Wanting To Avoid Fear Of Storms

[pawsaroundoz]

My 2 older dogs have both got a fear of our terrific wet season storms, Clancy was fine at first but 'fed' off Carlins' fear. I do not want Connor to do the same.

Does anyone have any good ideas to get around this? In the wet they are all very much indoor dogs - oh who am I kidding, they are all the time!

Annie

[Cosmolo]

How old is Connor?

[TangerineDream]

I've always got a bowl full of the bestest, droolingest food (eg: cabanossi, cheese etc) and gone and sat out undercover in storms and fed them piece by piece by piece while rabbitting on about nothing in general (you know, the condition of the stockmarket or the method of road sealing in Wisconsin) all the way through storms (and not reacting or reassuring them by voice or touch at all)...after a few false starts (and particularly on an empty stomach) all of my dogs have come around.......to the point where if there was a storm brewing, they would go and sit in front of the fridge......

[Erny]

Train in drive !!

You need to build drive first if there isn't much/enough there - do this when there are no storms. With an 'addiction' to drive training, you'll then be able to bounce straight into your drive training at the very first hint of inclement weather, making this type of weather 'fun' rather than something to be feared.

With rain ..... do the same. Don't be afraid to get wet - you won't shrink. I promise :D.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I think the big issue is that there are guaranteed storms on the NT coast every day for at least 2mths and whilst you can neutralise in the beginning you can't always be present when there is a storm brewing.

The build-up is probably another problem in itself in that you are getting the huge atmospheric pressure drop but no storm happens.

[pawsaroundoz]

Thanks for the advice guys, Connor is 16 weeks, his general socialisation and training is coming along fine and I am pleased - ecstatic with the way he is learning in general.

It is very much the potential for 'feeding' off the other dogs that worries me, especially if I am not here.

Most of our build up storms happen (when they come...not quite here yet but we are having serious build up and very low pressure, this also worries the older dogs, not too mention most humans) either in the afternoon whilst I am still at work or during the night, for hours.

Training in the rain is no problem for me I am an ex Victorian Gundog Trialler! I just wish I did shrink a bit in the rain!

Getting a Whippet out to train in the rain is a different matter, even when I explain carefully to them it is not like Ballarat and Geelong rain - it's warm and there is a great deal more of it.

All ideas and advice most gratefully accepted.

Annie

[Erny]

I acknowledge that there is no knowing/guarantee of when storms will rage. I guess I was lucky. Firstly, I had built up the drive in my pup so when I needed to use it, it was there. Secondly, the first storm my pup encountered, I was home and able to rush out with a quick "Ready to work!!", grabbing the tug on the way and straight into the game. (Incidentally, I was in my PJ's, dressing gown and slippers at the time. :D). He went from a pup with tail tucked parallel to his tummy, straight out to a confident, full-on and happy pup in drive. I've only done this once or twice (I'm not home for every storm either, nor do we have as many as you) and whilst he will show a bit of mild concern when the noise of the rain first begins to pound loudly on the decking roof, he isn't a scared trembling mess and is happy enough to snooze through in his kennel.

I know you're concerned about your other dogs' behaviours rubbing off on your pup and I agree that can happen, but maybe you'd be able to get your pup's behaviour (and that of yours, if the others are watching you and pup having fun) to rub off on them.

If you build the drive and have it there, you'll know you'll be able to use it if the time permits the onset of a storm when you're home. Maybe even on a weekend assuming they are not confined to Monday-Friday's .

Sorry - but it is hard to give you tips about what to do to help make your pup confident if you're not there to do anything and don't know when a storm is coming.

Edited September 25, 2009 by Erny