Are dogs frightened by thunder? Learn how to calm your dog's nerves.

The frequent occurrence of thunderstorms and typhoons in summer has led to a significant increase in the number of thunderstorms. When thunderstorms occur, dogs at home may bark continuously or feel frightened and look for a place to hide.

Each dog may react differently to this fear. Some may start destroying household items, howling loudly, or cowering in a corner of the house. However, as owners, we often make two mistakes: some owners scold or punish dogs who are afraid of thunder, while others over-soothe their frightened dogs verbally or with their actions.

Owners need to understand that it's unrealistic to expect a dog to rest or behave normally when it's fearful. A dog may bark continuously due to extreme fear and sensitivity. When a dog is fearful, it's important to accommodate these fearful behaviors.

Why Do Dogs Get Anxious About Bad Weather?

In fact, dogs are very sensitive to sounds and smells. Not only the loud noise of thunder, but also the smell and environmental changes associated with thunder can make dogs feel scared:

  • Air pressure changes
  • Changes in the weather
  • Lightning rays
  • The unique smell of rainy days
  • Rain sound

Dogs are highly sensitive to these stimuli and often detect the onset of severe weather much earlier than we do. During a storm, dogs may experience anxiety from the presence of static electricity, which creates a sudden and unpredictable feeling in their fur.

Dogs may exhibit the following symptoms when suffering from anxiety:

  • Dilated pupils
  • Drooling
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • shortness of breath
  • Tremor
  • Wandering
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Displays unusual fight or flight behavior

Understanding Dog FAS Scores and Grades

To alleviate and eliminate a dog's anxiety, we first need to understand the level of fear the dog may be facing. Dogs can vary in their fear, anxiety, and stress, so we use the concept of FAS (Fear, Anxiety, Stress) to assess and quantify these varying levels.

The FAS is categorized into three levels: low, medium, and high, depending on the severity of a dog's experience. These levels help us better understand and address a dog's emotional state. By assessing a dog's FAS level, we can provide tailored strategies to help reduce stress and improve their emotional well-being.

2 tips to effectively soothe your dog's emotions

Dogs are very sensitive to sounds and smells, and some breeds, such as collies, are more susceptible to severe weather. The "stress hormone" in dogs may soar by more than 200% due to exposure to the sounds of a storm.

First, we need to determine what kind of situation the dog will experience when facing thunder. If it is an emotional problem, you can effectively deal with it according to the following two methods; if it starts to have serious physical reactions such as vomiting and diarrhea, we will recommend going directly to the veterinary clinic for assistance.

Establish a daily stress relief routine

In addition to being tolerant of your dog's fear, the most important core concept is to establish a set of stress relief methods for your dog to help it develop emotional resilience.

When it rains and thunders, it is too late to think about comforting your dog. You should first establish a ritual that can comfort your dog in your daily life, such as:

Staying or playing with your dog in a safe spot, letting it see the safe spot as a happy place, and letting the dog have a safe place at all times is enough to help them resist fear.

As soon as a storm approaches, provide your dog with shelter in a safe place. Ideally, this should be indoors with few or no windows so the dog can avoid hearing and seeing the storm. Providing a mat for the dog to sit on, along with bedding, water, food, and a toy or two, along with lights on and relaxing music or a television, can also be helpful.

Consider using mood-stabilizing probiotics – for long-term dog mood stabilization

In addition, improving your dog's mood through nutritional supplements is also a good way to manage their health. Purina Pro Plan Calming Care Mood Stabilizing Probiotics has also been shown in recent scientific research to be effective in stabilizing a dog's mood.

Q: How does Pro Plan Calming Care mood-stabilizing probiotics stabilize a dog's mood?

A: Mood-stabilizing probiotics, utilizing a bacterial strain called Bifidobacterium longum (BL999), have been shown to help dogs and cats maintain calm behavior. Diet-related changes in the gut microbiome can influence the brain through the gut-brain axis, which in turn can impact behaviors including anxiety.

In clinical trials, BL999 significantly improved anxiety-related behaviors in dogs, with dogs and cats given BL999 supplements showing improvements in behavior compared to placebo. This included:

  • Improve dogs exhibiting anxious behaviors such as excessive vocalization, jumping, and wandering
  • Maintains normal heart activity during stressful events.
  • Slows down the cortisol response to anxiety-inducing events.

Q: How long does it take for Pro Plan Calming Care Mood Stabilizing Probiotics to be effective?

A: Studies have shown that using one pack of Calming Care daily for six weeks produces results. Calming Care should be used daily, not just as a short-term anti-anxiety solution for occasional stressful events, such as routine and environmental changes, but as part of a behavioral and environmental modification approach.

Q: Is there any scientific research supporting the effectiveness of Pro Plan Calming Care Mood Stabilizing Probiotics?

A: Purina evaluated the effects of BL999 on anxiety-prone behaviors in dogs and presented an abstract at the 2018 American College of Veterinary Behavioral Medicine Symposium. The paper has been submitted for publication. Additionally, researchers at Colorado State University evaluated the effects of BL999 on anxiety-prone behaviors in cats and presented an abstract at the 2021 American Academy of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum.

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