Thunderstorms
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| I loved watching thunderstorms with my first boy. I'd open th egarage and sit in a chair with him on the floor next to me. I don't know if he wsa enjoying the show like I was, but he was content to be hanging around almost outdoors with me.
Then we made the huge mistake of taking him to a fireworks show. 
After that he was terrified of thunder, drooling and cowering in the corner. He never got over it. I have no practical suggestions. |
| Ron, I see you are in Mass...nt sure where but if you are near the coast, you know how the loudness and light show they bring! I live very close t the water on Long Island and the lightening can light up my entire house!
My first OES would actually push the shower door open with his nose and get in the shower and just stick his head out around the corner, shaking the whole time  Fourth of July was even more fun...
Someone must have something special they do to help.... |
| I had a 140 pound lab mix that was terrified of thunder. There is nothing like a big dog running toward you with the Mama hold me look on their face. I did the drugs for July 4th. I just could not put him through a whole night of it. We do not have alot of thunder, so I just held him in a dark room. She sister was not afraid until we had a lighting strike near by and she relized that thunder went with lighting. |
| I've had sheepies lock themselves in the bathroom when the thunderstorms arrive or tornado sirens go off and we weren't home. Poor babies.
My girls love to be groomed, as long as they aren't matted  , so I pull out the combs. They love the attention and the goofy sounds I make while I talk to them. I'm the strange person who sits on the floor to groom them anyway, so I can have one on each side of me. One comb stroke on Bailey, then one on Riley. The goal isn't really a groomed dog, but a calm one.
I've even taken the combs with us to the park to watch the fireworks. We sit on the blankets and lightly comb them out - even the nieces and nephews enjoy helping out. The girls love the attention. My husband thinks the grooming is actually therapy for me. He's probably right. |
| I have a CD with all different sounds on for puppies. Everything from thunderstorms, fireworks, to washing machines and babies crying etc.
I have played this to George almost every day since we bought him. Eventually you just play it every week. Last night there was a firework display near to our house which was so loud I thought he would be terrified. NOTHING! No reaction at all.  It woke him up but he wasn't frightened at all.
All of my previous dogs have been frightened of these sort of noises but George is now used to the sounds. Perhaps you could get something similar it does work! |
| Well, the grooming idea won't work. He isn't thrilled with getting groomed - even though he's been on the grooming table weekly and brushed every day since abut 8 weeks old..but thanks fr the idea
I like the CD idea...where did you get it and what is it called? Last night the thunder was not so bad. He was in his crate with a blanket covering three sides to make him cozy and a couple f his plush toys and pillow...he seemed okay. But I was sleeping in the bed right next to him! |
I wish I had a cure too.  Drez has always been petrified of thunderstorms, fireworks, gunshots (we live in the country and have to put up with hunters). Even now, with her hips as bad as they are, if we get a storm in the middle of the night (like we did last night again), she wakes up, forces her way up to a standing position and just paces and pants all around the room. Goes from my side of the bed to my husband's, right in our faces. There is no calming her down. We've tried holding her tightly, distracting her - nothing.
I've read other members have used Rescue Remedy on their dogs and it has helped. I haven't tried it so can't comment on it. |
| Barney doesn't even notice thunder (unless he's outside doing his business and a particularly loud clap comes through)...but Maggie HATES HATES HATES loud noises (thunder, fireworks, car backfire).
Luckily she lives in So Cal where it might storm once a year. There's nothing we can do to calm her...she just shakes and shivers. I've heard there is a jacket you can put on your dog that helps calm them. It kind of hugs them and makes them feel more secure, but I don't know what it's called. |
| When we got Merlin we had a 10 yo chow. She was always terrified of thunderstorms...I had commented about this to Merlin's breeder.
She told me about Rescue Remedy. I tried it right away, it didn't work immediately but I kept using it and after about the 4th time it worked and I used it a few more times but then after that I didn't need to use it...she was no longer afraid. I think if you pet the dog when it is scared you are reinforcing that it should be afraid. Yesterday during the thunderstorms Scarlet got up looked at me and I didn't stop what I was doing so she just lay back down. I have done this with all my sheepies and none are afraid of thunder. You don't even have to put the rescue remedy in their mouths...a squirt on their muzzle works as well.. |
| Monty had me up for an hour last night with thunder..and it wasn't even a lot of thunder. I've heard about the rescue remedy and will definately be trying it!
Nelson Bach USA - Rescue Remedy, click to check price |
| I got my CD from puppyschool.co.uk but here is another link to another CD which is much the same in the US.
http://www.petbehaviourcentre.com/us/index.htm Go to the online shop and it is under training aids and is called - "sounds scary" Hope this helps!! |
| At Dutchs puppy class they used different machines to make loud noises every once in ahile to get them used to it. We had a severe storm a week or so ago and Dutch didn't even look around.
But the funniest thing I saw was my g/fathers 100+ pound sheepie getting under an old fashioned couch when it stormed ( the legs where about 4 in. high ). The couch would slowly rise as Rex squirmed under it |
| Hmm...oddly enough, my sheepie could care less about the thunder, but hates the mower and vacuum cleaner. |
| On that topic, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's between 8 and 12 wks of age that they either adjust to loud noise or become frightened by it. My guys want to come in the house when they hear thunder or fireworks. But it's not a big deal they crawl in a corner and go to sleep. Right now with a lot of repair projects going on in the house, the do the same thing when there is hammering or the air compressor kicks in for the nailer. I once had a Collie that was so afraid of noise you could hold a piece of meat in front of his nose and he didn't even notice it when we were at a turkey shoot one time. |
| Yes, George, you are correct. 8 t 12 weeks is a major fear period. What happens during those weeks can make a lasting impression. Those weeks are an imprtant developmental period...which is why its so crucial to expose them to all sorts of things at that age gently...
My puppy came from Montana...they don't get many thunderstorms there! When we got him home, we introduced him to all sorts of noises...but being this is his first spring/summer, he is now getting used to another whole bunch of new sounds not present during the winter months...he just turned five months... |
barney1 wrote: Luckily she lives in So Cal where it might storm once a year. There's nothing we can do to calm her...she just shakes and shivers.
Poor Maggie, Pepsi is exactly the same. Must be because the storms are so rare. But when we do get one Pepsi freaks out and shakes and whimpers until it stops. |
I am very lucky as Gooch can't hear them, but if he sees flashes of lightning...he likes to bark at it! Murph was pretty scared when we first got him. I try not to react to his whining when a storm is going, and that has seemed to help. I call him over for some pats, I don't go to him. Other than that, if its really bad Bach's Rescue Remedy is the cure for all!  |
| What exactly is this Rescue remedy stuff? An herb? I went t the site but it didn't give the ingredients. |
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