Surviving the Storm: 5 Tips to Reduce Your Dog's Anxiety During Albuquerque's 2026 Monsoon Season

From bright lightning flashes, to booming thunder, to static electricity that makes skin crawl, to dizzying pressure changes, to senses being heightened by moisture, monsoon season in Albuquerque can be overwhelming for many dogs and therefore their doting guardians. Here are my top five tips for helping reduce your dog's anxiety during storms.

1: Exercise Before Storms

Have you ever heard the saying "a tired dog is a happy dog," or something similar? I'd rather say "a fulfilled dog is a happy dog" and therefore a calmer, more emotionally regulated dog.

Ensuring our dogs are physically fulfilled with moderate to vigorous exercise (depending on breed) before storms arrive can go a long way in helping them settle when they might otherwise be on edge.

Luckily for us, our Albuquerque monsoon storms are fairly predictable. We typically have clear mornings with storms rolling in late afternoon or overnight. Knowing this, we can get our dogs out for a steep hike, fast-paced run, or long sniffy walk in advance of the storms.

If you're unable to personally provide moderate to rigorous exercise for your dog, you may consider hiring a dog walker (or even someone willing to take your dog for a run), using a long-leash at a large park, taking your dog to a Sniffspot, setting up a playdate with a doggie friend, or if it's your dog's type of thing (usually herding breeds), giving them some time with a herding ball.

If you're like me and aren't much of a morning person, you might miss out on the cooler morning temps, making it difficult to provide your dog with safe physical exercise outdoors. You may alternatively engage your dog in games of tug, fetch in a large room or shady backyard, or, if they enjoy water, give them an opportunity to swim or run through a splash pad.

Additionally, the brain is a metabolically expensive organ (demanding around 20% of daily calories!), often making mentally engaging activities just as effective as physical exercise. ACE Free Work, nose/scent-work, puzzle feeders, and even training for a new cue or trick can be just as fulfilling as physical exercise.

There are countless ways to physically and mentally fulfill your dog, lower their cortisol levels, and help facilitate relaxation during storms. Let me know what activity you and your dog love most!

2: Calming Activities or Play During Storms

Many dogs will still be on edge during storms even if they've had a full day of physical and mental exercise beforehand.

Some dogs (like my own) will appreciate high-value treats and chews to engage with during a monsoon event. Activities like chewing, licking, and sniffing can be soothing for dogs and help them settle. My dogs love Woof* Pupsicles and bully sticks. Other ideas include puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, lick mats, frozen Kongs, yak cheese chews, antlers, and bones.

*As a Woof brand ambassador, I may earn a small commission on purchases made through this link at no additional cost to you.

Some dogs are more motivated by play and toys than food and treats. Playing tug, low-level indoor dynamic fetch, or having an easy training session could shift your dog's attention from the storm to something more enjoyable. Something as simple as giving your dog a new toy could be more exciting than the storm is scary.

3: Provide Safe Spaces

Some dogs will greatly appreciate having an extra cozy safe space available to them. Some dogs like to hide under beds or desks, in closets, under blankets, or in a comfy crate.

If your dog chooses to hide, let them. Check on them regularly or hang out nearby to make sure they aren't causing themselves harm or damage to your home. Otherwise, don't fuss over them - our energy can have huge impacts on our dogs' energy, and trying to coax them may cause them to be even more stressed.

You may also consider softening some rules to help your dog feel safer. For example, on normal days our couches are off limits to our dogs. During storms, our German Shepherd, Ella, finds comfort in joining us on the couch, so we let her choose to get on and off as she pleases.

If you're traditionally against crates, and your dog has an affinity for confined spaces, you might consider providing one with a cover for them. You don't have to actively try to get them to go in, and you certainly don't have to close the door. Simply giving them the choice of a space that's all their own can be incredibly comforting to some dogs.

4: Lower the Contrast

Two of the most stressful aspects of storms for dogs are thunder and lightening. While we can't directly turn off the lightening or reduce the volume on the thunder, we can make them appear less intense by adjusting our indoor environment.

To make lightening flashes less jarring, we can close blinds or use blackout curtains. We can cover crates that usually aren't covered, we can build our dogs a blanket fort, or let them hide under the covers with us. We can also keep lights on.

Drowning out thunder can be a bit more difficult. We can keep the TV on or play a radio. Classical music has been shown to help reduce stress in shelter dogs. A client of mine has even found running their clothes dryer on cool with some tennis balls has helped a little bit, especially with distant thunder or low rumbles. When playing music or putting the TV on, we'll want to keep the volume at reasonable levels, and when getting creative (like with the clothes dryer) we'll want to make sure it's not something that will additionally spook our dogs.

5: Bananas And/Or Tea

While bananas aren't a sedative, they contain many great vitamins and minerals that can support relaxation, including magnesium and vitamin B6. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant, and may help dogs feel physically less tense. Vitamin B6 helps in the production of serotonin and melatonin, which are important for emotional wellbeing and regulation, as well as sleep.

Research has found that certain herbal teas can have calming affects on dogs (and people!). Teas like Chamomile, Holy Basil, and Lemon Balm can help relax the nervous system and reduce inflammation. Dr. Karen Becker, author of The Forever Dog Life Book, shares this calming tea recipe in her book and on her Facebook page:

1 cup filtered hot water

1/2 tsp dried chamomile

1/2 tsp dried holy basil

1/2 tsp dried lemon balm

Prepare the tea as you would for yourself - use non-toxic, natural tea bags, or a tea infuser. Dr. Becker recommends giving 2 to 4 Tbsp for every 10lbs. of body weight per day.

Also as you might for yourself, you can steep the tea with a little bit of fresh ginger and/or add a dab of honey. You can add the tea to their water bowl, food, or freeze it into ice cubes or Pupsicle moulds. Make sure the tea is room temperature or cooler before giving it to your dog to avoid burning their mouth.

If your dog doesn't care much for bananas or tea, you might try dog-specific calming treats that are easily found in most pet stores or online. Always consult with your veterinarian if you have questions or concerns.

If Your Dog Is Inconsolable

If your dog is inconsolable despite your best efforts, you may wish to consult with your veterinarian about the possibility of prescribing situational anti-anxiety medications to additionally reduce stress during monsoons. Be sure to ask about potential side effects, as well as if there are any supplements that may interfere negatively with prescription medications. Additionally, there's a strong link between pain and fear, so it may also be worth asking your vet to conduct a pain assessment to make sure there aren't any underlying medical conditions heightening your dog's anxiety.

Storms and Rescue Dogs

Unfortunately, many rescue dogs come from backgrounds where they didn't have safe spaces, comfort, or support during storms (or in general) and therefore, they can be more sensitive to seasonal weather events. I'm proud to be partnering with Lap Dog Rescue of New Mexico to provide training and behavior resources and support to their fosters and adopters to help these dogs feel safe and secure in their foster and forever homes.

Whether your dog is a new addition to your family, or has been with you for years, if you have questions about managing storm anxiety, or other training or behavior questions, please feel free to reach out anytime (my contact form on my homepage, email, or text are best!).

If you know someone in Albuquerque with an anxious pup, and you think this guide could help them, please pass it along. Together we can help Albuquerque's dogs feel safe and secure when dark clouds roll over the Sandias and build confidence in everyday life.