Problem:
Brontophobia
Fear of thunder and storms
Dear
Shannon
I
was wondering if you had any advice for me. We have
3 dogs a 10 year old Newfoundland Dog and 2 of his children,
and a 7 year old Pyrenean X Newfoundland.
One
of the bitches is afraid of thunder, a fear that was
passed down from or learned from her mother a Pyrenean
Mountain Dog who used to climb through cottage pain
windows when the thunder was loud enough. We have allowed
the dogs into the garage when there is thunder as that
seems to calm them a bit, otherwise they try to dig
out of our 2 ½ acre plot to run away. For the
mother, we tried Ecovet Eco Fear
calming drops and were told by our vet we could give
her a sedative when a storm was approaching. This however
creates a problem when we are not at home.
Only
the one daughter seems to have developed this fear of
thunder which has grown worse in the last few years.
When she gets scared of the thunder her sister and father
attack her for showing weakness and this sometimes leads
to a fight.
We
have now run out of ideas and were wondering if you
had any suggestions as to how we could reduce her fear
or failing that, at least manage it in such a way that
summer in Gauteng is not a terrifying ordeal for this
dog.
Regards
Thunderstruck
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi
Thunderstruck
This
is a common problem and one that often results in lost
and injured dogs. One can only imagine the absolute
fear and terror that must be experienced by brontophobic
dogs.
When
a dog has what appears to be an irrational fear of anything,
a process of either desensitisation or habituation is
required to address the problem. However when dealing
with brontophobia it is incredibly difficult to apply
this principle. This is due to the unpredictability
of storms and the impossibility of recreating the exact
scenario.
So
one has to do the best one can. Providing a safe haven
is the first step. Garages are not ideal, as they tend
to amplify the sounds of a storm. A carpeted room with
drawn curtains is more suitable. A safe den (just big
enough for one dog) is also beneficial. This can be
as elaborate as a travel crate, or a sturdy cardboard
box with a heavy blanket draped over it. Leaving a radio
playing will also provide some background noise and
minimise the shock of a clap of thunder slightly.
Many
brontophobic dogs start showing fearful behaviour long
before the storm breaks. It is assumed that they feel
the changes in barometric pressure and while this in
itself cant do any harm, it becomes a secondary
reinforcer. It may be an idea to install a barometer
and therefore have a better indication of when a storm
is on the way. However it is likely that your dog may
be better than the barometer at indicating changes in
barometric pressure!
It
is also thought that an added complication may be the
static charges in the air that we experience with our
intense Highveld storms. Some people have reported success
by spraying their dogs coats with a diluted mixture
of fabric softener to reduce the static build-up. I
would assume that your dogs have heavy coats, so this
may help them to an extent.
Some
also advise letting the dog trail a lead (just long
enough to make contact with the ground and with the
loop removed) to earth the dog and thereby
reduce the static charge. However I would be very hesitant
to use this on a dog prone to running during storms
for fear of the line getting caught up.
There
has been some success reported with the use of DAP (Dog
Appeasing Pheromones) in dealing with brontophobic dogs.
The pheromone is a synthetic version of the pheromone
that a mother releases when nursing her young. It is
thus thought that the DAP creates a feeling of well-being.
It is certainly worth a try. DAP diffusers can be purchased
from most vets.
How
you react and interact with your dog during storms is
very important. You should have provided the safe haven
as described and simply go about your business as usual.
Trying to comfort and soothe the dog will only reinforce
its fear. Imagine a non-brontophobic bitch with her
puppies during a storm. She will not lavish extra attention
of the puppies, she stays neutral, nonplussed and the
pups learn that there is nothing to be afraid of.
It
appears that the problem definitely has a genetic component
and it has a long history. Each time there is a storm
and the dog reacts fearfully it creates the same behavioural
expectation for the next occasion. In essence this is
not a problem that will go away overnight, if at all.
Your best bet is to manage it as best you can. Good
luck.
Shannon