Both dogs and their humans can have a hard time during storms. Even the calmest dogs can get scared by the loud noises, bright lights, and changes in barometric pressure. This anxiety often shows up as destructive behaviors like chewing, scratching, and digging, which can do a lot of damage to the walls and furniture in your house. It is important to keep your dog safe during a storm, but it is also important to keep your home safe from damage that a scared pet could do.
how to protect walls from dog during storm? This post will talk about different ways to keep your dog from climbing up on your walls during a storm. You’ll learn everything you need to know to keep your pet and your home safe, from what to do before the storm to what to do afterward. By following these tips, you can keep your dog from getting too stressed out during storms and keep your home from needing expensive fixes.
Understanding Dog Behavior During Storms
Dogs are very sensitive to changes in their surroundings, and storms can make many pets very anxious. When the weather changes, thunder, lightning, and changes in the air pressure can all make dogs nervous. When this happens, dogs might do many things, like pant, pace, hide, or try to get away. Sadly, this often makes them do bad things, like scratching at doors, chewing on walls, or even trying to dig through the floor.
These actions are not only annoying, they can also do a lot of damage to your home. The surface of your walls can get scratched up, and chewing can make holes in the paint or drywall. The first thing you can do to stop damage from weather is to figure out why your dog acts this way. You need to take care of both the physical safety of your home and the mental health of your dog.
Pre-Storm Preparation
Getting your house ready for a storm is very important if you want to keep harm to a minimum. First, make sure your surroundings is safe. Take away or lock anything that your dog could damage or knock over if they get excited. Things close to the walls, like picture frames, plants, or small pieces of furniture, could be chewed on or scratched.
Next, give your dog a safe place to be. This place should be safe and comfortable for your dog, so they can go there when they’re scared. Pick a room that doesn’t have any windows and has their favorite toys and soft blankets. You could also use pet-friendly barriers, such as baby gates or playpens, to keep them from getting into places they could harm.
Soundproofing is another great way to help your dog feel less anxious. The sound of thunder and rain can be blocked out with thick rugs, heavy curtains, or even a white noise machine. This makes the setting less stressful for your dog, which makes it less likely that he or she will do something bad. Taking these steps ahead of time can help you make the space quiet, which will protect your walls from damage.
Protective Measures for Walls
There are a number of physical hurdles and treatments that can help keep your walls safe from a nervous dog during a storm.
One of the easiest and least expensive choices is to cover the walls. The lower parts of your walls are most likely to get scratched or chewed on, so you can cover them with temporary solutions like plastic sheeting or temporary wallpaper with an adhesive back. You can also add an extra layer of security to your home without making any lasting changes by using wall stickers or covers that you can take off and put back on.
Putting up protective panels is another good choice. The bottom half of your walls can have Plexiglas or another clear material connected to it. These panels last a long time and are easy to clean. They make a strong shield against chewing and scratching. On top of that, they are almost unnoticeable, so they won’t change the way your home looks. Plexiglas is a common choice, but metal or wood panels might be better if you need something stronger, especially if your dog is very determined.
Putting anti-scratch treatments on your walls can work for a more understated look. For pet-friendly wall solutions that you can paint or spray on, please see our selection. These coats make the surface slippery, which makes it harder for your dog to get a good grip. This makes it less likely that your dog will scratch. They are simple to put up and can be used with other safety steps to make things even safer.
By taking these precautions, you can greatly lower the chance that your walls will be damaged during storms. This will give you peace of mind that your home is safe.
Managing Your Dog’s Anxiety
Protecting your walls is important, but taking care of your dog’s worry is much more important for their health. One of the best ways to help your dog deal with the stress of storms is to train them in good behavior. Desensitization is a method of slowly exposing your dog to the sounds of a storm in a controlled setting. This can help them become less anxious over time. You can also lower your worry by counter-conditioning, which means linking the sounds of a storm with good things like treats or playtime.
In addition to training, items that calm can help right away during a storm. Sprays and diffusers that release hormones that are similar to those made by a mother dog can help your pet feel safe. Your dog can also feel better with supplements that have L-theanine or chamomile in them. Anxiety jackets or bands, like the Thundershirt, put light pressure on your dog’s body, which has been shown to calm them down.
Sometimes, veterinary options are the only way to go. Seeking help from a vet is suggested if your dog’s nervousness is very bad. They might give you anti-anxiety drugs or other treatments to help you deal with your dog’s symptoms. Medication can be very helpful, but you should think about the pros and cons and talk to your vet about any worries you have.
It is possible to make your dog feel safer during storms by using calming products, behavioral training, and, if needed, medical help. This makes their life better in general and lowers the chance that they will damage your walls.
Post-Storm Cleanup and Repair
Even if you take all the right safety measures, a storm could still cause some damage. If you clean up quickly after a storm, you can keep small problems from getting worse. Your dog may have scratched or chewed on the walls. To clean the area, use light soap and water. This will clean the surface of any dirt or oil your pet left behind and get it ready to be fixed.
A easy way to fix small scratches in the wall is to use a putty knife to cover the damage with spackle or wood filler. After it dries, sand it down and paint the wall again. It’s possible that you’ll need to use a piece of drywall to fix bigger holes or gouges in the wall. After fixing the damage, you might want to give the area a new coat of paint or a protective covering to make it stronger.
Specialty cleaning products for pets can help get rid of smells or spots caused by saliva. These items are made to break down the enzymes in pet messes so that your walls are clean and don’t smell bad.
You can keep your home looking great and avoid having to make bigger fixes in the future by fixing any damage right away.
Long-Term Solutions
People who live in places that are prone to storms need to keep up with regular maintenance and find long-term solutions. Check your walls and furniture every so often for signs of damage, and fix any problems you find before they get worse. Regularly practicing training methods can also help your dog feel less anxious over time, which will make them less likely to damage things during future storms.
Think about spending money on more lasting changes to your home. For instance, wainscoting or half-wall paneling can be used to make a stylish divider that is also strong enough to keep pets from scratching or chewing. You could also make a storm shelter or other safe place just for your dog. This could be a small room with soundproofing or a strong area where your dog can feel safe and not do any harm.
After making these long-term plans, you can be sure that these storm protection measures will keep your home and your dog safe. This will not only save you money on fixes, but it will also make the space calmer and more comfortable for your pet.
Conclusion
To keep your dog from damaging your walls during a storm, you need to be proactive and pay attention to your dog’s mental health. You can lower the risk of damage to your home by getting it ready for a storm, using protective coverings and barriers, and dealing with your dog’s nervousness. Cleaning up and fixing up after a storm are important to keep your home in great shape, and long-term answers can protect it for a long time.
These steps will not only keep your home safe, but they will also make it safer and more comfortable for your dog during bad weather. Remember that the best way to keep damage from happening is to deal with the cause—your dog’s anxiety—and find real ways to keep your home safe. This way, no matter how bad the storm is, you can rest easy knowing that your pet and your belongings are safe.