Help! – My dog is Scared of Windy Weather!
Just as with people, dogs can have fears and phobias too. Many of us may be familiar with some of the more common worries our pet dogs have; a fear of fireworks, for example. However, some dogs have more unusual fears. Anxiety in windy conditions is one of them. Holidays4Dogs looks into this lesser-known canine phobia and asks; why is my dog scared of windy weather and what can be done to help the dog with windy weather phobia?
In the same way that human beings can have fears and phobias about things that don’t appear to have an obvious explanation; so too can our dogs. Some dogs may have difficulty dealing with gusty weather conditions. High winds can be loud and noisy; whistling through trees as well as blowing objects around. Swirling rubbish, such as plastic bags, if blown suddenly into the air, can startle certain dogs.
Dogs can also detect many more scents in the air on a windy day. This can sometimes increase anxiety in the nervous dog. If a dog or puppy, has previously been spooked by wind or, something happening as a result of windy conditions, he is more likely to be afraid of gusty weather in the future.
Consider a thundershirt or similar garment
Think of the calm, comforting swaddling of a baby. Now check out the dog equivalent, the thundershirt. A thundershirt is a tightly fitted yet comforting tee shirt style wrap. It fits around your dog’s shoulders and torso, attaching with Velcro.
Thundershirts feel like a big warm full body hug. They reduce the anxiety and make your dog feel sheltered, held and protected. It’s great for wind phobia and other sensitivities your family dog may face.
Applying pressure to the abdomen, the thundershirt hits a calmative point in your dog. This helps trigger natural sensations and hormones that help your dog resist the phobia and feel safe and secure.
Thundershirts do take time to work with dogs. This is especially true when introducing it to a puppy and/or a dog that is not used to wearing coverings and garments. However, the feeling that these garments and similar jackets can give can really help your dog when a phobia takes hold.
How do you calm a dog with storm anxiety?
5 Tips to Calm your Dog During a Storm
Dogs fear of thunder and lightning. How to fix it. Why does it happen?
Have you ever noticed that your dogs mood shifts with the weather? Just like humans, seasonal changes including thunderstorms, heatwaves, dark skies, wind and heavy rain can all affect your dogs behaviour.
According to previous research conducted by the , a third of dog owners noticed their pet feeling sad during the colder months of the year. Dogs occasionally suffer from bouts of depression, but the winter weather can often make it worse due to disrupted daily routines and less physical exercise. During the warmer months, you may notice your dog slowing down or trailing behind on their walks instead of forging ahead.
“Our canine companions can all have their own unique quirks when it comes to weather, some may be terrified of thunder, heavy rainfall and strong winds, while others can seem depressed and have a low mood during the winter period, while others get excited and enthusiastic — and some dont react at all,” Carolyn Menteith, behaviourist at , says.