The Story in Pictures
Guy Cox of Sydney, Australia describes his daughter’s dog, Guffy, a kelpie/spaniel cross, as terrified of thunder. When Guffy hears distant thunder he runs and hides, and Cox says the dog reacts the same way to the rumble of an overflying plane, again without looking up. Cox suggests there is logic to that behaviour, because thunder can signal an approaching downpour and the loud claps may distress a dog’s sensitive ears. He also notes dogs have coexisted with thunder far longer than with aircraft.
Not every reader reports hiding. Harry Olund of Newport, Oregon writes that across four Labradors over about 60 years, his dogs did look up at planes, but only for four or five seconds; the sight did not hold their attention for long. Ron Bennett in Yorkshire recalls a rescue collie that chased planes, and says reading about a West Yorkshire dog, Blu, that tracked low-flying aircraft prompted him to wonder whether local air conditions might play a role in some areas.
The correspondence adds nuance: for some dogs a passing aircraft triggers fear and avoidance, for others a brief curiosity, and for a smaller number it prompts active chasing. Owners’ reports point to two likely influences visible in these anecdotes, the perception of aircraft noise as a familiar natural threat, and variation between individual dogs and local conditions.
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