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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Help! Terrified of wind!

6 replies

iamthedanger · 07/01/2025 21:32

Have 8 year old lab/springer x. Loveliest dog you could ever meet. In the last year or 2 he's been getting increasingly anxious at any wind (overnight).

We've had 3 completely sleepless nights in the last couple of weeks, he sleeps in his bed in our room. At the slightest whisper of breeze he freaks out - pants, paces, scratches, leaps on us, paws at us, cries. We have tried everything - thunder vest, exposure, praise, ignoring, cbd oil, pheromone plug things. We've sought advice from a behaviourist - it's a tricky one to manage because you can't gradually work with weather. We are implementing a few suggestions.

I'm desperation I asked my vet about meds to help who said we need to see a vetinary behaviourist who can then advise on medication - but all the ones recommended are extortionate and even though we are insured we will still have to pay excess and it will ramp our premiums up which are already high due to a previous medical issue.

Other points to note/questions:
He had bloods done in Oct and all OK.
He's absolutely fine and relaxed most of the time.
He hates being shut in a room - he can open doors so we cant just shut him in downstairs

Can we re-crate? He was as a puppy but not for years

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SerenStarEtoile · 08/01/2025 04:00

I know about the sleepless nights because mine is terrified of loud noises (literally climbing walls, cupboards, etc, distress panting, shaking and not responding, even to food (he’s a glutton) during the firework season and that includes gusting wind as well. In the end, medication was needed. He’s a rescue collie x whippet.

I think your vets suggestion to see a vetinary behaviourist at this point is ridiculous, to be honest, particularly as you have already consulted a “normal” behaviourist - and they’re right, because of the transitory nature of wind.

Amongst all the things you have mentioned, you didn’t reference anything for dulling the sound/his hearing. Have you tried covering his ears or having music on low (or both) to minimise his ability to hear the noise? Would a snood-type thing be tolerated especially if you got him used to it (wearing for periods during the day/evening).

Behaviourists recommendation for fireworks is to start “training “ them by introducing these sounds at very low volume, then gradually increasing it over months (there are sound programs you can buy), but it is a long process. It seems unlikely, but would there be something like that for wind?

If you are up late and try to take him out on a windy night, does he object? If not,
it appears that it’s the sound as he hears it in the house. Is there (or has there been previously) any banging (like a rattling shed door/loose branch) that he can/did hear, even faintly? My dog can hear the faintest firework pops from miles off and even when I think he’s fussing about nothing, if I go outside - yep, he’s right! Or is it more the whistling or sighing of the wind? The firework noises are definitely more audible upstairs in my house, so sometimes just going downstairs with mine can head off an upset; would yours be better there?

Finally, I would go to another vet. I wouldn’t be presenting this as something to be investigated, rather something you want to remedy by relieving his anxious behaviour. I was given 3 different drugs, straight off: Fluoxetine (antidepressant, daily), Gabapentin (anti-anxiety, as needed) and Tramodaze (sedative, as needed, on top, last resort option). For mine, trial and error has shown that Gabapentin is the only one that helps him so I now don’t use the others, but SIL’s rescue greyhound has improved beyond words on Fluoxetine only, for the same level of firework anxiety.

My friend’s rescue greyhound used to wear Bluetooth headphones with music on Bonfire Night which helped, but his reaction was very much less than my dog’s. Who knows though, maybe yours would accept something like that? I tried the “ear defender” type with mine and they didn’t help at all because he wouldn’t keep them on, but maybe your dog would be differeent?

I hope you’re able to resolve this because it’s distressing for human and dog.

Good luck!

iamthedanger · 08/01/2025 08:04

Thankyou so much @SerenStarEtoile for the comprehensive response.
We have tried covering his head - though interestingly was looking at snood type coverings earlier on the week. But he's so twitchy by then anything put over him gets shaken off and his floppy ears just wouldn't hold noise cancelling earphones (I've tried!). We have had music and TV on but it doesn't appear to make a difference. The supersonic hearing overrides it.

It's mainly the gusting and whistling of the wind but he is terrified of doors not being 'latched' properly - which comes hand in hand with wind and will often pick up on this before we even notice (the faintest clicking.) we can work on this - eg not latching the door and giving him his beloved ball when he notices but the wind is just something we can't replicate. He will go outside in the wind and be seemingly ok - esp in the day, no bother at all so it must be the noise.

I'm going to ask again about medication, it's awful to see him so stressed and frankly it's not fun going to bed every night feeling anxious ourselves!

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Marcipix · 08/01/2025 08:07

Ours is afraid of the sound of rain hitting the windows.
I can’t muffle his head as he won’t keep anything on.

Moonlightstars · 08/01/2025 08:09

I think desensitising is the way to go. Is he food oriented? If so get some wind noises and quietly play them at dinner time and regularly through the day with their favourite treat. Quietly and often. Then gradually increase the volume. Be quite low key about it.

MsPug · 08/01/2025 08:12

Some dogs live on their nerves don't they? My mum had a golden retriever like this and the only thing that worked (to a degree) was a radio really quite loud! Classical music. Nowadays I'd be inclined to use a white noise machine. Good luck

iamthedanger · 08/01/2025 11:26

Moonlightstars · 08/01/2025 08:09

I think desensitising is the way to go. Is he food oriented? If so get some wind noises and quietly play them at dinner time and regularly through the day with their favourite treat. Quietly and often. Then gradually increase the volume. Be quite low key about it.

Good plan, will try that. He's half lab so definitely food orientated! 😀

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