I’ve had 2 dogs over the past 20 years and they’ve both cowered in terror whenever they hear thunder. I’ve got a thunder vest for my current doggo and it seems to help but she still gets a little freaked out by thunder and even approaching rain.
How does your dog react to inclement spring time weather?
My last dog freaked the F out. Roaming from hiding place to place- behind the couch, under my legs, shaking and drooling. It was painful for both of us.
My current dog doesn’t give a shit about thunder, fireworks, whatever. Now dogs on the TV, on the other hand, well he’s got to tell them what’s what!
My 2 dive under the bed at the first clap of thunder. The 2 cats think this is hilarious, they go in and peer under the bed at them. And laughing, I swear.
One dog cowered and whined in fear.
Another dog seemed to be angry at the noise, and if not fenced in, would chase the noise.
Still another would not even notice a storm, no matter how noisy.
My dog from when I was little had psychological problems. I’m serious-- my grandfather rescued him from some boys who were sticking firecrackers up his ass when he was a little puppy and he had stress problems forever. He was a mutt with a lot of German Shepard in him and he grew pretty large. The week of 4th of July was complete terror for him. He’d try to hide behind big, heavy things and try to dig his way to safety. Behind the stove was his favorite place to try to get away from it all.
We lived in a ground floor apartment in The Bronx. One day there was a gigantic thunder and lightning storm. When I came home from school our next door neighbor was standing outside our apartment doors. He demanded I go into his apartment. I didn’t know the dude and I refused at first but he was adamant. He acted almost as if he wanted to fight me. He opened his door and practically pushed me inside-- while he stood way back. I walk in and what do I see? My dog cringing and yelping. That fucker dug a hole from our kitchen into the next door apartment, chased dude out with his crazy scared barking and would not let him back in.
Elder dog is mostly sanguine, doesn’t like it but doesn’t make a fuss. Young dog pretty nervous about the noise and plasters herself to my feet and legs. Reactions go up by five-six notches when it’s fireworks rather than thunder and lightning. They really don’t like the loud bangs.
Newfoundland rarely even wakes up. It’s not a matter of concern for him.
The Swissie tries to get into a lap or hide in the bath tub. The world is broken and he does not like it at all.
Mostly doesn’t notice. Occasionally, if there’s lots and lots of close strikes, he will herd us all into the basement. We all have to go, or he won’t, but he can be very insistent on occasion.
We got caught in a thunderstorm outside in the park once. We hid under a big tree in order to hopefully not get hit by tennis-ball-sized hailstones, and he may have been a little upset then because I was getting a little upset. I was trying to get him to stand between my legs with his head down, right against the tree trunk, so I could stretch my hoodie over both of us. (I know it’s bad to be under a tree when there’s lightning, and there was lightning, but there was also hail so…)
Back when she was young, Vaya would freak out at the first thunderclap. Then - as with most things - once she realized nothing ACTUALLY scary or hurtful followed it, the sound was relegated into the ho-hum category: something to perk her ears at the first time it happens, then promptly ignored.
My dog seems oblivious to thunder and lightning. He also ignores fireworks and the occasional booms when the nearby national guard post is firing artillery
My dog hates rain and snow falling on him, but doesn’t make the connection between thunder and rainfall.