Scared of Thunder? How to Keep Pets Calm During Rainy Season.
It's rainy season again, which means, aside from cooler weather, we may be experiencing some thunderstorms here and there. This may be a scary experience for your pets who are unsure on where the loud, rumbling sounds are coming from.
Here are some tips to help pets relax during thunderstorms.
1. Desensitize Your Pup
Some experts claim that once you have a new puppy, you should teach him or her to get used to the sound of thunder. How? Play at a low volume thunder recordings (you can easily find some on YouTube) during playtime and slowly increase it over time. This will help your dog associate the sound with good things. However, make sure to keep the volume down. Stop or lower the volume even more when the dog starts showing signs of anxiety.
2. Give Your Dog a Safe Space
Aside from bringing your pet indoors, give him or her a safe space to rest. This can be a crate or even inside a bathroom. Sometimes, your pet may even decide for him or herself on what the safe space will be by running to that area every time it rains. You can go the extra mile by placing a towel or foam padding in that area to absorb the noise.
3. Reward Calm Behaviours
When our pets are scared, we can't help but want to cuddle with them to help soothe their fears. However, this may encourage that type of behaviour. While it is important to be with the pet during a thunderstorm, reward behaviours whenever he or she sits quietly beside you or when your pet chooses to do something else like play games.
4. Give Thundershirts a Try
Snug clothing are said to help calm down pets, a similar effect seen when swaddling a baby. One of the most well known brands is the Thundershirt, but other snug (not tight!) garments may do the trick!
Do you have other tips or tricks that helped you successfully calm your dog? Do share and let us know!