Dogs Hate Windy Days

If you had a night like we had last night, you had some restless dogs at your house! The wind was kicking up, our neighbors lost a tree, and there are power outages all over the city. Luckily, we had no damage, but for some dead tree branches crashing down, and some garbage cans being pushed over.

Your dog has very keen hearing. They hear other dogs warning of the issues they are facing. If you are in a neighborhood, your dog is in a large pack of dogs, all of which either live life inside or outside depending on the status of their owners. They all listen to the sounds of dogs.

If your dog seems distant when you look at her, well, she is. She is listening for the howl of not just the wind, but of the other dogs in her pack. Even though your dog may not be physically apart of this pack, they share information, and it is a bark or howl when things seem like they warrant one.

If you live in a condo, chances are you live with little barking dogs. They are all talking to each other! If they get time to visit with each other, even in an indirect way through a walk, they will be less barky, as they have the information they need, and have already expressed it with their scent glands through their urine marks. It is important for your dog to pick up her mail on her walk, and to leave some behind.

So, if the wind picks up, this can be a real block for sounds and noise distribution in the pack. Realizing the effect can be a really great way to better understand your dog, and what she needs each day. Let her stew when a storm comes through, but do not comfort her, as you are only reinforcing the fact that when she acts scared or upset, you like that act.

Only give positive emotion and comfort when she is calm, and you will let your dog know, this is the correct behavior for her. I find that during the storm, if I let my dogs pant and run around, they eventually calm down, and then, and only then, do we cuddle together. Sometimes it takes awhile. But, the results are well worth it!