Did you know that the sound of rain affects dogs?

3 minutes

Written and verified by the lawyer Francisco María García

Last update: 27 December, 2022

In general, dogs are frightened when they hear intense sounds. Thunder, rain and even a heavy object hitting the ground can scare them. So, it’s a good idea to remember that dogs have very sensitive ears.

Dogs react in different ways to different sounds. Whether they are excited or afraid, the truth is that sounds directly affect. Therefore, it is important to find out why and how a certain sound affects your dog.

In this case, you can find out why the sound of rain affects dogs. Many people believe that thunder and lightning during a storm is what really scares dogs. However, there are clear cases in which the sound of rain affects dogs.

So, the questions that we must ask ourselves are:

Why does this happen?
Why does simple rainfall scare dogs so much?
Why does the rain affect a dog’s ears?

First of all, you need to be aware that this is normal. Rain bothers most dogs and other pets. Rain is a normal in many places, and in some places it falls every day. Therefore, you must help you dog understand that it’s just a circumstance and not a threat.

The sooner the animal adapts to the rain, the less troubles he’ll have in the future. Especially when you take him out for a walk!

How rain affects your dog’s ears

It’s common for a dog to really enjoy oceans, rivers, or streams. Dogs enjoy bathing in those places. However, when it begins to rain while you’re taking a dog for a walk, the animal may react strangely. Some dogs even become aggressive when they feel the rain.

It’s a proven fact that rain affects your dog’s ears. It will affect him even more if he has a sensitive, anxious or nervous personality. This happens because a dog’s auditory system is so sensitive, it can be altered by a continuous and repetitive sound, like that of simple rainfall.

Prevention

To begin with, you need to teach the animal that it often rains. Even more so if you live in a very rainy climate. Every time it rains softly, you can take the dog for a walk, holding an umbrella over him. This will help him gradually get used to the sound of rain.

You can use other techniques if the dog acts too anxious or nervous.

One of them is to carry the dog until he feels confident enough to walk by himself in the rain. That way, the animal will know that he has his owner’s support and protection.

Also, playing in the rain can encourage the dog. If the animal observes that its owner is having fun under the falling water, he’ll probably change his perspective on rain. Splashing, jumping, laughing and running… all these activities will help encourage the animal. Little by little, the dog will lose his fear of rain.

How to calm an anxious, nervous dog

There are many ways to calm a nervous and/or anxious dog. And it’s certainly not that hard. The following tactics will make it easy:

Music. This is a fabulous technique for relaxing a nervous animal. Music has impressive effects on animals. If a dog seems really upset, making him listen to an engaging instrumental melody will help.
Pheromones. This may be another options if the noise of the rain alarmingly affects your dog’s ear. A veterinarian can prescribe the animal some pheromones. These will help lower high anxiety levels.
Games. Playing with the dog every time it rains can also work very well. Thus, the animal will begin to associate the rain with fun. This simple association of ideas can change everything.
A canine psychologist. Some dogs are extremely sensitive. A canine psychologist can treat these more sensitive cases effectively.

Remember, if your dog gets upset because of the rain, the best thing you can do is help him instead of scolding him. With a little patience, your dog will overcome this obstacle and he will calm down. The most important thing is to make him feel like he can receive your affection and feel safe.