Many dogs are very afraid of the sounds caused by thunderstorms and they are also sensitive to the changes in barometric pressure and electrical field disturbances associated with these storms.

After thunderstorms, The Lost Dogs´ Home in North Melbourne admits many stray dogs that have simply run away from home in an attempt to ‘get away’ from the storms.
Dogs stressed by thunderstorms typically show abnormal behaviours such as being timid, anxious, disobedient, barking, restlessness, destructiveness, running and other fear behaviours.

To minimize the stress to you and your dog here are some tips:

• Confine your dog, preferably indoors and block out extra visual stimuli such as lightning
• Do not reinforce fearful or anxious behaviour by patting or rewarding your dog
• For cases of extreme anxiousness consult your vet for advice regarding medication and behaviour modification training