have a natural instinct to den as it makes them feel safe. Small, cave like enclosures allow them to feel safe that nothing is behind them and the only opening is clearly in view. If your dog is already comfortable with their crate, cover any holes or openings (ensuring there is still adequate airflow) and allow the dog to feel safely denned. Play with whether or not your dog benefits from the door being covered as well. Typically, the darker…