Is Your Dog Afraid Of Thunderstorms?

What is your dog's reaction to a thunderstorm?

Most dogs are bothered storms because their instincts inform them that they are dangerous. Where I see dog owners accidentally amplifying this natural caution is when they either console the dog too much or don't direct the dog at all. Whenever we console our dogs, we are reinforcing their current state of mind. If that state of mind is fear or anxiety, then unfortunately, that is what we are encouraging by our attempts to comfort them.

Dogs look to their masters for how they should respond in any given situation. If they receive confirmation for their behavior, they view that behavior as pleasing to their master. Affection reinforces behavior. Sometimes there is nothing we can do about guiding them towards a calm state of mind when we are not physically present, but we can choose whether or not to encourage the fear when we are present.

If your dog is expressing a stressed out state of mind during a thunderstorm (or at any other time), the best response we can have is to remain calm and as much as possible, and ignore the dog until he calms down. *Ignoring certain behaviors works to a degree, but if your dog is displaying an abnormal amount of fear, consult a professional immediately.* They are looking to you as to whether or not this is a situation worth freaking out over.

This is why I find that the best response we can give a dog when they are fearful is to help them move past their fear by showing that everything is alright without saying that their state of mind is alright. Show them by your calm state of mind that while the storm should bother them instinctively, there is no reason to freak out irrationally.

Why EDA Is The Best Way To Treat Your Dog

What are your dog's basic needs?

Everyone has basic needs. We all need to breathe air, eat food, drink water, get enough sleep, etc. Are our dog's needs any different? Well, yes and no. They absolutely need all of these things, but dogs differ from us in terms of basic needs in this way: dog's behavior changes based on the order in which their needs are met.

They act differently if they receive affection before discipline, or discipline before exercise. So, what is the order in which their needs should be met? Exercise, Discipline, Affection (EDA). If you physically and mentally exercise your dog before setting boundaries for them (discipline), they have worked to earn a reward (affection). If they don't work to earn that reward, they don't appreciate that reward and begin to expect it without earning it.

Dogs are pack animals. They are used to working together as a team to achieve a reward (food). Therefore, if we take away this instinctual ritual from them, they are immediately confused. They don't know whether to look to you as their leader or not if you don't provide for their basic needs in their natural order.

So, treating your dog according to his natural basic need progression is vital in positioning yourself as a leader in his mind. If you want to be seen as the leader, respect their instinct by exercising them before disciplining them, and providing both exercise and discipline before giving them affection.

Creating Good Memories With Your Dog

What does it look like to create positive memories with your dog?

Can you think of a favorite trip you've taken? A favorite restaurant that you frequent? The best group of people like you like to be around? These happy memories are incredibly powerful. They solidify your choices and preferences. If you have a bad experience at a restaurant, chances are you aren't going to want to go back there.

Dogs want to build happy memories at different locations with you just as strongly as you want to build happy memories with your friends. If they have a bad experience at a particular location, the psychological response that begins to form in a negative direction can absolutely be overwritten. However, it often takes more than one positive experience to overwrite one negative experience. Your dog wants to build great experiences with you on a regular basis.

What is your dog's favorite game? What is their favorite location to visit? Do they have another doggie friend that they like to play with? These are all great questions to ask yourself to build great experiences, but keep in mind that new and exciting experiences can be even better for their long term health.

What new and rewarding experiences have you created with your dog lately? If this was the key to having a balanced and mutually respectful relationship with your dog, what would you do differently to create these good events?

The Healthiest Decision You Could Make For Your Dog

What is the most important decision you could make for your dog?

Many people have many theories here. Sometimes we think of our dogs in terms of their breed and we tend to think of certain breeds as "needier" than others. If you asked anyone who owns a dog what they think would be the most important

lifestyle decision for their dog, they would probably say, "giving the dog your time and attention", or, "not neglecting the dog".

I want to submit a new thought for your consideration. The most important healthy lifestyle decision you could make for your dog is to dedicate yourself to consistently providing them with healthy physical and mental exercise.

It's not always a matter of sufficient exercise, but rather positive relationship developing exercise. This is why you can go for a long walk with your dog but your relationship with them isn't any better as a result. The exercise needs to be challenging and rewarding. Does your dog associate their physical and mental exercise with a good, rewarding challenge daily?

If the most important decision you could make for your dog to achieve a healthy lifestyle with them is exercise, ask yourself how you're managing that decision. Do you need help coming up with creative solutions for physically and mentally exercising your dog?