Our geriatric BC/GR mix, who has always been afraid of t-storms, has developed
a full-fledged phobia in the last few months. What used to be panting, pacing
and trembling has turned into what appears to be absolute terror, with a
panicked run and hysterical trembling.

Our vet has provided Valium for her, but it doesn't seem to help overly much.
We also have to give it to her about an hour before she hears the storm
approaching (which is about an hour before WE hear it). Of course, if we are
at work, we can't give it to her at all.

Any advice? Also, does anyone know anything about this?

http://www.dogstuff.com/anxwrap.htm

A couple of people on the Hoflin list had good things to say about it.

Sheila

WhansaMi said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Our geriatric BC/GR mix, who has always been afraid of
t-storms, has developed a full-fledged phobia in the last
few months. What used to be panting, pacing and trembling
has turned into what appears to be absolute terror, with a
panicked run and hysterical trembling.

Old Murphy had the same problem, though it never got to the
point of terror, I think. How are you dealing with it? Is it
possible that she's got some sort of cognitive disorder?

The common advice is to ignore it, be obviously happy, and make
her happy and relaxed. Over time, this worked for us, enjoying
thunder from the window and then the yard.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

WhansaMi said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Our geriatric BC/GR mix, who has always been afraid of
t-storms, has developed a full-fledged phobia in the last
few months. What used to be panting, pacing and trembling
has turned into what appears to be absolute terror, with a
panicked run and hysterical trembling.

Old Murphy had the same problem, though it never got to the
point of terror, I think. How are you dealing with it? Is it
possible that she's got some sort of cognitive disorder?

The common advice is to ignore it, be obviously happy, and make
her happy and relaxed. Over time, this worked for us, enjoying
thunder from the window and then the yard.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

Rocky wrote:

The common advice is to ignore it, be obviously happy, and
make her happy and relaxed. Over time, this worked for us,
enjoying thunder from the window and then the yard.

I can endorse this. Keller's first experience of thunder was in
May this year. He was terrified. Charging around, crying,
barking, and eventually hiding under the stairs and trembling.
When it occurred at 3am it became, literally, a nightmare for
me.

Sitting in front of the patio doors when a thunderstorm was on
its way, rolling him over, giving him a treat, encouraging him
to do tricks before it got too loud, relaxed him a lot and now
you wouldn't know he was ever bothered by them.

Still, I'm not sure whether that would work with a dog that's
been increasingly phobic for a length of time. It's easier to
get rid of puppy (than adult) hang-ups I suppose.
--
Lee J. Moore
http://cafe-society.com

Rocky wrote:

The common advice is to ignore it, be obviously happy, and
make her happy and relaxed. Over time, this worked for us,
enjoying thunder from the window and then the yard.

I can endorse this. Keller's first experience of thunder was in
May this year. He was terrified. Charging around, crying,
barking, and eventually hiding under the stairs and trembling.
When it occurred at 3am it became, literally, a nightmare for
me.

Sitting in front of the patio doors when a thunderstorm was on
its way, rolling him over, giving him a treat, encouraging him
to do tricks before it got too loud, relaxed him a lot and now
you wouldn't know he was ever bothered by them.

Still, I'm not sure whether that would work with a dog that's
been increasingly phobic for a length of time. It's easier to
get rid of puppy (than adult) hang-ups I suppose.
--
Lee J. Moore
http://cafe-society.com

Lee J. Moore said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Still, I'm not sure whether that would work with a dog that's
been increasingly phobic for a length of time.

Which is why I included the statement "Old Murphy had the same
problem, though it never got to the point of terror".

It's easier to
get rid of puppy (than adult) hang-ups I suppose.

Murphy was 7 years old when she first encountered major
thunderstorms.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

Lee J. Moore said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Still, I'm not sure whether that would work with a dog that's
been increasingly phobic for a length of time.

Which is why I included the statement "Old Murphy had the same
problem, though it never got to the point of terror".

It's easier to
get rid of puppy (than adult) hang-ups I suppose.

Murphy was 7 years old when she first encountered major
thunderstorms.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

: Still, I'm not sure whether that would work with a dog that's
: been increasingly phobic for a length of time.

It won't.

The "jolly routine" is fine as far as it goes, but for dogs with a real
phobia it's like trying to attack malaria with aspirin.



I'm afraid Melanie is right, here. My DH and I actually like thunderstorms, so
I'm sure it isn't that she is picking up anxiety vibes from us.

We adopted her when she was between 3 and 4. She has, as long as she has been
with us, been very afraid of thunderstorms. In the past, as soon as she
heard/felt them coming, she would attach herself to one of our legs. Later,
she would pace, tremble and crouch. We generally acted "jolly", but it never
had an impact, so we just let her do what she needed to do in order to get by.


Now her terror often causes her to become hyperactive and destructive.
Sometimes she wants to go to the basement. One day, a couple of weeks ago, a
t-storm came on while we were out, and she destroyed the door frame trying to
get down there. (Did you know they insert metal strips into drywall corners to
keep the shape? We do now, only ours looked like bows!) She also cut her feet
in the process. :-((((

Other times she moves rapidly around the house, as if she needs some place to
go, but can't figure out where. To make matters worse, she has now generalized
the reaction to any rain, so that now she is crouching and panting any time
there is rain.

Anyone out there actually fixed a problem of such severity... please??? :-O

Sheila

: Still, I'm not sure whether that would work with a dog that's
: been increasingly phobic for a length of time.

It won't.

The "jolly routine" is fine as far as it goes, but for dogs with a real
phobia it's like trying to attack malaria with aspirin.



I'm afraid Melanie is right, here. My DH and I actually like thunderstorms, so
I'm sure it isn't that she is picking up anxiety vibes from us.

We adopted her when she was between 3 and 4. She has, as long as she has been
with us, been very afraid of thunderstorms. In the past, as soon as she
heard/felt them coming, she would attach herself to one of our legs. Later,
she would pace, tremble and crouch. We generally acted "jolly", but it never
had an impact, so we just let her do what she needed to do in order to get by.


Now her terror often causes her to become hyperactive and destructive.
Sometimes she wants to go to the basement. One day, a couple of weeks ago, a
t-storm came on while we were out, and she destroyed the door frame trying to
get down there. (Did you know they insert metal strips into drywall corners to
keep the shape? We do now, only ours looked like bows!) She also cut her feet
in the process. :-((((

Other times she moves rapidly around the house, as if she needs some place to
go, but can't figure out where. To make matters worse, she has now generalized
the reaction to any rain, so that now she is crouching and panting any time
there is rain.

Anyone out there actually fixed a problem of such severity... please??? :-O

Sheila

WhansaMi said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

The "jolly routine" is fine as far as it goes, but for dogs
with a real phobia it's like trying to attack malaria with
aspirin.

I'm afraid Melanie is right, here.

Since these responses are all in reaction to my post, I'll make
it clear one more time: I'm always careful to mention that this
worked with *my* dog Murphy. I have never extended it to dogs
with "real phobias".

So, this will be the last time I post about Murphy and
thunderstorms.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.