We’re used to our pet dogs being energetic and playful. That’s why seeing your dog appear genuinely frightened can be shocking. It’s even more surprising if it happens out of the blue.
Of course, your dog is scared for a reason. To be more specific, the howling winds may be getting to your pet. Find out why some dogs are afraid of the wind by continuing with the rest of this article.
Why Is My Dog Scared of Wind?
Do you have a phobia? Some people are terrified of snakes. Others cannot stand to be around spiders and they don’t care if their eight-legged visitors are considered harmless.
Other common phobias in people include a fear of heights, the darkness, and speaking in public.
Phobias often aren’t rational. You just know that you are afraid of something and no amount of rationalizing can cause you to feel differently.
Interestingly, phobias are not limited to humans. Other members of the animal kingdom can also develop phobias of their own. Dogs happen to be among those animals.
If you noticed that your canine companion seems to get startled whenever a strong gust of wind blows nearby, there’s a chance that they have a wind phobia. Your dog may not even need to feel the wind to suddenly get spooked. The mere sound of the wind swirling nearby may be enough to cause your pet to cower behind you.
Dogs can develop phobias to all kinds of things. Wind phobias just happen to be fairly common among dogs due to exposure.
Why Does My Dog Have a Phobia of the Wind?
Now that we’ve determined that dogs can be afraid of the wind due to a pre-existing phobia, there’s an obvious question we need to answer next. Why do dogs develop wind phobias in the first place?
Coming up with an answer to that question is tricky because it varies from one pet to the next.
A dog that previously lived as a stray may have had unpleasant experiences with windy conditions when they were younger. Dogs that primarily stay outdoors may also develop a phobia of the strong winds they are frequently exposed to.
Simply put, your dog’s wind phobia is likely related to their previous experiences.
It’s also possible that your dog learned their phobia. By that, we mean that your dog may have seen their mother spooked by strong winds when they were younger. They may not have known why their mother was afraid of the strong wind, but they do know that it is scary.
Why Is My Dog Scared of the Wind at Night?
Some dogs may only appear afraid of the wind at night. Why is that happening? Is there something about the strong winds at night that is specifically causing your dog to worry?
If your dog only reacts to strong winds at night, then they likely aren’t afraid of the wind. In all likelihood, they are more afraid of whatever it is that is causing the loud noises while it’s dark outside. Your dog may be more afraid of the unknown threat that is producing disruptive noises.
Dogs that are already afraid of the wind to begin with may get even more scared at night. The sounds of the strong winds are bad enough. Now that your dog also has to deal with the threat of the unknown, they may be even more on edge.
How to Calm a Dog Afraid of Wind?
Unfortunately, you cannot just tell your dog that they are safe from the wind. The language barrier prevents you from letting your furry friend know that you are there to protect them from any threat.
Don’t worry if you cannot calm your pet dog using your words. There are still other ways for you to ease their troubles. We’ve detailed the different methods you can use to calm down your scared dog below.
Offer Your Dog Some Treats
Treats are always great for perking up your pet’s mood. Even in this kind of situation, you can still use treats to help your pet feel better.
Break out your dog’s jar of treats and offer them some. Extend your hand to your dog so they are more inclined to take the treat.
Some dogs are willing to eat even if they are feeling anxious, but others are not quite that comfortable. If it looks like your pet is not interested in the treat, don’t force them to eat it. You should consider using a different relaxation method instead.
Cuddle with Your Dog
Did the treats fail to do the trick for your anxious dog? In that case, you should try snuggling with your pet.
Approach your dog and sit next to them. Try to get them to sit in your lap so they can relax more. If you’re okay with your dog being on your bed, you can also tell them to hop up and join you.
Your dog may be so anxious that they are frozen in place. Go to them and pick them up. The feeling of being carried may help calm them down.
Of course, you should hold off on carrying your dog if you know they don’t like it. Attempting to carry them while they’re already feeling very anxious could cause them to snap at you. They could bite you out of instinct if you try to do something they don’t like so take a different approach.
Play with Your Dog
Your dog may be feeling extra anxious because all they can focus on right now are the howling winds. If you want to calm them down, you need to shift their focus somehow.
Playing with them could do the trick.
Grab your dog’s favorite tennis ball and invite them to an impromptu game of fetch. Start tossing the ball around until your dog pays attention to it. Keep at it long enough and your dog may not be able to ignore your invitation to play no matter how scared they are feeling at the moment.
Use Soothing Medication
Lastly, you can try using some soothing medication to help calm down your scared dog.
Talk to the veterinarian about your pet’s phobia and ask them if they can prescribe anything that can help your pet. If the vet does provide medication, ask them how often you can use it.
Do not give your pet dog any medication or supplements without clearing them with the veterinarian at first. Giving your dog medication that the veterinarian did not approve is a recipe for disaster. You may end up having to worry about more than just your dog’s wind phobia in that scenario.