# Thunder Phobia?!?!



## embreeo (Aug 19, 2006)

You might try Rescue Remedy - a homeopathic remedy for stress relief (liquid drops you put underneath the tongue). You can get it at a health food store.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I didn't know you could get it at a health food store, I thought I had to order it online! Thanks!
We give our thunder anxious Gunner ACE when it looks like it will storm most of the night. He still trembles and pants but much better than his terror if he doesn't have it.

Hope you find something that works.
We tried the anxiety wrap.. didn't work for Gunner. If anything it made him more afraid and confused.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

One thing, do NOT pet or soothe when acting in this behavior. That is rewarding what you don't want. Maxine is thunder phobic. If she is freaking out, I command her to lay down, "THEN" and only then will I pet her. If she gets up I take away my attention. We all "feel sorry" for them, but that is what they want. That will encourage the behavior. During a daytime storm I will train her a bit and try to distract her from what is happening. I do it in our basement where she feels safe. That way again I can reward good behavior.

That being said. My sincerest sympathy! I hate having a phobic dog. I have heard good things about Rescue Remedy, I have not tried it we use a tranquilizer. At the pharmacy you can get something over the counter called Melatonin. That is supposed to help. It didn't help my dog, but since yours has just started it might. It won't go away, sorry.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

SunGold said:


> All of a sudden my 5 year old girl is starting to get REALLY nervous during Thunderstorms. We're having one currently and she's under the covers in bed with me panting like crazy. Poor thing. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to help her or maybe correct the behavior before it gets worse? She's never had an issue before, just started this Summer. Thanks!


There were bad thunderstorms last night!!! (I live in northern MA, I see you're in NH) My aunt has a dog who gets really anxious and I think the vet prescribed medication for him to take when a thunderstorm is coming.


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## Jazz's Mom (Feb 26, 2007)

I just tried a homeopathic product called Anxiety TFLN the other day and seemed to get good results. (see the thread I started Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda)


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## AmyinAr (Feb 26, 2008)

ditto rescue remedy, I have a 10 year old Corgi with horrible storm phobia, she has her hidy spots and gets through it, I would never think of correcting the behavior, then she would just associate storms with even more bad things ... just help her how you can and then let her ride it out as long as she's not hurting herself


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## embreeo (Aug 19, 2006)

I bought Rescue Remedy at my local GNC. You can also if the dog gets carsick.


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## SunGold (Feb 27, 2007)

Thanks everyone - we're suppose to have more tonight so I'll try the Rescue Remedy. My main concern is that she's due in heat anyday now and we plan on breeding her, I can just see us getting a huge storm and her getting all worked up while she's pregnant! I'm a wicked worry wart! She's never cared about the storms before and none of our other dogs care, so I have no idea where it's coming from.


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## historicprim (Nov 24, 2007)

Oh, I see you own a Scully daughter! I guess she passed it along to her offspring


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

Have you tried the Rescue Remedy yet? I use that for Jack and it does take some of the edge off of his trembling but doesn't end his phobia completely. I have also been giving him meletonin for thunder phobia. Check out this article on it by a vet at Tuft's Vet School:

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/melatonin.htm

I also use something called Stress Free Calmplex that I order online. It helps him (along with the melatonin) with his daily 'noise phobias'. 

http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/100/2

I was at the local pharmacy yesterday (we had all day long thunderstorms the day before that) and someone was picking up a prescription for a dog so I asked the person if the dog was having problems with the thunder and she said that usually Valium worked for *'Rosie'* but it wore off long before the storms had ended the day before so now they were going to try Zanac (sp?). I mentioned that I wished my vet would prescribe something besides Valium, which never worked for Hershey, and she said, "I'm the vet ".

Then she told me about a product that works for her own dog (Rosie wasn't her dog) who became thunder phobic at the age of 7 yrs old. It's called "Composure Liquid" and it's available on Amazon.com. I also found it on PetMeds: 

http://www.1800petmeds.com/Composure+Liquid-prod10809-10809.html 

I'm going to give it a try. I figure that sooner or later I will find something that will help Jack with all of his noise fears....poor guy :no:


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

Pippa is afraid of thunder this summer too and wasn't last. We've had some pretty nasty storms this year and as the summer is progressing she is getting better. Sort of like she's being desensitized. I try to ignore her behaviour and go about my business. She pants like crazy and jumps up at me as if she wants me to pick her up which of course I can't because she's 70 pounds. I think once she knows I am comfortable and everything seems normal with our routine she relaxes. Another suggestion for you would be to offer some really exciting treats like a filled Kong or new bone to chew so that your dog associates the storm with something good.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I don't care what anyone says about encouraging the behavior by comforting them. Gunner is a basket case during storms and wants to get up on the couch and lay by me. I get up with him during the night if it's storming, we turn on the lights and TV and sit on the couch together till it's over. To ignore him or not pet him would be cruel. 
I don't make a big deal of it, I just act like it's normal to be up watching TV at 3 a.m.!


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

It's hard to explain but I do cuddle Pippa when she is upset with the storm (that's what she wants is to be cuddled into me) but I guess I just try to be as normal as possible and I don't act like I am feeling sorry for her or anything like that because that is what feeds their insecurity I think. Usually once she has had her cuddle, I can go about my business and she thinks "ok this isn't a big deal I guess".


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

It's not cruel to ignore the behavior. By comforting them, you are reinforcing the fact that they should be afraid. By ignoring it, you are letting them know that there is nothing to be afraid of. The more you cuddle them, the worse they will become over time. 

I had one of the worst turned into our rescue. My beloved Tess. She was 10 and severely thunderphobic. She would wake me up at night if a storm came up and claw me because she was so scared. Between valium and my working with her by not coddling her, she improved so much, I was amazed. She no longer clawed me and was not panicked any more. To me, that was the end of her cruel life where she had been comforted and then thrown away when it got so bad she was causing the family to lose sleep. I never scolded her, I just was matter of fact and said "you're fine, go lie down". I do the same with my Jasmine now, who developed thunderphobia after Tess was gone. I think Tess passed it on to her! Now that my husband has learned not to comfort Jasmine during a storm, her fears have eased off almost completely (unless I am not home).


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## threegoldengirls (Mar 1, 2006)

Tasia is very afraid of thunderstorms and fire crackers. We just had a thunderstorm
about a half an hour ago and she crawled up in my husband's chair with him stuck her nose under his robe into his armpit and was trembling :uhoh We've tried to ignore her and act like there isn't anything wrong but she still panics


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Same here. Ignoring my first golden who got under the bed and ignoring Gunner and telling him to go lay down hasn't helped.


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