Fido hates dark, stormy nights

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Have you ever experienced the sight of a dog frantically pacing, whining, or diving for cover the instant thunder rumbles in the distance? Maybe you've come home to find that the happy dog you left playing in the backyard this morning has injured himself, and damaged your home, digging and clawing his way through a door to come inside. Or perhaps your dog simply plasters himself to your body, and trembles until a storm is over.

Any of these behaviors could be a sign that your dog has a thunderstorm phobia. Although animal behaviorists have studied this problem for years, its root cause is not totally known. Complicating the issue is the fact that thunderstorm phobia can develop late in life, often manifesting itself for the first time at age 7 or 8--possibly because older dogs experience some sort of pain when the barometric pressure drops, like an arthritic human being experiences when a storm is on the way.

Since there are many components to a storm (atmospheric changes, loud thunder, flashing lightning, hard rain pounding on the roof) it is hard to determine exactly what is frightening the dog.

There is some evidence that certain breeds of dogs may be more prone to fear of thunderstorms. An article in the July/August 2001 issue of Journal of American Animal Hospital Association cites a survey suggesting a genetic component. Herding dogs, which have been bred for higher reactivity, yet lower aggression, such as Collies or Australian Shepherds, may be at particular risk. This survey also indicated that working and sporting breeds, even hounds such as Beagles and Basset Hounds, may be more likely to be afraid of storms than other dogs.

Early-life experiences may also make dogs more likely to develop phobias. The JAAHA study indicated that dogs adopted from shelters or rescue organizations have a high incidence of thunderstorm phobias. These dogs may have lacked early socialization, causing them to be less confident and more likely to develop any type of phobia. However, there is also the possibility that they may have ended up in the shelter [Continued]

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“RE: Phobias, we can identify.CheeChee,my Shih Tzu and i are beside our selfs.It wouldnt be so bad if he got over the thunder,lighting,hard rain or fire crackers. he doesnt,has not gotten over it.Any little/big noise(thats not familar to him) now rattles him.My heart achs for my companion,friend and pet. I feel helpless !!! possible solutions noted are not an option for us. Medication,unfortunatly we can not afford the vet visit,let alone the meds(I also struggle with the thought of a creature of God,animals on drugs). Crating, well he is 11 years old, this was not a part of his upbrining.Doggie Day care again $$$$ not so much!!!!.The desentization progrm looked promising to us but so far (every spring and summer for 3yrs)just has not worked.I dont know what i am not doing right. There has gott to be something else out there!!!!!It hurt to see my pet,once a happy,curious,playful,social furr ball.Now a timid,cowering,sad (litterally afraid of his own shadow)pet. Marti” — Marti, Jul 11 2008

“I've heard of someone else whose noise phobic dog was helped by melatonin. Maybe you've stumbled across something that could help a lot of folks.” — Grace, Mar 07 2008

“Ay yi yi, what's a girl to do? I'm a storm freak...love storms. My border collie would rather swim through battery acid than endure even a run of the mill thunderstorm. She doesn't try to escape or pace the floors. She just curls up in a tight little ball and vibrates nonstop, jerking violently if a sudden clap of thunder booms directly overhead. My presence does nothing to calm her. As far as she's concerned the world is coming to an end. My vet prescribed a sedative but there are drawbacks. It has to be given about an hour before the storm and wears off within a couple of hours. Not much help when I leave for work at the crack of dawn and the storms aren't supposed to materialize until afternoon. Then I read about some research at Tufts University Vet school regarding melatonin. I've tried it on my dog at the recommended dosage for her weight. Result? She's still scared and retires to her bed for the duration but at least she's stopped shaking. The beauty of melatonin is that it lasts for hours, doesn't make the dog groggy (in case you both have to run to the basement)and doesn't have much in the way of side effects. It does make the dogs thirsty so they have to drink and pee a lot until it's out of their systems. I did check with my vet first though, because it isn't recommended for dogs who have any kind of kidney issues. I also have found that just letting my dog hide out in her bed calms her, knowing that I won't force her to come out until she feels like it's safe again. Incidentally, in my dog's case I know it's just the sound of thunder. I've seen her calmly mosey around the yard while the western sky is lighting up like 4th of July: until she can hear the storm, it's not real to her. ” — pcarpenter, Mar 07 2008

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Fido hates dark, stormy nights

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