Does Your Pup Suffer From Thunderstorm Phobia? It's Time To Act.

Does Your Pup Suffer From Thunderstorm Phobia? It's Time To Act.

If you’re a pup mommy or daddy, you’ve probably seen your pup become terrified of thunderstorms.

Well, there might be a scientific reason to this occurrence, as realized by Nicholas Dodman, director of the animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dodman observed that a lot of the pups that he handled who were frightened of thunderstorms tended to find solitude in the same places – spots like the sink, the bath, the shower pedestal, and even the Jacuzzi and the children’s pool.

So what was it that led these fur balls to run straight for these areas? It turns out that these pups become charged with static electricity during thunderstorms. It’s to the point where pup parents feel shocks from touching their pups’ fur during these storms! A pup’s double coat and thick foot pads naturally accumulate charge. Standing in electrical grounds brings relief from the shocks.

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Naturally, the loud noises and bright lights also contribute to the fear of thunderstorms, and not all pups experience this phobia. Still, there are ways to treat the phobia to avoid your pups hurting themselves in panic. You could opt to train your fur balls to go to a safe-place where they can be shielded from the worst of the sounds and sights of the storms. While they’re there, take some anti-static laundry slips and wipe them down as well.

You can also try anti-anxiety medications, but it’s best to check with your vet as to what types will be best for your pup. Remember that attempting to induce a desensitization to the storms by exposure in any way, even artificially, will not work quite the same way. Was this helpful to you? Keep your pups’ safe when the storms roll in! Like and share if it helped you!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay

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