Does your dog dislike rain? Don’t be surprised if that’s the case. Some dogs want nothing to do with rain, and there are understandable explanations for that behavior.
Unless your dog or puppy dislikes rain due to a thunderstorm phobia, you can teach them to be more receptive to precipitation. Hiring a trainer can help with that issue. There are also things you can do to re-direct or change their feelings about rain. Learn more about the steps you can take to change your pet’s attitude toward rainfall by continuing below.
Use Special Treats as a Training Tool
Treats are compelling motivators for our canine companions. That’s why they are prominently featured in many training exercises. You can turn to treats again if you’re teaching your pet to like the rain.
According to PetMD, you should go all out with the treats if you’re engaging your pet in some rain-related training. Instead of offering the same treats your pet gets when they do something commendable, purchase something more special. You can prepare a steak and cut it into bite-sized chunks that double as special treats.
Aside from giving your dog a special treat, you should also draw attention to their change in behavior. Show excitement for their willingness to head out in rainy weather. Your pet may start to like the rainy weather more because of the behavior you’re displaying.
Go for a Walk in Light Rain With Your Dog
You likely want your dog to be okay with heading out in the rain due to potty-related reasons. No one likes cleaning up dog poop and urine indoors, so it would be ideal if your pet could endure a bit of rain to do their business. Take walks with your pet even when it’s raining to make them more receptive to answering the call of nature outdoors.
Before going outside, you should check the intensity of the rain. Only move forward with your plans if the rain is on the lighter side. If the rain is too strong, you should shelve your plans.
Continue walking with your dog in light rain until they become less resistant to it. Eventually, they won’t think twice about doing their business in the backyard, even amidst a drizzle.
Clean Up After Your Dog’s Rainy Walk
One more thing you must do to give your dog a more favorable impression of rainy weather involves cleaning up. More specifically, you need to dry your dog’s fur, especially their paws, following the time outside.
Before you put that towel away, use it to wipe up the area you dried your pup off in as it will be slick from the rain. Your dog may slip and fall because of the moisture.
Rain aversion doesn’t have to be a permanent thing for your pet. You can teach them to tolerate or even like the rain using the tips detailed in this article. Put the tips into action today and see their effects on your dog!
Need help walking your pup while you’re at work? TAILored Pet Services can help! During our visit, we monitor how hard it is raining outside before taking them out and dry them off upon return. If your dog doesn’t like the rain, we minimize time outside so we have more time for play indoors. Call/text us at 425-923-7791 or visit our dog walking page to learn more about our services.
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