Does Your Dog Freak Out During Thunderstorms?

Posted by Ron Ball

Jul 06, 06

My dog, Jake, is terrified of thunderstorms. If he could use a computer or TV controller, no doubt he’d be checking the weather reports every day. It’s uncanny. About an hour before a storm, he knows it’s coming way before we do. He’ll find a cozy space to hide, including trying to jump in the car.

These behaviors are noted in a Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine study: Thunderstorm Phobia in Dogs: An Internet Study of 69 Cases. Physical symptoms include an increase in heart rhythm and panting. Might EFT help dogs get over this fear?

Although it’s uncommon in cats, a lot of dogs have a thunderstorm phobia. (Also see Dogs and Thunderstorm Phobia, plus Help Your Pet Conquer Fear.) In cases like my dog, it’s not just thunderstorms that cause him to retreat, it’s sharp, loud or piercing noises. For example, bring out the chopper to cut up some onions and as soon as he sees the mechanical device, he leaves. But it can’t just be sounds that bug him. Like I said, he knows at least an hour before — in the “quiet before the storm.”

There is a theory that a static charge before and during thunderstorms is what triggers dogs to get upset. A fellow named Tom Critzer had a dog, Cody, who was so frightened during storms that Tom invented a product called the Storm Defender cape to help Cody. The cape has a special metallic lining that discharges the dog’s fur and shields him from the static charge buildup.

I’d love to tell you that I’ve had great success using EFT with my dog for this issue. Not so. I’ve tried EFT during storms and I haven’t had much luck. I’ve gently tapped on Jake directly and also done surrogate or proxy tapping. To be fair, I haven’t been been persistent nor specific enough. I’ve read several articles where people have used EFT with their animals and had very positive results.

For a better understanding of using EFT with pets, I suggest reading Sylvia Hartmann’s article, What is Animal EFT? Also visit Energy Healing for All Animals.

One idea that I had was that if thunderstorms create a buildup of static electricity, perhaps EFT can be an effective way to release excess energy. What about doing surrogate tapping before and after weather storms?

These are just a few thoughts on using EFT for dogs and other animals with a fear of thunderstorms. I’d be interested in hearing from people who have used EFT with animals and had good success. I know you’re out there!