How Does Rain Affect Your Dogs

Rainy season can make significant impacts on the lives of humans and animals. While some of us enjoy a rainy day, others may blame it for stopping them from doing laundry. Like humans, rain can upset many dogs to the point of panic. It may change their moods and behaviours. Let’s find out how rain affects your loved ones!

A Nightmare for Dogs with Storm Phobia

Going out to meet Totoro on a rainy day? It sounds like a dreamy season which is perfect for an unexpected encounter, however, definitely not for some dogs who hate rainy day they believed the thunderstorm and heavy raindrops can turn a rainy day into a horror story! Thunderstorm causes dogs to become anxious and panic. If your dog has storm-related panic attacks, you already know how it affects canine behaviour. Based on a study conducted by Penn State University researchers, 15 percent to 30 percent of dogs are extremely afraid of thunder. Signs of phobia include panting, pacing, whimpering, barking, hiding and clinging to the owner. What actually makes your dog uncomfortable is the static electricity, especially when it tingles through your dog’s furs’ and this is why your dog runs around the house, whimpers and searches for a hiding place. According to Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviourist, dogs may experience painful shocks generated by static electricity during thunderstorms, especially in a heavy-coated breed. On the other hand, dogs are very sensitive to sound as they can hear about four times as far away as humans can. Whether it is the sound of raindrops falling on objects nearby or the sound of the rain travelling through the air, it is overwhelming to dogs.

Rainy Day Blues

Our moods can be affected by the weather outside, and so do pets, of course. Everything in the psychiatric arena that affects humans is eventually discovered to have effects on animals, according to Dr. Nicholas Dodman. The rain has no direct impact on the moods of dogs, however, the rainy day blues start creeping in when they don’t go out for regular walks. In such a case, they may feel depressed or restless and lose interest in things they usually love doing. If your pooch is a sunshine lover who enjoys outdoor activities, you can play some indoor games with him to keep him happy on rainy days and to beat the blues. 

Too Wet to Pee Outside

Keep calm and dancing in the rain? No, the pouring rain won’t excite and please your four-legged friend! Some dogs just hate to set their paws outside in bad weather and they tend to say ‘no’ when their owners asked them to go potty outside it is a common issue with all types of dogs. Dogs have a negative reaction to rain and it seems to be associated with the sensation of getting wet. Their negative feeling towards getting wet may stem from lack of a proper introduction to rain and getting baths, which should begin when they are puppies. Another reason may be the owners who overreact to rain and getting wet. Keep in mind that our moods and reactions are easily picked up by our pets. If we try to avoid walking in the rain or get frustrated when it’s raining, they may learn that it is unpleasant to walk in the rain or get wet.

They Sniff More than Usual

Do you know dogs can smell and track odour easier during rainy days? Dogs are more sensitive to smell when it rains. The temperature and moisture in the atmosphere influence the strength of scents as well as how rapidly they dissipate. The scent molecules move closer together when the air is moist and cold. Similarly, water vapour traps scent molecules and retards their diffusion into the air. As a result, the heavy scent is closer to the ground and makes a dog to track the smell easily. On the other hand, the moist and cool air will intensify the dog’s natural odour the smell becomes stronger. This phenomenon is caused by the humid air which traps the odours and makes it last longer than usual.

A Mating Season for Free-Ranging Dogs

The rainy season is filled with lots of love! According to a study conducted by Sen Majumder and Bhadra, the researchers found out the increased humidity and decreased the temperature of the air can trigger a sexual response in the free-ranging dogs as there is an intensification of pheromone. Nevertheless, this won’t likely affect spayed and neutered dogs that spend most of their time at home.