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NMMR-Pets

My 4 year old heeler/lab mix never used to have any issues with storms. But, two nights ago we had one the scared the hell out of all of us and she stressed out to the max. Well tonight the second we heard thunder she freaked out and went under my bed. Surprisingly, for all the animals we've had I've never run into this. I don't know what to do for her. Do those jackets work? Any suggestions?


The pic is my Lucky (not stressed)
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Re: NMMR-Pets

  • We don't have a dog but my coworker does. Poor thing shreds anything and everything during storms. Thunder jacket worked a few times but they don't feel it does any good now.
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  • Our dog never used to be afraid of anything except fireworks. Now, as she's aged (8 years old)she is afraid of

    1. Fireworks.

    2. Vacuum cleaner.

    3. Packaging material.

    4. Bubble wrap.

    5. Swiffer.

    6. Our suitcases.

    7. Thunderstorms.

    Anyway, we just talk to her and cuddle her when we can. I wonder if it's just part of some dogs aging.

  • One thing that I've seen when looking up training advice for my dog is techniques to show the dog that good things (i.e. treats) can happen in the presence of what they are afraid of (thunder). In general the Humane Society of the United States seems to have some good training tips.

    She's a cutie!
  • Thanks everyone! Apparently a few streets down we had a small either tornado or microburst, which explains the anxiety she had tonight.
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  • I've heard that thunder jackets can work & for some don't work. It depends on the dog. I use to dog sit for a women who had to give her dog "Doggy downer pills" when there was storm to help keep the dog calm. She got 1/4 of the pill so that she wasn't totally zonked out.

  • Trainers can give you some good tips. Ours has a storm/high probability of fireworks preparedness list, and suggests this for all pets/dogs, even if they don't have a history of getting nervous:
    First make sure all your pets are microchipped...then here's the checklist: 

    1. collar on-dog's name and a phone number written on the collar in sharpie (tags can fall off or get stuck places)
    2. potty breaks on leash (even if you have a fence)...besides that keep all animals in the house
    3. high value treat (stuffed kong(I freeze them to make them last extra long), marrow bone)...help them make good associations with whatever they're scared or
    4. when there are big bangs and loud noises, throw them a party (treats, play a training game, play with a favorite toy) try to turn everything they're afraid of into something positive
    5. thunder shirts can help. 

    All that works in other situations besides storms, my girl got stung by a bee on an agility course, and made some kind of association that it was the agility equip[ment that bit her, it took about 3 weeks of me being her party-planner and cheerleader to get her back to being excited about agility, but it worked. 
    Me: 28 H: 30
    Married 07/14/2012
    TTC #1 January 2015
    BFP! 3/27/15 Baby Girl!! EDD:12/7/2015
  • We got our dog a thunder shirt a couple years go when we were going to be out of town for 10 days.  She suffers from separation anxiety and we though the shirt might help her.  But it turned out to be too much of a pain to get her in and out of the shirt.  We ended up not using it because we did not want to ask the person watching over her to change her in and out of it every day or two.

    When we put it on her in her "trial run", although she was not stressed at the time anyway, she did seem to like it.  She is normally really excitable and bouncy but, while she was in the shirt, she became very calm and serene.  It was interesting to see such a personality change with just a shirt!

    I would use it again if she is in an environment that upsets her, but she isn't bothered too much by storms.  She is a little edgy with fireworks and I need to remember to use the shirt again for the Fourth and NYE.

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