9738 Help! Thunderstorms really spooking my Dog

I feel for you. Our dog was exactly the same. It drove us mad with sympathy for the poor thing and frustration at the state of our carpets.

We bought something from our vet that you plug in and it emits a smell or maybe a pheromone that smells of mother to a dog (no detectible odour to humans) thereby calming the dog down. You need to plug it in for a while in advance in order to allow the pheromones to be adequately dispersed in the air so it's advisable to set it up in a smallish room. We thought it made some small improvement but by the time we came across it he was too habituated to his old patterns of behaviour for it to be a revolutionary cure.

I've also heard that you can buy CDs of storms that you can play softly to the dog so that he gets used to the idea. I've no idea if that one works though. All the advice seems to be that you should not comfort the dog because that just reinforces his current behaviour. Terribly hard to resist though. If you google "dogs + storms" you'll see loads of pages of advice.

Our dog died a year or so ago and now every time we have a thunder storm I am so pleased that I don't have to feel anxious for the dog any more.

Hi,

Our dog has the same problem, thunderstoms, fireworks & shotguns!! We have tried CD's and the dog doesn't flinch with the noise from them but obviously they don't mimic the change in air pressure. I do believe they work if you use them on the dog from being a puppy.

We do use the plug aromothrapy, this is quite good when you use it a few days before any event (bonfire night or New Years eve), so if your having regular thunderstorms, just keep it plugged in. The main product we have used is Valerian (specifically for pets) this is a herbal relaxant, you put a few drops on a biscuit or something and the dog becomes quite mellow. If you just Google Valerian for pets, you get quite a few hits, get the extract rather than the tablets.

Also, advice I have read is that you should ignore the dog, if you make a fuss of it then they tend to think that you are also worried and this compounds their anxiety - I'm no pet psychologist, it's only info I have read.

Chris

Do try to act normally and not fuss the dog.They will pick up on your anxiety and this makes them worse.Try to stay calm and ignore your dog during the storm.

Moved to : Italiauncovered.co.uk

There is an English dog therapist quite close to you, in the Umbertide area I think. I'm afraid I can't recall his name or contact details, but if you perhaps have any friends over in that area who get a local publication called Valley Life, the dog man has a column in that magazine. If I get one of the magazines I'll post his details.

Grazie tutti for the advice, will certainly try and get hold of some valerian. I think Vaz tries to create his own den when he is stressed by the storms, he curls up under the desk or goes to the darkest room in the house which, unfortunately, happens to be the kitchen. At this time I let my health and safety head be overruled and let him rest there!!

Charles, thank you about Valley Life, yes I have seen it, we are pretty close to that area. I picked up a copy recently when we were at this 'different' restaurant near Anghiari - Castello di Sorci. Just of the Arezzo-Sansepolcro road on the road towards Anghiari.
20 euros per adult, four courses including wine! No choice you get what has been cooked - simple tuscan home kitchen cooking and always packed at the weekend. You would need to book. More of a dining hall experience but no worse for that. Home made pasta etc etc etc.
On Sundays they open the 'castle' section 3-6pm. and there the rather eccentric old guy displays his torture chamber stuff... wine etc for sale also.

Again, thanks all

[quote=Aretina;91233]I think Vaz tries to create his own den when he is stressed by the storms, he curls up under the desk or goes to the darkest room in the house[/quote]

Seems your dog knows best - let him be. :yes:

He is called Breon O'farrell see [url=http://www.aziendailcucciolo.it/index2.htm]Azienda Il Cucciolo[/url]
He's American, married to an Italian and is very much a dog expert. An email to him would be a good idea and he may even use it as a piece for his page in the local magazine Valley Life.

I did a course a few years ago in this and they taught a technique for this rather like swaddling a baby. It works a treat for my dog. It doesn't cure him but he is much, much more relaxed and will quite often sleep through them.

I can't really explain how you do it (you'd have to see it really) but an alternative is to find a small t-shirt, pop his front legs through the arms and his head through the neck hole and tie a knott (80's style!) in the bottom of it so it feels snug but not tight on him. Don't whatever you do let him out or the neighbours will think you are bonkers!

Works for us.

Hi All

Many thanks for the advice given for both me and Vaz. I got a supply of Valerian from [url=http://www.holisticpetsupplies.co.uk]Holistic Pet Supplies - Complementary Remedies for Dogs, Cats & Horses[/url] in time for the latest crop of thunderstorms and it does appear to be helping Vaz cope with thunderstorms. Certainly calmer in his 'cave' now (partner say he looks like he should be listening to Pink Floyd).

Again, thanks everyone.

ps. Also, sent some to my sister, whose lab. has developed a habit of wrecking sofas when stressed - and not just hers!