Does the wind make your dog crazy?

[angierose]

Oh my goodness, I almost lost it with Kaylee today. It's been really windy here lately-- fairly constant wind but also lots of gusting. I believe it is making my dog insane.

After a nice long game of fetch I decided to take her out to a state park. We stopped at a pet store on the way, and she was fine there. First thing I did at the park was stop at the restroom, and she actually went in with me without whining (she doesn't care for being closed in a stall with me but loves to bust into the bathroom at home). I thought we'd have a nice short hike. We headed out and barely got out of sight of the parking lot when she started pulling. She doesn't pull often in general, mostly when she sees her friends from training or if I'm slow on a hill. But this was almost constant. I stopped until we had slack, then started up again, off and on for fifteen minutes.

Pulling is annoying, but easy enough to deal with calmly. It's the sudden bursts that threw me off balance today. She'd be standing there, maybe looking at the stream or sniffing or something, then all of a sudden she'd be dashing back and forth to the limits of the leash. When I would tell her "no," sometimes she'd stop and bark at me and sometimes she'd just keep dashing until she got too tangled up to continue. I'd make her sit for a bit until it seemed she was okay, but minutes later she'd do it again. Finally she yanked the leash out of my hand and actually took off. She came back when I called, so we celebrated that at least.

I gave her about fifteen minutes to settle in a quiet spot, sniffing the wind and chewing on a new toy. She seemed better so I thought I'd double back and take her to the stream to let her swim for her toy for a bit. Once again, we got out of sight of the parking lot and she went nuts. She dashed about, barking and looking so excited. I shortened the leash and made her sit and she started making these crazy little yipping noises like I was hurting her! I'm sure people thought someone was kicking a puppy.

When we got back to the car, I made her sit and go "up" into the backseat, I gave her more praise for these things than she's gotten in a long time. I really didn't want to end on a bad note, and I had no more energy left to handle her outbursts.

Please tell me I'm not alone! This is her first fall and first experience with so much wind. Does it get better as they get used to it?

[SunCzarina]

Wait till she starts chasing leaves. Otto was nuts about leaves last fall when he was still a little pup. This year he doesn't seem to notice them.

Morgan's the one wind effects - she doesn't like being outside and getting her fur ruffled up.

[Jax08]

Wait till she starts chasing leaves while you are sitting in a folding chair watching a soccer game. That is soooooo much fun!! We go to the soccer games as comedy relief!

[Metalsmith]

I've been to the dog park on really windy days and it seems to stir everyone up. It seems like there is more likely to be squabbles and general rowdiness that I haven't seen on calm days. (Could also be attributed to different mix of dogs?)

I once commented on this peculiar phenomena to a guy who was there with his golden. He said as a 2nd grade teacher, he saw a difference in behavior, tending towards unruliness, on really blustery days. Who knows how it works?

[meisha98]

It makes them more active for sure! Beau gets worried about the trees moving overhead and starts looking for non-existent squirrels and Lainey will snap at nothing. I don't think she likes the feel on her face where she can't see what is doing it. Neither of them really chase the leaves, they love their balls too much!

[littledmc17]

and the full moon!
woo hoo
Brady doesn't chase leaves thank god

[Zisso]

Well, I had a Pit mixed with GSD that would chase leaves. He was built like a pit...stalky, all muscles, but taller like a GSD. I was about 120lbs at the time. We always walked over in this field by my house. One fall, after a light rain, he stopped~very focused on something...something I could not see.

We were facing a mobile home that had no skirting on it. When he stopped, I looked down at my feet. They were in gooey mud. I had time to think to myself 'Oooohh C**P!' About then he took off. Straight towards that mobile home. The leash was one of those chain leashes with a leather handle. I let go just before he dashed under that mobile. I splatted into the side of the mobile like you see on cartoons.

Now this was a dog that would not ever come when called. He would look over his shoulder as if to say 'catch me if ya can' when I called him. I went around that back end of the mobile and called him. He came....ran right past me....wrapped that chain leash around my knee cap and kept on goin'.

My back, shoulders and hips were outta whack, and I had a HUGE bruise on the inside of my knee. I still swear to this day that he was chasing a leaf!!

He was the same with cats, and once drug me down a 12 step flight in a flash. I was bruised and out of whack so bad my daughter had to pick me up that time. I have always trained good recall after that dog!

[Dainerra]

nah.. he's plenty crazy all on his own

[angierose]

I'm glad she's normal in this, it's kind of funny watching her get the zoomies while leashed but not very safe for anyone involved. As Zisso's story well proves! The leaves are starting to fall, she finds them quite pleasant to crunch and seems surprised as they fall, but we don't have enough for piles yet. I'm sure it will be sweet to watch.

[Zisso]

Angie...I look forward to wathcing the piles of leaves as the romp in them