Does Weather Affect Dogs?

[Sandy]

We are under a severe thunderstorm/lightning/possible tornado watch here in Southern Ontario. Toby has been a ltitle freak all evening - wild, unsettled - even more than usual. :) Does the weather affect how dogs act? Also, it was really, really humid earlier, and I walked him - guess I shouldn't have. He came home and ate, and then threw it up almost immediately. I guess he was just way too hot. another lesson learned for me.

[Linda Karell]

Chervil doesn't seem to be particularly affected (but no truly severe thunderstorms for us so far), but her puppy school trainer talked several times about weather--particularly storms--making dogs behave differently than usual. During class one evening after a big, big snowstorm (this was in March), she asked everyone how their dog had behaved during the prior evening and that day. She said many dogs are absolutely responsive to weather--some get quiet or timid, others "titchy," still others wild and hyper-active. I'd say Toby has the inside scoop on the weather. Amazing how much they know!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think all animals, certainly humans as well, respond to changes in barometric pressure, light etc. Apparently the animals in ares affected by the tsunami a few years ago anticipated it somehow and many escaped to high ground!

[Sue & Willy Babe]

Saturday Night we had a storm go through Wilson was eating a bone it would thunder he'd look up at us we just smiled and went back to eating his bone But the funny part of this He wants to take out his bone in the RAIN Silly Doodle
I walked him only for 2 miles today his panting started just when we were a block away It is humid here today
I think too that they are affected by weather.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

My neighbor's dogs all are afarid of storms, its like a chain reaction. The dogs across the street will be barking, the dog upstairs will start to bark which will make the dogs up the street in the other direction bark. They all hate storms and are afarid of them. My dogs are not afarid and do not bark, but they bark because they hear other dogs barking. Some dogs need to be on medication because of storms. The moon and the way the earth shifts can actually affect a dog with seizures. My brother's Vet stated that. Dogs can be very responsive to all kinds of weather, and with their exceptional hearing abilities and smelling they probably know storms are coming sooner than we do.

[GBK]

It does for my two. They both watch the sky, and listen for the wind. They get agitated with lightening and thunder, we worked on desinsitizing the last storm we got, they did pretty good. The problem we have is that we don't get many storms, so it comes as a surprise to them each time we do.

[Jane]

Hershey is terrified of storms and fireworks as well as any loud noise. I am curious how you desensitized your dogs. I would love to try it with Hershey before the next storm. We have daily storms in Florida. I have bought the storm defender and given him different herbal medications. Any help would be appreciated .

[GBK]

When they see the lightening start I have been getting out the treat kibble, dog food other than what they eat daily. As the lightening flashes I throw some to the floor, then of course the thunder will come after, and they get another few tossed to the floor as the thunder rumbles. Little Kona is a hoot, as the storm passed and the lightening flashed she looked up expectently for me to throw the treat as soon as she saw the lightening :) I look forward to the next few storms to see if they remember it is no big deal. Good luck Jane, I don' see why you couldn't use a recording or utube of a storm and see how it goes with the thunder, you could probably start with the noise at a lower level and increase as Hershey get's more comfortable.

[Jane]

Thanks for the great advice. I'll try with desensitizing him with the storm recording at a low level. The treats will not work as I have tried that before.

[Adina P]

Mine are oblivious to thunder, but our border collie is VERY sensitive to thunder, lightning, and fireworks. She gets restless and nervous and needs people near.

[Lily]

We are in Toronto and experienced the same storm... it was Lily's first thunderstorm and she didn't even notice! She slept and played right through it. Our older dog, however, yipped and cried. And he's the 10 year old Chow who's been through hundreds of them. Go figure!

[Stella]

How did Toby do with the storm?? Hartley slept right through the whole thing. Chase did ok, was a bit restless, he kept going to the back door to watch the lightening!! Dave walked both of them that afternoon and they were so hot, panting like crazy when they got home. I had to crank the AC to cool them down, they were so hot they didn't even want to eat ice-cubes! If they are hot, I always wait at least half an hour before feeding them so they have a chance to cool off - this helps with keeping the food down!!

[Sandy]

Toby was fine with the storm - I just think that the excitement in the air was too much for him! He was wild in the house - playing hard, jumping up (which he almost never does anymore), racing around....stuff that a 66 pound dog should really stop doing. :) And I did find that the heat made him throw up. I'm glad to hear it's not just him. I have broken his meals down into more frequent, smaller meals, and he seems to do better that way. Also, I don't fill his water dish entirely, because he will gulp too much, and then throw up.