You may dread every time a storm comes in, but there’s no doubt that your four-legged friend hates it even more. And they prove that when your dog barks at the thunder seemingly non-stop. But why does thunder scare dogs so much? And more importantly, how can you help your dog through the anxiety caused by thunderstorms?

Are there tools out there that are okay to use if your dog barks when it thunders? Well, don’t worry and wonder any longer, because in this article “How to Stop Dog Barking at Thunder” we’re going to give you the answers to all these questions and of course, we’ll even tell you how to stop this frustrating behavior and end your dog’s stress for good. Let’s get started!

How Do I Stop My Dog From Barking at Thunder?

To stop your dog from barking at thunder:

• Crate your dog (consider laying a blanket over the top) or place them in a small, closed-off room.
• Play music or turn on the television to help drown out the sound of the thunder.
• Distract your dog by giving them a chew toy or by playing indoor games with them.
• Allow them to cuddle with you on the couch while giving them pets and praise to reassure them.

These should help your dog to deal with the thunder, but you’ll still need to work on what was causing all of this in the first place: anxiety and stress. Let’s talk about that by first going over what really makes dogs tick in the first place.

You’ve likely heard before that dogs are pack animals, and that in every pack there is a pack leader. The main responsibilities of a pack leader are to protect the other pack members, and also to instill a sense of confidence in the other subservient members. Everyone having a sense of confidence and security makes the entire pack stronger.

Now, when your dog acts fearfully or does not trust you to handle things that are unknown to them (like the loud crack of thunder), then they are essentially saying to you that you’re not doing your job as pack leader. But that’s okay because this is a very common issue — one found in most homes with dogs, actually.

The good news, however, is that this is easily corrected — provided that you have the right instructions to follow.

That’s why I’d recommend an excellent free video series on how to be your dog’s pack leader by a renowned trainer named Dan. In it, he explains everything in ways that are very easy to understand and to teach to your own dog, and he gets right to the point so that you’ll start seeing results before you know it.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t worry about having to be mean, because you won’t — in fact, you won’t even have to raise your voice! That’s because Dan uses only 100% humane and loving training methods at all times. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the only way to achieve fast, permanent results.

Show your dog that you are their pack leader — and a capable one — and you will stop your dog from barking at thunder, as well as many other behavioral problems you’re having (or will be soon). Soon, you’ll have a calm, stress-free, loving dog who obeys your every command happily. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

Why Does Thunder Scare Dogs So Much?

Thunder scares dogs so much because they do not understand it. To your dog, all they are hearing is a very loud noise with no obvious explanation. And with their sense of hearing being much better than ours, the loud crack from the thunder hits them even harder than it does you.

Your dog then gets scared by the thunder because not knowing the source of this loud sound causes them all kinds of anxiety and fear. When they don’t know how to handle these negative feelings properly, they’ll then do things like hide under your couch, hide under your table, or hiding under the house.

While it may not seem like a big deal if you don’t have thunderstorms often, it actually is because you don’t want to put your dog through that fear even occasionally. And if your dog is proving to you that they have anxiety issues, then they’re likely occurring at many other times, many of which won’t be so obvious.

To help your dog learn how to handle the stress caused by thunderstorms and just the world in general, go back to the first section where we’ll go over this more.

What Helps Dogs With Thunderstorms and Anxiety?

To help your dog with thunderstorms and anxiety, here are a few things that should help. First, try crating your dog or putting them in a small room where it will be more closed-off and quieter so that they feel safe. You can also try playing music or turning on the television to somewhat drown out the sound of thunder.

You should avoid medications, however. While they may keep your dog calm during thunder, they have numerous side effects which you don’t want. Medications that help dogs deal with anxiety have been shown to also make them not want human contact and to just cause them to have a loss of energy in general.

Should I Use a Bark Collar on My Dog During Thunder?

You should not use a bark collar on your dog during thunder or at any other time. Bark collars are cruel and work by delivering a painful electric shock to your dog whenever they bark. They are inhumane and you will only create trust issues with your dog if you place them in one.

The only way to get your dog to stop barking at thunder in a humane and lasting manner is through behavioral training. There’s no need to resort to quick-fix methods like bark collars, which will only cause you even more problems with your dog. Continue to the next section where we’ll go over the teaching methods you should use.

I’m sure you’re looking forward to seeing these changes in your dog and taking all of that stress off their little shoulders, so I’ll let you get started. Good luck with everything, and thank you for reading “How to Stop Dog Barking at Thunder.”