Pets anxious during thunderstorms? Tips to help them remain calm during storms

• Keep pets indoors in a safe area during storms.
• Provide distractions, such as enrichment activities, or calming aids like compression vests.
• Consider professional services like pet sitters if your pet experiences extreme anxiety.

It can be difficult to watch your pets suffer with anxiety during thunderstorms, but experts say there are things you can do to help calm them during bad weather.

Dogs share many of the same emotions as people, including feeling anxious, the American Kennel Club says.

“If you’ve ever had a case of nerves, you’ll understand that dog anxiety is extremely difficult for your pet,” the AKC says. “It can overwhelm them, shut them down, and make it impossible for them to learn or respond to cues.”

The AKC notes that pet anxiety is to blame for many bad behaviors, such as destroying furniture or other items.

Luckily for animal owners, the same approaches that work on such holidays at the Fourth of July can work during storms.

Here’s a plan to help your animals stay safe and anxiety-free during the next set of storms.

Recognize when your pet is anxious

Although it’s never too late to help your dog, the longer they have experienced anxiety, the more challenging it can be to treat, the AKC said.

“You want to step in as soon as you can rather than letting your dog suffer. It’s also important to intervene quickly in the moment. Don’t let your dog’s emotions ramp up past the point of no return.

“Learn to read dog body language so you can spot the first signs of stress, such as lip licking or pulled back ears. Then, whether it’s walking in another direction or distracting your dog, you can act quickly to change the situation and relieve your dog’s discomfort,” the AKC noted.

Tips for calming, soothing anxious pets

• Don’t leave your animals alone: It’s best not to leave your animals alone if they experience anxiety or have trouble with loud noises.
• Keep them indoors: The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that you keep animals indoors in a safe room or cage to avoid injury of running into dangerous items in your home.
• Close all windows and curtains: Keep them away from windows to reduce noises from outside.
• Take them on a walk: Make sure they have plenty of exercise earlier in the day to tire them out.
• Provide them with enrichment activities: If you can’t be home, leave your dog something fun to do, like a frozen lick mat filled with their favorite treats.
• Utilize cannabis dog treats: Cannabis dog treats can ease anxiety in some animals and may be the proper solution to your problems this holiday.
• Use noise dampening equipment: Get your pet soundproof earmuffs or a sound machine to play soothing sounds to muffle noise.
• Use a compression vest to make them feel loved: Animal compression vests provide pets with a calming gentle pressure around their torso. The vest mimics being held by their owner and could be great for animals who are experiencing anxiety.

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