With the onset of the rainy season in South Florida, I am reminded that Eli, my 5 year old Corgi, is terrified of thunderstorms. He's OK with wind and thunder, but, as soon as the lightning starts, he becomes a trembling mass of fur on the kitchen floor. He is practically blind and deaf from fear. Lots of people believe it's no big deal, but violent storms happen daily here in the summer, and it is so sad to see Eli so frightened every day. I have tried Benedryl, valerian root cookies, and Bach Rescue Remedy at the slightest rumble before a storm sets in. All to no avail. My husband thinks he can feel the electrical charge in the air. Does anybody have any thoughts or suggestions?  Thanks.  Susan.

Hi Susan,

It sounds like you've tried all the right things. You might want to ask your vet for a sedative like acepromazine or valium. Although medication is always the last resort for me it may be the only way to bring relief to your pooch. The key to using these meds though is to give before the onset of the storm--because if you administer the drug while he's already upset they won't work. So keep an eye on the weather radar and if you see a storm approaching get ready. It's usually best to give an hour before the storm arrives.

Another alternative is behavior therapy but you would have to do this in the winter time. This involves desensitizing Eli to storms using recordings. This might be harder to do since it sounds like he's more afraid of the lightning. Is there a way to keep him in a room without windows and all the lights on so he's less sensitive to the lightning? Keep in mind too that Eli is very sensitive to the way you react to storms also--if you get upset by the thunder and lightning he will too. Also make sure that you're not reinforcing the behavior.

Give him lots of attention and special treats when he's acting brave--not when he's cowering in the corner. This can be hard to do but if you lavish him with lots of hugs and attention when he's cowered in the corner this will make the behavior worse. It might be best to just leave him be until the storm passes.

When my dog Maggie was a puppy I actually taught her that thunderstorms were a good thing. Whenever a storm came I would break out a secret stash of her favorite toys that I kept in the closet. The louder and scarier the storm the more excited I got. After a loud CRASH I'd clap my hands, say HOORAY! and give her a treat. She soon associated storms with having fun with mom and getting treats. It might sound a little weird but it worked. She's nine years old now and still wags her tail at the sound of thunder in the distance.

 Hope that helps some

Amanda, LVT

Thanks Amanda. I think I will try "getting happy" with the next storm. It's kinda hard getting him to eat during the storm, but I will try something extra special. Ace knocks him out for 3 days, so, not a viable solution.  Funny thing is, he deosn't mind fireworks.

Hi Amanda,

I came to this community looking for info about fear of thunderstorms and it's the first thing I found!  Thank goodness.  I live in North Carolina where there are a fair number of storms in the summertime.  My dog, Morgan, is an approx. 8 yr old rescue Golden Retriever.  The best dog in the world.  We adopted him last December so this is the first summer we've had with him, and it didn't take long to discover his fear of thunder.  It started out as just pacing and panting, and strangely, he tries to squeeze himself into areas where he just doesn't fit...between a table and chair, for example.  He ends up moving the furniture with his body (he's a big boy...about 85 lbs.).   I tried ignoring his behavior but it didn't make any difference at atll.  In the past couple of weeks the problem has worsened.  He was alone in the house when storms rolled in and he became destructive, chewing and scratching a doorframe, and worse, chewing up the cat litter box to the point of bleeding from the mouth.  I had tried Rescue Remedy and Dramamine, but neither touched his anxiety.

This is breaking my heart.  I have since gotten a prescription for alprazolam, tried it once (2 mg), but the storm never materialized.  It didn't seem to have a great impact on Morgan, though.  He was a little loopy for a couple of hours, but it didn't knock him out. 

 I'm wondering if you have any advice for an older dog, like Morgan.  It's awful to watch him suffer through a storm and not be able to do anything to ease that suffering.  Unfortunately, his symptoms last long after the storm passes.  Someone suggested to me that I rub a Bounce dryer sheet on him so he won't feel the electricity as much, but I do think his issue is more related to the thunder.

 Any more advice is appreciated!

Thank you!

Unfortunately there isn't an easy answer for our thunderstorm-phobic dogs and it's hard to watch them suffer.  In his book "Dogs Behaving Badly" Dr. Nicholas Dodman writes, 

"So what can be done for thunderstorm phobia, if anything? The classic treatment is desensitization to the sound of thunder using high-quality tape or CD recordings. The thunderstorm sounds are played first at low volume and then gradually increasing volumes as the dog's reaction permits. It is extremely important during desensitization that the dog is not exposed to the full fear-inducing stimulus, which is often difficult to arrange. During thunderstorm season it is virtually impossible . . .  The only three dogs with severe thunderstorm phobia that I have ever cured have been ones where I have combined pharmacotherapy with anitistatic measures, such as having the owner rub the dog down with anitistatic laundry strips at the onset of a storm."

Dr. Dodman also says that some owners have had success putting their dog inside a car during a storm because for some reason it seems to soothe them. You can even drive the car around the neighborhood if it makes them feel better. He says, "All the above treatments may be combined with antianxiety or antidepressant medication to facilitate recovery and for the psychological benefit of dogs that are in great distress. I have had some success using the antianxiety drug BuSpar, but have had better results recently using the antidepressant Anafranil."

For extreme cases I'd really recommend seeking out the assistance of a certified veterinary behaviorist. These are not dog trainers who simply call themselves "behaviorists" these are veterinarians that are highly educated in the field of animal behavior and know the most about behavior-related medications--even more so than your average veterinarian. To find one in your area go here:

http://dacvb.org/about-us/diplomates/

As you can see, Dr. Dodman is on the list!  

Thank you!  I'll look for one.

I Just got off the phone with my vet regarding Eli's trouble with thunderstorms. She did discuss the use of medications like acepromazine and alprazolam in severe situations. She did not think medication would be practical in Florida, where storms occur daily. She did suggest using a dog pheromone diffuser in the house, and giving Eli a hidy place near it to make him more at ease during storms. She also read on one of her Vet websites about success in using peppermint oil applied to the pads of the feet at the onset of storms. I think one is to dilute the peppermint essential oil in a carrier oil before applying to the feet. She was going to try it with one of her scaredy dogs. I think I will try it too, although it's supposed to be dry this weekend. I'm sure that will change, and let you know how it worked next week.

Well, the weatherman was wrong, and we had T-storms all weekend! I did try putting peppermint oil Eli's footpads, and found out a few things. 1.) He really doesn't like people messing with his feet. 2.) It does seem to work. E slept in the bathroom through most of the severe storms this weekend. 3.) The scent is quite powerful, and if you're not careful, it will overwhelm your home.  We had to open the windows with the first go round.  There was not as much lightning this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how things are when the lightning picks up. Lots of ground-shaking thunder though, and E did fine. I plan on picking up a refill for my DAP infuser this week. I haven't used it since Dixie came home 2 years ago. Hopefully it still works, and will help with the T-storms.

 Hi Susie,

Thanks for sharing your experience with everyone. That's a good point your vet had about sedatives--up here in Michigan we probably have less storms than Florida. Haven't heard about the peppermint oil before. Does it need to be diluted? I know with certain kinds of oil like pennyroyal they can be toxic if not diluted properly.

Also another option besides the diffuser is the DAP collar. Unlike the diffuser which might only be effective in one area of the home the collar follows your dog wherever he goes!

Good morning!

I was actually surprised when my vet didn't advocate using medicine during storms. (which is fine by me-Ace knocks Eli out for DAYS!). She is not a holistic vet, so I was even more surprised when she talked about the peppermint oil. The oil should be diluted--a few drops in 1 ounce of a carrier oil, such as sweet almond oil. You can then spread it on the feet or put it in a spray bottle and spray it on. There is actually a brand name that you can buy already in a spray bottle, I think it's called Sarah's Thunderstorm Remedy. I forget the website, but put that in your search engine, and it should pop right up.

I didn't know DAP comes as a collar. I'll have to look into that. I haven't gotten the infuser refill yet.....But, I let Eli sniff at the tip of the old bottle. He finds it very intriguing! 

Hello Iross622!

Just checking if you have read the other posts regarding using peppermint oil on the pads of the feet? I used it on Eli last weekend, and it did seem to work. A DAP infuser might help, too. I also read something about using an "anxiety suit". It's a snug garment that supposedly creates a sense of security for the dog. You can actually buy one, or use one of your own snug-fitting t-shirts. What would be better than being swathed in mommy's scent during a storm? You can also use an ACE Bandage to wrap around the body.

Also, the last T-storm, I sang and danced every time there was thunder, and gave the dogs a tiny piece of chicken as a treat(I was cooking dinner at the time). Eli and Dixie looked at me kinda funny, but they certainly didn't mind the chicken!  They just watched me getting silly, and waited for their chicken. Forgot all about the storm.

I hope you find this info helpful...You will probably need to employ a couple interventions at the same time to get best results. Say, anxiety wrap, medicine, peppermint oil, or wrap, DAP, peppermint oil, etc.

Good Luck, and let us know how things go.

Since Eli seems to be more afraid of the lightning than the thunder I think the suggestion of a safe, dark, hidy place sounds good.  Have him get used to going in this special place before he experiences the storm so he will get to realize this is a safe place for him to go.  Another oil to use for relaxation is Lavender or Ruta Vala (by Young Living Essential Oils).  If the thunder does affect him at all you might try putting a wrap on him (as recommended with the Tellington Touch).  I use an Ace bandange which goes around the front of his chest then over his barrel just behind his front legs and ending up secured on top of his back just in front of his back legs.  You can find this technique on the net.  A t-shirt will work also. I'm still trying to find things to help with my dog, Bronson.  My next try is going to be putting cotton balls in his ears and see if this helps by muffling the noise.  I'll let you know after the next storm we have in Wisconsin.

Mary

Hi Mary.

Thanks for the imformation. Eli seems transformed. A few weeks ago now, with a particularly intense round of storms, I was cooking in the kitchen, with E and D to keep me company. I had a bit of cooked chicken. During the storm, I just kept singing. Every time there was a clap of thunder or bolt of lightning, I would sing a little louder and give the kids a bit of chicken.

We have had some pretty intense storms lately, and now Eli doesn't seem to mind them at all! It was storming when I got home from work today, and Eli was out in the yard to greet me, and had no fear at all. I don't condone my husband letting him out when there is lightning, but, E was fine. I don't know what happened, but he seems cured.

Maybe during the next storm in your area you could try the song and dance routine along with a special treat for the thunder and lightning stikes. Seems to have worked for E.

Good Luck!