whats a "mother" to do?????
 (11 months) is in the bathroom---won't come out..
I have to go to work and I am feeling awful about luring her into her crate and leaving. She is not shaking or pacing....Just laying in a ball by the toilet bowl. We have a very small bathroom so the crate will not fit. I am at a loss as to what to do. This is a new thing. She has never minded storms before. I "blame" Cosmo(my Beardie with issues) for this new behaviour. I think she learned it from him since he gets real antsy and anxious about storms. Pearl, my other OES has never been bothered by them. Can a puppy learn this from another dog??? and why didn't she pick up on Pearl behaviour instead???? Answers are needed here....please great all knowing forum...I need help....AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| yes, I think they do learn it from other dogs. I have two who are petrified, in fact we think that's why Harry ended up at the shetler........he ran away. Other dogs have arrived without issues but quickly became quaking masses and even the suggestion a storm is coming.
I have no solution as I have 4 who can not be calmed by action or drugs. I have spent countless storms in an interior hall without windows and open doors trying to sleep on the floor while the dogs drooled over me. |
| They definitly learn behaviors form one another. Leave her in the bathroom - its actually where I leave one of my dogs as it is easy to clean, cool and not alot to chew! |
| I agree to leave her in the bathroom if she is safe there and it is practical to do so.
I don't have dogs who do this, although a couple have seemed spooked once or twice at storms--or fireworks being set off (illegally) in the neighborhood. Mine tend to be afraid of parades, but that's easy enough to avoid. But here's what I do when my dogs are skittish/terrified of situations or objects that are very common and commonly unavoidable (ie, blowing paper or plastic bags; yard signs in new places, etc). I don't react. Period. We simply go on about our routine as though nothing could possibly be a threat or frighening or upsetting. I sort of learned this from my mother who was terrified of thunderstorms (amongst other things) but who made a big point of telling us that it was really only her irrational problem, that we were perfectly safe and the best thing to do was to simply go on about our day as though there were no problem. Now, of course if there really was a threatening tornado, we took cover, but commonly, as a sensible rather than fearful thing to do. Maybe I have been uncommonly lucky in that none of my dogs has had that anxiety. |
kerry wrote: They definitly learn behaviors form one another. Leave her in the bathroom - its actually where I leave one of my dogs as it is easy to clean, cool and not alot to chew!
This is what I did.....I did lure her into her crate with some yummy filled hard bones. I closed all the drapes....and turn the TV up LOUD. (I heard that may muffle the thunder....OR ....freak my poor baby out even more.....(CAN YOU SAY..."MOMMA TRAUMATIZED ME??????"). 
I am going to "go to the bank"  in a little while and detour to my house to check on all of them (HER). |
| Just to explain further....I cannot keep her in the bathroom for a couple of reasons. The main one being is that it is very small and there is no window.
Closing the door would be very stifling for her and I think would cause her more stress. But maybe I could be wrong...I JUST DON'T KNOW!!!!  |
| Move the crate into the kitchen or a room with tile or wood floors. There is supposed to be something about tile floors not conducting small electrical charges that occur during thunderstorms - I'm realy sure about that, but maybe.... carpet is supposed to hold the charges.
Cover the crate with a blanket to make a cave. Is your crate metal? Radio or TV turned up is a good idea. We always turn off the alarm systm at the box as it can be scary when it comes back on. And don't cuddle/reinforce the fear - hard to not comfort them though. |
| Maybe turning the crate into a cozy cave would be thw way to go cover it in heavy towels or blankets, only leaving the opening clear, so that it dampens the sound a little and will shield the flash of any lightening.
Maybe that is why she is in the bathroom the lack of window is masking some of the effects? |
sheepieshake wrote: Just to explain further....I cannot keep her in the bathroom for a couple of reasons. The main one being is that it is very small and there is no window.
Closing the door would be very stifling for her and I think would cause her more stress. But maybe I could be wrong...I JUST DON'T KNOW!!!! I use a baby gate to ensure adequate airflow even though our bathroom is huge (that's another post). |
| She is on hardwood and her crate is metal. I do have a light blanket on the top, but I have not draped it to the sides due to airflow...she gets so hot...but I will do that!!!
BUT!!! A BABY GATE!!!!!! OMGOODNESS!!!!! that is it!!!!!!WHOO-HOO!!!!! I just knew I could get advice on how to handle this!!!! ....a baby gate....I have 2 that I use constantly so it's not like I don't see them every day.....a baby gate.....of course... (she will get the air she needs...can see the other dogs....and will be where she wants to be...)....genius!!!! (i am sooo excited about this!!!!....does that tell you about my life????) .....but I am soooo looking forward to meeting everyone and everydoggie SHEEPIEPALOOZA!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| There is a cape called the Storm Defender...the underside is kinda like aluminum foil (not sure what it is) but it takes away the electricity from the air that hits the fur and calms down the dog. THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!
The have 100% guarantee, but you have to at least give it three storms before you return it as some dogs arent use to wearing clothes and try to take it off. I put it on my dog when it was raining, without the thunder and lighting for a few times also.....NOW STORMS ARE WONDERFUL. WORTH A TRY!!! they come in all sizes and are about $75 |
| http://www.stormdefender.com/how_it_works.htm
hmmmmmmm Just the action of having something around the chest is calming for some dogs. I miss Paige, my meteorologist dog who'd watch and sky and when storm clouds would form, even miles away, would bark at them. Whether she felt the electricity, heard thunder, or knew darker clouds meant trouble, she'd begin her protection routine. In fact she was in full protection mode one evening and died in her sleep early the next morning.......so a defender until the end. |
| Barney is afraid of storms, fireworks, loud sharp noises in general. I've had some success putting him on a down stay. When he finally relaxes I give him lots of praise. Seems to be working with storms. We'll see how good it is when the 4th of July comes. |
| Blue wont hide when there's thunder, she'll run around the garden barking at it, and Pepsi will curl up in a corner and pretend the thunder isnt there.
Don't know if anyone else's sheepie is like Blue but she doesn't like Kites, well I think she doesn't like kites. She constantly barks and barks at them. She doesn't run around barking, just stands there and barks. |
| Timely discussion. This morning, 12:57 the house was filled with a boom.....thunder. Not 5 seconds later Harry was on my bed and on me, laying on my stomach and chest. Dearly wanting to breathe, I rolled slightly allowing him to slide beside me. He was trembling. Thinking if I could get back to sleep, he'd settle down. HA! The whole bed shook. If I touched him, he trembled more.
They are still unsettled even though the rain and thunder lasted but a short time. There are big heavy clouds to the west, sunshine to the east. I wish they'd look out the east windows, not the west. |
Aww!!! Poor Harry...Tell him Heart and Cos know exactly how he feels....and are sending trembling sheepie hugs and kisses to him.....   |
| I read somewhere that it's the electrical charge that upsets dogs - not actually the noise or lightning. The article said to rub them with a dryer sheet.
I've never tried it (haven't had any loud storms since we got Barkley) but It's worth a shot.. |
| Well, he'd smell good even if it doesn't work......... |
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