The meme is funny, but it reminds me of a conversation I had with the late, great Donald McCaig about dogs that are afraid of thunder.
Had he noticed that coyotes and wolves are NOT terrified of thunder?
Had he notice that livestock-guarding dogs that spend weeks at a time outside are NOT afraid of thunder?
Deer, horses, and cows don't give thunder more than a moment's thought.
I may be wrong I said (a phrase that should probably be said more often by all of us!) but I think the difference is that dogs that works closely with us, and are cued to looking at our faces and our actions, notice that when it starts to rain and thunder we RUN INSIDE.
To a dog's way of thinking, the only reason to run is either in fear or pursuit.
The human response to thunder and rain looks a lot like FEAR to a Border Collie or a Pointer.
As I recall, Donald didn't salute my theory, but I do not recall that he had a better one of his own.
There's no question that some breeds and lines of dogs are more spooked by thunder than others, but that could simply be a combined function of how tuned up their fight-flight response system is, and who closely and often they look to humans for social and behavior cues.
4 comments:
My notes on thunder and domestic dogs. The couple that I have known, that were/are frightened by thunder. They change their behaviour before the thunder starts. Can be an hour before thunder noise starts. I think they are sensitive to the atmospheric pressure change. Seeking out a bolt hole to hide in. Either they become aware of this coming before the thunder, or the pressure change causes them some discomfort. I know humans that seem to suffer from headaches with the change of pressure before a thunderstorm.
I think it may be more than just a response, from watching humans. I have several dogs, and I only have one at this time, that is concerned by thunder. The other one I knew, was a dog on a farm I milked at. If I found her in the pit of the parlour in the morning, trembling and hiding. I knew thunder was on its way
?? Are you sure it's not genetic? I've never had a Lab who feared thunder, but have had a couple who barked at it as though they wanted to chase it away. Would be hard to argue that Labs aren't well tuned in to human signature. On the other hand, no respectable gun dog breeder will breed a dog who shows fear at loud noises.
I forgot to say, "On notes on thunder and the domestic dog." The two dogs I have known that showed a change in behaviour when thunder is on the way, both were/are hunting dogs, not frightened by the sound of gunfire or fireworks. Both spaniels. Regards Jane
My wirehaired pointing Griffon start shivering and chattering her teeth, hides under a desk, or in a closet or behind a door, a thunder can even be heard. I don't know if she is gun shy; I am a falconer. My Whippet and my Lurcher are not phased by coming storms or thunder.. As I am one of those silly people who loves rain and thunder, doesn't mind a good soak,I can't see that the aversion is a learned behavior.
Kate
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