Putting a Damper on Mr. Goodpuppy's Spring
Karen Arnoff ©1990, © revised 2010
Dogs can be afraid of many things: children, wind, loud noises, sudden motion, people wearing hats, etc. As spring approaches, many dog owners may learn that their dog has a fear of thunderstorms. How devastating it is when a calm, perfectly well-behaved dog unexpectedly resorts to destruction as he chews and digs to "escape" the storms. And how painful it is to watch the intense stress a dog displays as he paces, pants and/or shakes uncontrollably for hours.In general, fears stem from a variety of causes, genetic, (hypersensitivity to noise) physiological (arthritis, exacerbated by air pressure changes before a storm) and environmental or a combination of two or more of these factors. And, whatever the causes, fears can be established, escalated and/or extinguished by the behaviors, attitudes and feelings of the family. Preventing the fear from developing is, without a doubt, much easier than managing or extinguishing it after the fact. So, for caring dog owners to understand how they might unintentionally contribute to their dog's fear of thunderstorms, let’s look at thunderstorms from "Mr. Goodpuppy's" point of view.
Stormy Weather
Everything is peaceful at "the Wellmeanings” (Mr. G.P.’s family). There's a warm, moist breeze blowing through the open windows as Mr. Goodpuppy snoozes in his bed. Mrs. Wellmeaning is talking on the phone when, suddenly, a loud clap of thunder shakes the house. Abruptly, Mrs. Wellmeaning ends her conversation, jumps up and starts running from room to room slamming windows shut. Mr. Goodpuppy hears the loud thunderclap outside, sees the flash of light and races after Mrs. Wellmeaning. Mrs. Wellmeaning paces nervously, watching the large tree in the front yard sway and bend dangerously close to the house. And Mr. Goodpuppy watches Mrs. Wellmeaning watch the tree. Finally, the storm ends. Mrs. Wellmeaning relaxes (sigh!) and then begins a leisurely tour of the house, with Mr. Goodpuppy happily trotting behind her, as she opens all the windows.Later, during the night, another storm sets in. Mr. Wellmeaning bolts out of bed with the first thunderclap and wakes Mrs. Wellmeaning. Both of them run around the house (with Mr. Goodpuppy in hot pursuit) slamming windows, making sure the screen door is latched and checking the wavering tree. When the storm subsides, everyone relaxes and goes back to bed.
A few weeks later, Mr. Goodpuppy is alone in the house when another storm moves in. And, Mr. Goodpuppy knows exactly what to do! He runs from room to room jumping at the windows...tearing the curtains. He runs up the hall...knocking the lamp off the table. The noise of the shattering lamp startles him. So he quickly runs the other way and…bumps into the plant stand, turning over the plants. He paces in front of the window and is scared by the swaying of the big tree...so he claws the closet door, looking (unsuccessfully) for a place to hide.
When the Wellmeanings come home after the storm has subsided, they see that Mr. Goodpuppy is not at the door to greet them as usual. As they hunt for him, they find the shredded curtains, the de-potted plants, the clawed closet, the lightless lamp and finally…Mr. Goodpuppy…in the bathtub with the shower curtain off the rings and around him. Since he is hiding, the Wellmeanings are sure Mr. Goodpuppy knows he has been a bad puppy. Never suspecting that he’s mimicking their previous behaviors or that he acted out of fear, they immediately drag him around to the curtains, the plants, the lamp and the clawed closet door, showing him what he did and scolding him, so that he'll never be bad again. Poor Mr. Goodpuppy!
The Rainy Day Blues
Behavior problems may occur on a rainy day, even without lightning and thunder, if owners unintentionally create negative experiences for Mr. Goodpuppy. On a rainy day, if no one takes him outside for a walk, Mr. Goodpuppy may use some of his energy to run around the house. Or, he might spoil his perfect housebreaking record if he doesn’t like going outside when it’s stormy and wet. And if he does go outside, he wont automatically understand that his muddy footprints are not welcome on the newly washed floor. Yet, the Wellmeanings often yell at him for all these things, and more.While their anger and frustration may seem perfectly justified to them, all Mr. Goodpuppy learns is that his family — formerly friendly on sunny days — is transformed into a bunch of beastly, bossy, bad guys on rainy days. It's no wonder he can get the rainy day blues.
Using the Calm Before the Storm
There are many things that owners can do to desensitize their dog to rainy or stormy weather. Before the rainy season, owners must: 1) establish themselves as leaders of Mr. Goodpuppy, 2) set up a place and ways for him to play indoors as well as outside and 3) teach him tricks and commands. Then, when they don't want to go out in the rain, owners can still provide their dog with the mental and physical stimulation he wants and needs. When the rain escalates to thunder and lightning, jolly up and give treats for the tricks, commands and games. This approach can help override low level initial fears Mr. Goodpuppy might have, and soon, he will look forward to the treats and fun he has learned to expect when it rains.Owners who want to take their dog outside in the rain should additionally prepare in the following ways: 1) teach their dog to walk on a leash, 2) expose him to umbrellas in a variety of positive ways until he accepts them as normal and 3) start playing with him outdoors in light rain, graduating to the "heavier stuff." Puppy parents who want to remain inside while their dog eliminates outside should teach their dog to 1) eliminate on command in a spot where they can see him from inside (to make sure he eliminates before he comes in) and 2) wait when he comes in to have his paws wiped off, even when they are not muddy, so that there will be no problem when they really are.