What to do for a dog that hates thunderstorms?

[loisg1]

Last night around three am, a thunderstorm started in our area. The storm kept up until about 6:30. She sleeps in a crate in DDs room but she starts pawing at the door and clawing at the metal base. She has a bed in the crate for comfort. I gave her two benedryl which the vet had recommended, but nothing calmed her down. Now it's 7:30 and I've been up since three and only got about four hours sleep.

She goes willingly into the crate and many times sleeps in there during the day. We love her to pieces but now she's laying here next to me all worn out from being up all night.

Help...
Lois

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I don't have a suggestion because it is what you already do. My 2 shelties sleep on the floor of my bedroom. If they get upset about a storm, I put them each in their crates and they settle down.

 

[meandtheguys]

There was an article in our paper awhile back that said that melatonin can be given to dogs. I don't remember the dosage, but you could do a search. I know there is someone local who buys it for her dogs, because sometimes I can't get it!

 

[winniedapooh]

Sometimes it helps to put my St. Bernard downstairs but someone has to stay with her or she really panics! I don't know, maybe give the Benadryl before the storm. When I take meds to go to the dentist, I am so panicked at the thought, that often my system does not allow them to work until after I get home and then I sleep for, I dunno, 4-6 hours out of panic, exhaustion, and meds. One other thing is the dose. Is that appropriate? If you give them too much it can have the reverse effect and overexcite them! That is not a good thing. I hope you find a solution, the poor baby. It is so difficult with animals sometimes and you feel so bad for them. I also will give you some sympathy as well, you must be exhausted! Pixie dust to you!

 

[Pop Daddy]

they just have to deal with it

 

[Serena]

Buy a tape of thunderstorms. Have it play quietly in the back ground until they are used to it. Then slowly turn up the volume and let them get used to the noise. Eventually, you will have it loud and it won't bother them.

My dog is fine, as long as someone is rubbing her belly.

 

[Kermit]

Our dog gets in our bed during bad storms. That's the only time it's allowed, and he knows it. He used to sleep in a crate, but we haven't had him in it since he was about 3 years old. He's calm enough now that he doesn't need it. Fortunately, we never had a problem when he was in the crate because he wasn't scared of storms back then. We had a storm a few years ago with a lot of lightening, and he's been scared of them ever since.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

I would probably have taken her out of the crate and comforted her until she felt safe.

 

[Debi]

My dog got very nervous during thunderstorms also. We tried everything with Denny, and nothing worked. We just had to sit with him and pet him until the storm ended. {{{Hugs}}}

 

[DoeWDW]

I've heard good things about this product:

http://www.stormdefender.com/

but haven't used it myself yet. I'm considering it for my mini dachshund who hides and trembles during thunderstorms.

 

[sue1013]

I too have one that is scared of thunder. My 80 lb husky just paces and whines throughout the storm. 4th of July is no better. We've tried many things the only thing that works for ours is to turn the TV on really loud. Last night we had those storms also. He came in the bedroom woke us up, I put the TV on for him. DH and I went to sleep on the couches in the family room.

 

[Tiggerkeeper]

My sister's black lab used to get into the bathtub during storms. She even closed the door behind her when she went in the bathroom! After the storm passed she was fine but during the storm she was crazy.

 

[TigerBear]

Tiger Bear is terrified of thunder & lightening too. She always knows its going to storm before it actually does! I try to not give her too much attention, but its so hard when she is just trembling. What I typically do is open the door to my walk-in closet and let her go in there. Since there are no windows, she doesn't see the lightening as much and the noise of the thunder seems a little less intense. She is not a chewer though!

 

[Ran]

oooh boy do I feel your pain, my 135 lb dog wuold try to get into the smallest place he could generally breaking everything in the process, our vet gave us Doggie Downers, don't remember what kind, they kept him from freaking out really bad, the only problem with that is you have to be home and know there is a thunderstorm coming, once the storm starts it's too late


he also got into the bathtub luckily it was in the middle of the house and there was a fan so I could close the door turn the fan on and then I put a speaker outside the door and played something with a lot of bass that would get him through the storm but didn't actually help calm him down

poor dogs

good luck

 

[piglet too]

My parents raise Bernese Mountain Dogs. They had a male who was petrified of loud noises, so bad that he would find the smallest place to crawl under/into and hide and shake in terror. They gave him something called Rescue Remedy and it worked real well. I can ask my Mom about the amounts if you want me to.

 

[loisg1]

I just solved part of my problem... went upstairs to watch the AM shows and fell asleep for a few hours. The only problem is that I thought I was going to watch tv and had my contacts in an they're the RGPs. My eyes feel like a gravel pit.

Sue, Katya is a Sibe as well. We'd happily let her out of her crate but at night but she's upstairs and we have three kitties that she seems to think would make a perfect snack! So they stay upstairs and she's downstairs with a gate at the steps for safety for all!!

When storms come up when we're all awake we'll be downstairs and give her the benadryl and talk to her and just generally baby her to pieces and she's much better... although she gets that typical husky paranoid look - of ears back and oh-oh!!

Yes, if anyone can get the names of meds that would be great. She's 50 pounds and the vet had recommended two to three tabs of benadryl.

Oh, yes... where is she now??? snoozing in her downstairs crate and has been sleeping since the storm ended.

Thanks for all of your good thoughts.
Lois

 

[Tuffcookie]

My first Lab was deathly afraid of thunder storms. You would find him hiding in an upstairs closet! I found putting him in the basement during storms helped him alot.

TC

 

[Pin Wizard]

My retriever was fine until one storm with lightening so bright I swear it hit the lake outside. And the thunder was the loudest I ever heard. My dog literally started shaking and came right over by me. Ever since then, he trembles during any thunderstorm and won't leave my side. I usually pet him to try and make him feel better.