Dogs often fear rain because of loud sounds and unfamiliar sensations. KIWOKO shares behavioral techniques and environmental adjustments to help calm your anxious dog during storms.
If your dog is one of those who gets really scared when it's raining and starts to shake, and you don't know why they might be afraid of the rain, in this video, we're going to find out what might be causing this fear and how we can solve it. The first thing you need to know and identify is why your dog might be afraid of the rain. Sensitivity to sounds can be one of the big factors that cause your dog to be afraid of the rain. They hear much more than you do. Their sense of hearing is much more developed and sounds like water falling on the ground, thunder, lightning, or strong wind can be overwhelming for them. If your dog has also had a bad experience while it was raining, feeling very wet, cold, and not being able to dry off very quickly, this can produce a feeling and a bad memory that makes the them afraid of the rain. When it rains, atmospheric changes occur. Many dogs are very sensitive to this change and it causes them anxiety, which in turn also makes them afraid of the rain. If your dog had a very bad experience when he was a puppy, he may associate it with something negative. He heard a loud bang that scared him a lot. He had a fight with another dog. He may associate it with it being rainy. This bad experience happened to him and therefore, when he is an adult, he continues to associate that feeling with that bad feeling. That is why he may be afraid of the rain. If you want your dog to stop being afraid of the rain, try the following. Help your dog overcome his fear of the rain by playing rain sounds. You can use audio tracks that play this sound and gradually increase the volume. This way he gets used to this sound. When a dog feels anxiety caused in this case by the sound of rain, by the rain itself, you can build him a shelter in your home. When they have their own space, they feel much calmer and more relaxed because they feel like they are in their own space. To do this, find a quiet place in your home where there is not much noise and you can put their bed, a toy and a blanket there so that they feel comfortable and cozy. Your dog is very sensitive and it is very easy for them to sense any mood that you may be feeling at that moment. Therefore, having a relaxed attitude when leaving the house, starting with the walk and transmitting that relaxation to them will help them understand the situation of being out for a walk in the rain as a positive experience that little by little you will work on so that they can overcome their fear of the rain. Dogs often do not like the feeling of rain on their skin because they get wet because they are cold and because they really do not like it. To do this, you can use any clothing that is waterproof and also keeps them warm when walking and thus avoid contact between the rain and their skin. Under no circumstances should you force your dog to go outside if it's raining, because this will reinforce this negative feeling. If it's raining, if possible, you can do it in a covered space, such as a garage or a doorway, where you can play small games with him and associate it with a positive experience. Little by little, try to train this action, this activity every day, so that he associates this game with something positive. Little by little, try to take him outside so that the first contact with the rain is light, very calm, and that way he gets used to this new sensation. But above all, the important thing is that you can maintain a positive attitude, that you work very well with positive reinforcement, and above all, that you have a lot of patience and discipline. When it comes to gradually teaching your dog that rain is not a bad thing. And in this way, you can completely eliminate his terrible fear of rain. Keep in mind that in extreme cases, if your dog is still extremely afraid of the rain, despite having used all these tips and you have not achieved anything, it is, it is advisable that you go to a professional, a canine specialist or a veterinarian specializing in canine behavior, so that they can help you understand your situation and thus be able to help you reduce that terrible fear of the rain.
