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Like us, dogs are also afraid of thunder’s loud sounds. This can be a major problem for some dog owners. For most dogs, especially the younger ones, it can be very traumatic.

What really happens during thunders and fireworks?

Most people do not know how to go about this. What actually transpires is this:

1. Your dog will shake with fear.

2. The owner will try petting to calm it down.

But the truth of the matter is that this rarely works. In fact, I haven’t heard this trick work! In fact, the petting will only achieve the opposite effect.





While petting your dog, you are actually unwittingly nurturing more insecurity in him.

The effect

The effect of this is that your dog will be scared and will always be thinking that shaking is pleasurable to you.

The way forward

There’re several ways you can use to desensitize your dog to loud, scaring sounds. In this guide, I will walk you through two simple, but effective methods. And for the first method, you will need to record the thunder as well as/or fireworks.



Then proceed this way: While your dog is busy feasting on his favorite meal or playing with his toys, play the recording (albeit at a very low pitch). Then raise the volume by a notch for every few days or even weeks.

The real idea here is to steadily associate the sounds of thunder with eating, playing with toys, and even good times. Remember, if your pup begins shaking when a certain level of volume is reached, don’t raise it any higher. Instead, continue working with him at a lower volume or pitch.



Once your dog registers a certain level of success with a specific level of volume, then you can move it up.

Caution

This method might not be successful with all dogs. In fact, there’re no “universal fits for all” solution. Each dog is different.

A simpler approach

What if electromagnetism is the one causing your pup to fear fireworks and thunderstorms?

Have you ever heard of the famous “Storm Defender” for cats and dogs? It has been designed to look like a cape and can help your dog cope with these sounds. Indeed, it can be more effective as compared to the thunder shirt.









