What To Do When Your Dog Refuses To Go Out In The Rain
It’s cloudy, raining or thundering… And your dog refuses to go out! Of course, you cannot allow him to go on for so many hours without relieving himself. However, nothing seems to make him come out from under the bed or the sofa. What to do when your dog refuses to go out in the rain? In this article, we’ll talk more about this topic.
Dogs and the fear of rain
In general, dogs are not very fond of rainy days, as they are afraid of thunder and act strangely when it is cloudy. This is because, instinctively, if there is no natural light, they feel they must hide or take refuge in a safe place.
Even though it’s possible to get him out of the house, the animal doesn’t seem to be able to relieve itself… and as soon as we get home, it urinates or defecates inside. To avoid this, you can take him for a slightly longer walk or directly to the point where he usually uses it as a ‘bathroom’.
The movement will stimulate your bowels and bladder. Another option is to give water to drink or feed a little before going out.
Tips for dog handlers who refuse to go out in the rain
If your dog refuses to take a walk in these situations, you should know that this is normal. And if you persist, you will end up turning the situation into an even more traumatic experience for him.
We also can’t go to the other extreme of overprotecting when it’s cloudy or raining and allowing the animal to do things it wouldn’t do at other times, like climbing into bed or urinating on the rug.
Is there a balance point? Oh yeah: turn the experience of going out in the rain into something positive. You can guide him to the front door with a snack or a piece of meat. Or, you can also give him an award when you get back from the walk.
Also, we recommend that you act normally. In other words, as if it were a day of radiant sunshine. You can wait to put on your shoes or jacket until the dog is on a leash or is already waiting at the door.
Maybe the problem isn’t so much thunder, maybe your dog doesn’t like the idea of getting wet. But that also has a solution! At pet stores, you can find waterproof covers. Or you can also use a large umbrella that protects both of you from the rain.
Arriving home…
Once you get home, remove your wet clothes, dry the animal with a towel, and place it in front of a warm place or other pleasant place. This way, you’ll avoid some typical dog illnesses – especially in winter – such as pneumonia, ear infections, knots in the fur and problems with foot pads.
If your dog is very athletic or is used to exercising every time he goes out, make up for this lack of activity due to the rain by playing games at home (as much as possible). This will prevent him from gaining any weight or increasing his anxiety and stress level.
If your dog refuses to leave the house when it’s raining or there’s a storm, you shouldn’t cancel the walk or even speed up the walk. It’s just a little water that will dry up soon.
Do your best to make sure you both learn to enjoy walking in the rain! Always with an umbrella in hand, of course.
