Following a month of clear skies and summer warmth, the UK is braced for turbulent weather heading our way from Spain, and the Met Office has issued a warning about ‘Storm Oscar’. Pet experts say animals will be feeling stressed by the oncoming storm, and by the thunder and lightning it brings.
The loud bangs and flashes during storms are often extremely frightening and can cause stress, anxiety, and unpredictability, potentially putting pets safety at risk. It’s not solely the loud noises from thunder that invokes fear in your pet, the change in pressure, dark skies and flashing lights alongside the static energy in the air that is picked up by their fur all add to the anxious environment.
Dogs feel the changes in the atmosphere when the weather drastically changes which means the anxiety can set in before a storm even starts. So, if you notice your dog becoming distressed, that may be an indicator that a storm is coming Some signs to look out for to help notice if your furry friend is feeling anxious are:
- Panting or hiding
- Pacing
- Wide-eyed
- Ears back
- Yawning
While it’s recommended to not walk your dog when you know a thunderstorm is coming, this will mean that they have a build up of energy and there are things you can do at home to ensure this extra energy isn’t turned into stress and anxiety.
Bella & Duke’s Pet Behaviourist, Liz Lannie has offered five simple tried and tested tips to help your pets keep calm during the noisy nights ahead:
- Calming sprays and chews - Use a calming treatment like Calm & Balmy can help with anxiety in general while giving your dog a chew can keep them occupied and distracted form loud crashing and banging of the thunderstorm.
- Prepare in advance when you can – As we’ve just had a spell of heatwaves across the country, the weather can change at a moment’s notice. You can desensitise your pet to thunderstorms throughout the year by playing storm sounds, starting off quietly and gradually building up the volume until your pet is more used to it when a storm comes out of nowhere.
- Shut your curtains - This helps in two ways, as mentioned before, when it comes to thunderstorms and dogs, it isn’t just the loud noises that cause anxiety. The flashes of the lightning can stress out your dog too. Keeping the curtains closed can help to dampen the sound and limit the sudden flashes of light.
- Provide a safe haven – Your pet might naturally run to find somewhere to hunker down and hide, ensure your pet has a cosy, safe hideaway to retreat to.
- Be a calm presence – As your pet naturally finds its safe space in the house, be there for them, hold them, show them there’s nothing to worry about and use your calm presence to reduce their level of stress.
Liz Lannie, Expert Pet Behaviourist at Bella & Duke, said: “Thunderstorms can be an overload of senses for our pets and can cause a great deal of stress. It is important that we are by their side every step of the way to get them through this.
“The goal is to remain calm and unflustered. Dogs are very reactionary animals, if they see you getting worried or looking nervous then they will struggle to remain calm themselves. It’s so important show them that you’re calm, safe and nothing bad is going to happen.
“Like anything, look to understand your dog, they’re all different. Just because a friend’s dog or your last dog never reacted badly to thunderstorms it doesn’t mean all reactions will be the same. Be relaxed, have a safe space ready for your dog and be there to comfort them if they start to shows signs of stress.”
