Thunder Storms and Dogs
It was another 2am thunder storm and another 2am barking session from Bonkers, and it wasn’t long before I heard him scratching at my bedroom door.
I’m really not sure if its the sound of thunder or the change in air pressure during a storm that sets a dog on edge, but Bonkers is not the only dog that feels the need to bark out a warning when a storm is on the way. Fortunately, Bonkers has been taught to use his “inside” bark which sounds kinda like a whisper bark. It’s enough to wake me up without waking up the neighbors.
So what do I do to calm down a concerned sentry? I first get my patootie up out of bed, let him know that “momma dog” has gotten the message and will take over, and then I give him a bully stick to keep him occupied. Nothing like a bully stick to take a dog’s mind off a problem.
There is no sense in yelling at a dog that is only doing his job. In our pack, I’m the alpha dog and it’s Bonkers job to alert the alpha dog of any impending danger. Once I have acknowledged that I’m on it, he can relax and wait for my instructions. I give him the bully stick to let him know there is no danger and it’s safe to chill out.
Tags: , alpha dog, Bully Sticks, dog barking, Dog Behavior, dog behaviour, dogs and storms