We had quite the thunder, lightning and hail storm yesterday. I just happened to be on a break from work and was able to capture a snippet of the boys lack of reaction to it. This is their second storm experience though the first one experienced outdoors. The last time it occurred we were still in the house but the thunder shook the house. Super pleased with these balanced boys non-reactivity to the experience.
I want to clarify that we have not spent a huge amount of time on storms specifically, but we have been conditioning to sounds pretty much from Day 1. These puppies were raised in a whelping box and then a weaning pen that sat in the middle of my house. They have been privy to clients coming and going with my massage business, visitors coming to see them, dishes clanging, the vacuum running and so on. Some noises were just part of life, other noises like dropping heavy or noisy objects on purpose. By making these things common and non-reactive occurrences they become “normal” and unconcerning.
The beauty of raising pups with Puppy Culture Protocols is that they are resilient. I am not looking for non-reaction specifically. Consider that when you hear a sudden loud noise, you jump but generally speaking, you recover and move on. This is exactly what I wish to see in my puppies though, of course, I am ecstatic when there is no fuss or bother at all such as in this video.
So the take away here is not to be overly worried about thunderstorms specifically, but to condition to all kinds of loud noises and before they become traumatizing. If we are too late, however, we can do our best to make their reactions better. Conditioning dogs to loud noises like thunderstorms means helping them become less fearful or anxious by gradually teaching them that the sights, sounds, and sensations are not a threat. This is often done using desensitization and counter-conditioning.
1. Desensitization to Thunder Sounds
- Play recorded thunderstorm sounds at a very low volume while your dog is relaxed.
- Gradually increase the volume over sessions, but only if the dog remains calm.
- Sessions should be short (5–10 minutes) and paired with calm praise or play.
2. Counter-Conditioning
While thunder sounds play, pair the experience with something your dog loves where the goal is that the dog learns to associate that “thunder = good things happen.”
- High-value treats they don’t usually get (yesterday’s supper leftovers are a hit at my house)
- Ask for tricks that the dogs know & make a BIG celebration and rewards when they do it correctly
- When in an actual storm, I have used the lightening/thunder delay to hype the dog up to anticipate something fabulous, not scary. “Are you ready? Are you ready? Here it comes… ” <thunder claps> and then we party with cookies and big praise
For more insights on this type of noise conditioning: