Dog is deathly afraid of thunder, desperate for solutions

[Ned Flanders]

A few years ago, our dog was forever spooked by neighborhood fireworks.  Since then, he's become deathly afraid of thunderstorms in addition to fireworks.  We've tried everything, the thunder shirt, drugs, hugs, treats, etc. and nothing has worked.  Any help or advice is appreciated.  TIA.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Do the make  ear plugs?

[KD in CA]

Move to the west coast....no thunder here.

[WhoTom]

Try a little classical conditioning: give him a small treat every time there's a thunderclap. He may begin to associate the thunder with the treat.

 

(Edit: Sorry - I didn't see that you already tried treats.)

Edited June 20, 2020 by WhoTom

[Buffalo_Gal]

I used to have a dog who was very unhappy with the sound of fireworks, and very loud thunder. I never found a solution. I used to just sit beside him and pet him during a violent storm and during the days leading up to Independence Day when the neighborhood youths would set off backyard explosives (July 4th was always lots of "fun"). That calmed him, but he never got over the anxiety.

[Nextmanup]

34 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

A few years ago, our dog was forever spooked by neighborhood fireworks.  Since then, he's become deathly afraid of thunderstorms in addition to fireworks.  We've tried everything, the thunder shirt, drugs, hugs, treats, etc. and nothing has worked.  Any help or advice is appreciated.  TIA.

Play a looping soundtrack of a thunderstorm from Youtube.

 

When the dog freaks out, give him a dog biscuit or treat he likes, and hug him.

 

Condition his brain to equate the sound of thunder with good things, not bad things.

 

I know you've said you've tried aspects of this, but I'm not sure what else you would do.

 

Show him nothing bad happens when it thunders.

 

 

[WhoTom]

3 minutes ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

I used to have a dog who was very unhappy with the sound of fireworks, and very loud thunder. I never found a solution. I used to just sit beside him and pet him during a violent storm and during the days leading up to Independence Day when the neighborhood youths would set off backyard explosives (July 4th was always lots of "fun"). That calmed him, but he never got over the anxiety.

 

We have friends who can't travel around the July 4th weekend because their dogs go ballistic from the sounds. When they travel, the don't put the dogs in a kennel - they have a neighbor who comes over, feeds them, and lets them out a few times a day. One time, they were gone for just an afternoon, and when they got home, the dogs had clawed the crap out of the front door. Turned out, someone nearby had been setting off fireworks.

[RochesterRob]

39 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

A few years ago, our dog was forever spooked by neighborhood fireworks.  Since then, he's become deathly afraid of thunderstorms in addition to fireworks.  We've tried everything, the thunder shirt, drugs, hugs, treats, etc. and nothing has worked.  Any help or advice is appreciated.  TIA.

  Our dog many years ago was best pacified by going down in the basement when a thunderstorm came.  It also helped that my mother was around to let her in the house so she could make the next move.  Before all that she broke a back door window with the thunderstorm being 15 minutes before being obvious to humans.  In the days before the internet and 24/7 local news/weather access.  Anyhow, we learned when she suddenly came to the door scratching to let her right in.  

[Warcodered]

16 minutes ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

I used to have a dog who was very unhappy with the sound of fireworks, and very loud thunder. I never found a solution. I used to just sit beside him and pet him during a violent storm and during the days leading up to Independence Day when the neighborhood youths would set off backyard explosives (July 4th was always lots of "fun"). That calmed him, but he never got over the anxiety.

Pretty much the same here anytime there's thunder my dog wants to be in my room with me but he doesn't freak out that bad.

[ExiledInIllinois]

28 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

Move to the west coast....no thunder here.

Call me skeptical. 

 

It never rains in Southern California, it just pours and swallow you up whole, the ? that is!

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Don’t they make those weighted “anxiety vests” for dogs?  That might help.

[ExiledInIllinois]

 

We have a cat that gets anxious with  impending rain ?  and storms.

 

He's  better than  @Mike in Horseheads with rain forecasting. 

2 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Don’t they make those weighted “anxiety vests” for dogs?  That might help.

They tried.   I say Bose noise-cancelling muffs.

Edited June 20, 2020 by ExiledInIllinois

[Hapless Bills Fan]

58 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

A few years ago, our dog was forever spooked by neighborhood fireworks.  Since then, he's become deathly afraid of thunderstorms in addition to fireworks.  We've tried everything, the thunder shirt, drugs, hugs, treats, etc. and nothing has worked.  Any help or advice is appreciated.  TIA.

 

You've pretty much tried everything.  Only thing I haven't seen on there is building dog a den (crate covered by rugs) and consulting a professional trainer.

What does your dog do to show the fear?  If it's not too disgusting or destructive, may just have to take your best mitigating actions and live with it.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Psychotropic medication.  Just get some doggy Zoloft!

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Read him a Covid thread, or something out of PPP.  Next thunderstorm, Rover will merely raise an eyebrow, and light a Camel straight.  ?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

15 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Psychotropic medication.  Just get some doggy Zoloft!

 

Ah, since you've weighed in - he did mention they'd tried medication

 

But @Ned Flanders have you tried CBD?

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/cbd-oil-for-anxiety-can-it-calm-your-anxious-dog/

 

Our neighbor swears by these CBD biscuits she buys for her anxious dog and gives when t-storms forecast.

 

I don't know why this just occurred to me when I saw your post. ?

 

The other thing I didn't see mentioned is if your dog has a "dog friend" that is not anxious, try to get them together - dogs may be able to communicate calm to each other in a way we can't.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

9 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Ah, since you've weighed in - he did mention they'd tried medication

 

But @Ned Flanders have you tried CBD?

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/cbd-oil-for-anxiety-can-it-calm-your-anxious-dog/

 

Our neighbor swears by these CBD biscuits she buys for her anxious dog and gives when t-storms forecast.

 

I don't know why this just occurred to me when I saw your post. ?

 

The other thing I didn't see mentioned is if your dog has a "dog friend" that is not anxious, try to get them together - dogs may be able to communicate calm to each other in a way we can't.

Yes, JH is a bit of a pot head ?

 

Last spring we “rescued” an older dog who was horribly abused/neglected.  Was brought up here from a kill shelter in SC.  She wouldn’t even make eye contact with me for the first few weeks after we brought her home (was abused by adult male).  She has horrible anxiety.  

 

Anyway, I make a THC oil that works really well for her.  I put about 1/4 teaspoon in half a can of tuna fish.  It’s amazing how much it helps her.  She’s not just “stoned.”  She appears more comfortable, is more social, and loves to eat tortilla chips ?

 

I give it to her if we’re having friends over or if there’s going to be thunder/fireworks.

[KD in CA]

1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Call me skeptical. 

 

It never rains in Southern California, it just pours and swallow you up whole, the ? that is!

 

For real....I think I've heard thunder once in four years living here.  I kinda miss thunder storms, but I guess thunder and fog don't mix.

 

 

59 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Don’t they make those weighted “anxiety vests” for dogs?  That might help.

 

Or some CBD chewables.

Edited June 20, 2020 by KD in CA

[Gugny]

1 hour ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

I used to have a dog who was very unhappy with the sound of fireworks, and very loud thunder. I never found a solution. I used to just sit beside him and pet him during a violent storm and during the days leading up to Independence Day when the neighborhood youths would set off backyard explosives (July 4th was always lots of "fun"). That calmed him, but he never got over the anxiety.

 

Every summer, it seems like people are shooting off fireworks more and more.  It's gotten to the point that, if it's not raining, I hear someone shooting them off.  I always think of the dogs who are scared of them.  Sad,

[Doc Brown]

Drug it.  A dose of trazodone knocks my dog out for four to ten hours.  I've tried everything else over the years and that still seems the only thing to works.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

23 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

Or some CBD chewables.

Between the CBD chewables, 5 pound cans of Alpo, and 100 pound bags of kibble, Ned will go broke!

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 hour ago, KD in CA said:

 

For real....I think I've heard thunder once in four years living here.  I kinda miss thunder storms, but I guess thunder and fog don't mix.

 

 

 

Or some CBD chewables.

There  is thundersnow!

[Johnny Hammersticks]

37 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

There  is thundersnow!

 

I experience a thunder/snow storm once as a kid while ice fishing with my dad up in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  It was unreal...

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Just now, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

I experience a thunder/snow storm once as a kid while ice fishing with my dad up in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  It was unreal...

We see it at least once a winter with lake effect snow off Lake Erie.  Being slightly northwest of the traditional snow dump, I don't know if east and south of Buffalo experience it more.

[Augie]

3 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

Play a looping soundtrack of a thunderstorm from Youtube.

 

When the dog freaks out, give him a dog biscuit or treat he likes, and hug him.

 

Condition his brain to equate the sound of thunder with good things, not bad things.

 

I know you've said you've tried aspects of this, but I'm not sure what else you would do.

 

Show him nothing bad happens when it thunders.

 

 

 

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t claim to be a dog whisperer, but I’ve had many over the years. This sounds a little like rewarding the behavior you are trying to eliminate? Maybe, if possible, provide treats as long as the dog stays calm in anticipation of thunder. This may be totally impossible, but definitely provide the physical comforting. Maybe try playing tug or something to distract before the worst weather sets in? Nothing will be an immediate fix, but any incremental improvement is helpful. 

 

I don’t claim to have all the answers. The Golden we had before our current Gracie had issues. We foolishly made an emotional purchase from a backyard breeder. She was a submissive pee-er (yeah, I’m making up words) and had thyroid issues. Needed a pill every morning for the thyroid. Super sweet dog, but the wetting got old fast, often as people would try to greet her in my car. I’d yell “WAIT! Stop! Don’t pet her!” They would say “it’s OK, I love dogs”. Gee thanks for the puddle in my backseat. Why can’t you %^^$ing listen? Don’t just pet strange dogs without asking, and DEFINITELY stop if someone is yelling NO! You just might lose some flash! We tried everything, never got it completely resolved but learned to be proactive to avoid mistakes better. What do I know? She was awesome other than that one messy problem. 

 

I’m on my 6th Golden, and only one got nervous with thunder. It wasn’t too severe, but I had two at the time and she seemed to take some comfort in being near her best buddy during those times. My current Golden we went out of state to a great breeder in an attempt to avoid more “issues”.  He was proud to show me how none of them even flinched at a LOUD gas leaf blower. 

 

Best of luck in dealing with this. We all hate to see “man’s best friend” in a quacking panic. I wish I had some solid advice for you. 

[Wacka]

Can't find it on Youtube  SNL, but try doggie downers and puppy uppers. (1976?)

[Buffalo_Gal]

17 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

We see it at least once a winter with lake effect snow off Lake Erie.  Being slightly northwest of the traditional snow dump, I don't know if east and south of Buffalo experience it more.

The Buffalo area will occasionally get a thunder snow. I am seldom here in the winter (last 10 years or so), but I only recall it a handful of times in my life.  Maybe it happens more now?
 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

 

This may help?

[Marv's Neighbor]

22 hours ago, KD in CA said:

Move to the west coast....no thunder here.

Lived in Seattle for almost 20 years, and they don't have heart worms either.  Not sure how/why that happened but saved a bunch not having to buy the meds for my dog.

[ALF]

www.thundershirt.com

[muppy]

I know this is extreme measures but how about a sound proof room? all the other treatments Ive heard of have been mentioned.

[EmotionallyUnstable]

My one dogs freaks at fireworks and thunder. The other couldn’t be bothered to even notice it. 

[Ned Flanders]

On 6/20/2020 at 1:56 PM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Yes, JH is a bit of a pot head ?

 

Last spring we “rescued” an older dog who was horribly abused/neglected.  Was brought up here from a kill shelter in SC.  She wouldn’t even make eye contact with me for the first few weeks after we brought her home (was abused by adult male).  She has horrible anxiety.  

 

Anyway, I make a THC oil that works really well for her.  I put about 1/4 teaspoon in half a can of tuna fish.  It’s amazing how much it helps her.  She’s not just “stoned.”  She appears more comfortable, is more social, and loves to eat tortilla chips ?

 

I give it to her if we’re having friends over or if there’s going to be thunder/fireworks.

Thanks for this, I may try it.

 

We have the thundershirt and that has not helped very much...sigh...

 

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm thinking the THC oil may be the next alternative.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

7 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

Thanks for this, I may try it.

 

We have the thundershirt and that has not helped very much...sigh...

 

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm thinking the THC oil may be the next alternative.

 

From the sounds of things, this might be a really good option for your dog.  A very low dose might do the trick, and won’t turn your dog into a drooling zombie.  You can experiment with dosage.  Like I said, we started with 1/4 teaspoon and that worked well so we stayed with that.

 

If you have access to purchase an oil or tincture, awesome.  If not, I can help you make some out of cannabis flower.  It’s actually not all that complicated to make the oil.  PM me if you need a point in the right direction ?