How to Calm Your Dog in Moments of High Stress, like Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are considered one of the top rankers of stressful situations for dogs, right alongside fireworks and loud alarms. That said, there are methods to bringing down the stress levels of these situations in ways that diffuse the anxiety and calm your pup quickly.

Be Attentive to Stressful Behavior by Taking Your Pup Out of the Situation to Calm Their Nerves

Every pup has their breaking point. You know, that threshold where they can get aggressive because of fear or discomfort. Your job as a reliable pet owner is to be attentive to the stressful triggers to avoid escalating negative behavior. Take them out of the room or even out of the situation. Allow them to calm down and add the incident to your mental list of aggressive or negative triggers that your pup suffers from.

Tip: If you have to let your dog out to use the bathroom in high-stress situations, use gate openers Jacksonville FL to ensure your perimeter fence is closed and secure so your pup comes back.

Or Wait it Out…

For instance, if a pup is stressed over someone new visiting your house, and they are running around, barking loudly, or even growling at the strangers, you can diffuse the situation by having your guest sit down and calmly talk to your pup. Eliminate their need to feel threatened or scared, then watch the situation diffuse. Ask your guest to offer a hand to sniff, make slow and precise movements at first, and act friendly, quiet, and respectful to your dog until he/she feels calmed.

Side note: You know your dog the best. Ergo, if they are aggressive around strangers despite being trained, you should remove them from the situation entirely to avoid a scenario that could turn harmful.

Keep Your Own Worries in Check

When you worry, your pup worries. They can feel the shift in your mood, the change in your body language, and your overall discomfort. You can make it easier on your pup by keeping your own emotions in check. Oft-times, aggressive people make for aggressive pets.

Wrap Them in a Blanket or Thunder Jacket, Then Give Them Attention Throughout a Stressful Situation

Stressful situations that require a thunder jacket or a blanket include noisy scenarios, like thunderstorms, fireworks displays, etc. When you wrap them, make sure you use a bear hug maneuver that allows your pup to feel the love in your hands and your heartbeat against theirs. Your attentiveness comforts them and easily guides them through a stressful situation.