Hello everyone, any advice appreciated...

My 22 month old female GSD has suddenly developed a deathly fear, of all things, the automatic sprinkler system coming on while she is in the house. When we walk in parks or in front of our property and they kick on she runs through them with glee. They come on every other night and approx 1/2 hour before they are scheduled to start she starts to pace, hide in closets, and under my feet in the kitchen. Once they start, she trembles with fear until they stop. This just started in the last two months, it's the darndest thing.

I have walked her outside to show her it's just the water and she relaxes, but begins to freak out again once inside. Could she be hearing a water pressure noise that we can't? A vibration? Are there sprinkler demons I don't know about? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I have gone from reassurring her to ignoring her with no improvement. While primarily a pet, she is well trained and has done well in our beginning drive training. Any other advice to distract her?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Krista. My very first ever dog developed a thunderstorm fear at about two years old. I was living in the Clearwater FL area at the time, so storms during the summer months are fairly predictable at about 3PM most days - of course I was at work during that time.

My first question was something like "how and when did my 2YO start having this problem - he was fine as a puppy??" Of course no one knows for sure, but it was possible that maybe a lightening strike or something like that happened closer to the house than average, and maybe he felt it in the feet first (he started going "up" with his behavior about storms including the top of the refrigerator).

Cause aside, we were able to calm him down significantly by waiting to feed him during the storms (he wasn't starving - there were storms nearly every afternoon), and also doing play activities he liked while storms were going on.

I think I learned something else valuable during that time. While it was "OK" to praise him for proper behavior while playing or eating during a storm, it was NOT OK, to *just* comfort him during a storm. *Comforting* just because it was a storm and he didn't like it equated to *praising him* for unwanted behavior. Getting rewards for desired behavior (obedience success + food rewards was the method used) regardless of what the weather was doing outside was important to us getting past that little period of time.

During his 10 or so years on the planet, he was always somewhat concerned about storms. But I'm glad I got the advice I did when he was around 2 - he ended up with ways to get through storms quite successfully - rewards included. I was never sorry in the long run about the advice obtained / techniques used.

Beth

Thank you Beth,
I also have a dog with a fear of thunderstorms, he is a small jack russell/ cocker mix, 4 years old, he just developed this a few months ago, my husband says that I traumatized him last year during a bad storm with tornadoes.We were going to the basement to wait out the storm and Harley crawled under the kitchen table,well I was right behind him to snatch and take him to the basement with us. Just this morning at 6:00am we had a thunderstorm, he was plastered in my face panting,shaking and whimpering. I appreciate your advice and will gladly try it.
Thanks!

Thanks Beth,

I was suspicious that any attempt at comforting her during the event could be reinforcing the behavior so I have kept it to a minimum. Now I alternate between ignoring her and trying to break her anxiety. Unfortunately I can't seem change her focus using food, her drive toys, pretending there is a kitty outside, nada.

I understand the storm fear in animals - heck - my first trip to Florida made me want to stay under the bed during one of those daily storms. Although we have very few thunderstorms here in SoCal, the ones we had this spring didn't elict a response from her... But sprinklers? Go figure.

The larger question - if I allow this response to go unchecked will the behavior intensify and perhaps start manifesting itself in other situations? She's not a timid dog or generally fearful - I would hate for her to become a nerve bag...

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Thanks Beth,


The larger question - if I allow this response to go unchecked will the behavior intensify and perhaps start manifesting itself in other situations? She's not a timid dog or generally fearful - I would hate for her to become a nerve bag...

I hope someone more experienced than me can help with that questions.

Best wishes,

Beth

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Thanks Beth,...The larger question - if I allow this response to go unchecked will the behavior intensify and perhaps start manifesting itself in other situations? She's not a timid dog or generally fearful - I would hate for her to become a nerve bag...

...I hope someone more experienced than me can help with that questions.....Best wishes,....Beth

In my own experience, the very best (maybe the only) treatment to prevent fearful behavior (and also to address it when it happens, as Beth illustrated so well) is to be a solid pack leader for the dog. Calm, in charge, never rewarding unwanted behavior (with soothing, caressing, attention, etc.), just the dog's rock-solid leader......unexcited, clear in manner and tone about what is expected........and moving ahead, just expecting that the dog will follow, not asking or bargaining, but being clearly in charge.

I really liked Beth's explanation of why we don't "comfort" or "soothe" when the dog is fearful. Take it to the next level and understand that we don't comfort and soothe in general -- we lead. This gives the timid dog the security s/he needs.

I would add that you might want, instead of keeping comforting during the event to a minimum, to completely eliminate it. If you are comforting *sometimes,* then you are giving the message that fearful behavior might lead to nice attention, as well as the message that the fear is justified.

JMO!