Alert-barking at thunderstorms?

This is Jack when there's a thunder storm:

Which is nice at two in the morning....

Ok, until Jack was 2 he ignored thunderstorms. But the summer he was 1, we had weird weather and almost no storms. So he went about two years without hearing a storm and the summer he was 2, he barked a little at storms. Then we brought home Maddie and she barked during storms and that just tipped him over the edge (funnily enough, Maddie now ignores storms completely).

Now he alarm-barks whenever it thunders. I know he's not afraid; it's the same bark he uses when he hears a noise outside. He also alert-barks when a freight train blows its horn about a mile away, so he's definitely a bit hyper-sensitive to what constitutes a threat (and from his point of view, he's warned that train not to come into the house and it never has, so his plan is working just fine).

I've been trying to counter-condition him to ignore storms again, but we've had a bad run last summer and now this spring where almost all the storms come either during the afternoon (while I'm at work) or in the middle of the night. I was up with him for a half-hour last night and had to get up for work at 6:30, so that was fun.

Anyway, I know how to work on this but I guess I'm just wondering if a) anyone else's Corgi thinks the thunder is an intruder to be chased off, and b) is there hope? Anyone have success in convincing said Corgi that the mean ol' storm does not need to be warded off?

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Permalink Reply by Beth on May 4, 2012 at 8:32pm

I wanted to add that "alert-barking" may not quite convey what Jack does. When he just hears something unusual, he just barks. But when he is certain something threatening (or an animal intruder) is outside, he combines his barks with low growls and baying. VERY loud. He is a dog who goes towards doors or windows and you can almost hear him saying "So help me, if I were out there you would NOT be on my lawn!"

With the storms, he does the barking/baying thing but does not go toward an entrance, perhaps because the sound comes from all around. He's upset enough to make noise, but not so upset that he feels it necessary to leave the comfort of the couch, or indeed to even stand up. Came down last night to find him baying away, lying down in a half-circle with his head still on the sofa. *sigh*

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on May 4, 2012 at 11:08pm

Some of mine will let out a bark at loud thunder crack BUT Teddy "alert barks" when there is popcorn being eaten...I know this is weird but I think he is trying to alert the other dogs or protect the popcorn. Just had to share this as I read this and Teddy is doing his "bark".

If I had the alert barking for storms I'd be awfully tired this week too. I wish I had some ideas Beth but I don't.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on May 4, 2012 at 11:11pm

If I could more consistently be there when it storms, I know I could get him to stop. Problem is I'm not around more often than I am when it's thundering. I seem to recall evening used to be the most common time for storms, but with the crazy weather we seem to have all the time these days, that is no longer the case.

Very tired from two nights of interrupted sleep in a row. Off to bed. The popcorn thing is too funny! Sometimes I'd love to know what goes on in their heads.