Do changes in barometric pressure affect your dog?

Barometric pressure is the atmospheric pressure measured by an instrument called a barometer. That pressure has peaks and valleys, which causes changes in our climate. High pressure is a pressure greater than the pressure around you. It is combined with clear, cloudless skies and drier air. Low pressure is a pressure less than the pressure around you. The lows are combined with wind, atmospheric elevations, warm air, clouds, humidity, rain, thunderstorms, tropical storms, cyclones and/or tornadoes.

Human studies have shown that differences in barometric pressure cause numerous physical, emotional, and behavioral changes. They include headaches, mood swings, and complaints about more aches and pains. Perhaps you, or someone you know, claims that you can predict the weather better than the meteorologist, simply because you feel changes in your body or mood.

So how do these atmospheric changes affect your dog? Science is not very sure. However, dog owners, especially hunters, and those with bloodhounds as companion dogs, have noticed that as the barometric pressure drops, their dogs change the way they track. This observation leads them to believe that their animals change the way they follow a scent, to compensate for changes in the way scents travel.

They also noticed that their dog tends to hold its head higher in drier air, to pick up odors when atmospheric pressure is higher. If it’s very windy, your dogs have a harder time following a scent; most likely because the direction of the scent changes. When the barometer drops and the winds die down, signaling a low is approaching, your dogs tend to keep their heads lower to the ground when following a scent.

There are those astute owners, who are particularly affectionate and attentive, who have reported being alert to a change in the weather by observing physical and behavioral changes in their dogs. They included restlessness, panting, trembling, whimpering, and drooling. Some of them discover that their animal needs to hide; others find that their dog has a need to be exceptionally close to them.

Arthritic dog owners report that their pets often appear stiffer and have more difficulty getting up or walking when the barometric pressure is low. They may be correct. Why can’t dogs feel the extra pressure on their joints like we can?

Bottom line: if you’re aware of changes in your dog, that’s great! If you’re not, maybe now you’ll pay more attention, because you’ll know what to look for. Your dog may be trying to tell you something, in the only way he knows how.