Dogs and rain: what to do when the dog doesn’t want to go out
Dogs and rain don’t always get along. If your dog refuses to go outside when it’s raining, don’t be alarmed, it’s normal behavior. From his point of view, he wants to protect itself from harm. Without forcing him, you must learn to take them for a walk and make them live this experience as something positive.
It’s cloudy, raining, thundering or snowing and your dog refuses to go for a walk. Surely, you cannot allow your dog to stay at home for many hours without being able to do their business. However, nothing seems to move them from the bed or sofa. Dogs and rain just don’t seem to get along. How to behave in these situations? We will tell you about it in this article.
Dogs and rain, a love that never blossomed
Dogs are generally not very fond of rainy days because they are afraid of thunder. Also, they behave strangely when the days are cloudy. This happens because instinctively, when there is no direct natural light, they feel they need to hide in a safe place.
It is very difficult for owners to convince dogs to go outside when it rains or a storm is about to start.
Even if you manage to get the dogs out, they don’t seem to want to go to the toilet. When they return home, however, they urinate and defecate inside the house. To avoid this, you can have the dogs take a slightly longer ride or take them directly to the place where they usually go to their needs.
The movement stimulates both the bowels and the bladder of the dog. Another option is to have the dog drink some water or feed them before going out.
Dogs and rain: tips for getting your dog out when it rains
If your dog refuses to go for a walk when it’s raining or there’s a thunderstorm, don’t worry, it’s quite normal. If you try to force them, you will only make this experience even more traumatic for them.
However, you also can’t over-protect them and allow them to do things – like lying in bed all day or urinating on the carpet – that he doesn’t do at other times.
Is it possible to find a compromise? Yes, it is possible to make walking in the rain a positive experience. You can guide the dog to the door by giving him a candy or a piece of meat. Or, give them a gift when you return from the walk.
Also, we recommend that you behave normally as if it were a sunny day. You can wait to put on your boots or raincoat until your dog is on a leash and near the door.
The problem may not be the thunder, but the fact that your dog is afraid of water and doesn’t like the idea of getting too wet. But even in this case there is a solution! In pet stores, you can buy waterproof coats for dogs. Or, you can use an umbrella large enough to protect you and your dog from the rain.
As soon as you return home, remove the wet clothes from the dog, dry them with a towel and place them in front of a heat source (radiators, fireplace, etc.). In this way you will avoid some typical dog diseases (especially winter) such as pneumonia, ear infections, knots in the fur, etc.
If he behaved well on the walk, don’t hesitate to give them a reward, which doesn’t necessarily have to be food. Even cuddles and words of love are enough.
Other suggestions
If your dog is athletic enough and usually moves a lot every time it goes out, you can compensate for the lack of physical activity due to the rain by playing indoors (as much as possible). This will prevent them from gaining weight and suffering from anxiety or stress.
If your dog refuses to go outside when it rains or there is a thunderstorm, you shouldn’t give up the walk, nor do it too fast. After all, it’s just a little bit of water that you can easily dry off.
If, on the other hand, you consider walking in the rain as something traumatic, the dog will also experience it as a traumatic situation and will try to avoid it. Do your best so that both of you can have a good experience. As you have seen, dogs and rain are not totally incompatible.
