Is your dog acting strange lately?

Our Gentle Giant, Ronin, absolutely loves going outside, but lately, I’ve noticed him acting a bit strange. He seems lethargic, sleeps more, and no longer likes going into the backyard. Recently, when I wanted to let him out into the yard, he gave me a look that seemed to say, "Why in the world are you taking me outside right now? Don’t you know I don’t like it here?" Concerned, I decided to do some quick research to figure out what might be going on.

Per my research, barometric pressure (i.e., atmospheric pressure) might be to blame. It can affect the health of your beloved pet, making them feel unwell due to their heightened sensory perceptions. Dogs may feel lethargic, nauseated, anxious, and even experience pain, while cats may hide, groom excessively, or act unusually aggressively as they try to cope with their discomfort.

What you can do to help your pet cope 

Consider CBD: if your pet experiences anxiety, nausea or pain, CBD may help. Start with a lower dose and adjust as needed. We use a pet dosing chart which can help to find the right CBD dosage based on your pet’s weight and symptom severity.

Maintain a routine: Keeping a consistent routine for feeding, walking, and playing will keep your pet occupied and help reduce your pet's anxiety caused by weather. Of course, your pet may not appreciate if you take them out in the middle of a storm. Use your judgment. Ronin would probably roll his eyes at me and then give me a silent treatment if I took him out for a walk during one of the storms, but that's another story.

Create a safe space: Provide your cat or dog with a quiet, comfortable area with their favorite blankets and toys. If you can, stay with them or be nearby to help reduce their anxiety. Ronin usually sleeps on our bed while I work on my computer, but yesterday, right before a big thunderstorm, a few times in a row, Ronin got really anxious, excited, and somewhat crazy for absolutely no reason. Being near by I got up to pet him, play with him, and even went out of my way to find a new toy that I stuffed with peanut butter. That kept him occupied for a couple of hours!

Ensure hydration: Changes in humidity can affect your pet’s hydration making them feel uneasy and even nauseous. We keep a big bowl of fresh water within our dogs' reach at all times.

I found it so interesting to discover that barometric changes and weather conditions may affect my pets' well-being that I could not wait to share this information with you. I hope this information helps and you can now help your beloved dogs or cats or other pets get through such distressing times affected by weather. Especially given the crazy storms we have been experiencing up here in NH and all across the country.

Be well!
Tanya