Stoney's Storm Phobia

[Stoney]

I've posted here before about Stoney's storm phobia and how NOTHING really works short of 3 Valium (which really just make him stoned - still scared but too stoned to worry about it ).

 

Well, the other night we had a big storm - it was much worse south of us (tornadoes, power is still out to a lot of people in the Chicago area), but we got hit with a nice one too. I had on the National Geographic HD channel so I didn't get the storm warnings quickly enough to get Stoney's pills in him so I figured I'd just let him freak out in peace.

 

What do you know - that danged dog was just fine with the storm! He had one episode where he sat up on the couch and panted for a little while, but that didn't last more than 5 min. He even went outside in the rain and the thunder and the lightning to pee! When he got back in he was shaking a little - but no where NEAR what he usually does. Then he proceeded to sleep either on the floor or the sofa until it was over.

 

I am absolutely gobsmacked! For the past 3 years we've been trying everything we could think of to calm him down and now he's figured out how to calm himself?! For what it's worth - we tried the 'ignore him and the storm' method initially - it never worked before.

 

I really hope I haven't jinxed myself by posting this...

[patricia]

Well....please tell Stoney to speak to Pavé Maria. We are in Chicago and it was BAD. She started with her pacing and panting at least 2 hours before the storms even hit us. Good Boy Stoney!

[Ruth]

We have Polo who is very storm sensitive and after 3 yrs figured out it isn't the storm itself that bothers her, it's the barometric pressure that actually gets to her. She starts pacing and panting about an hour before the storm signs are really upon us. We use melatonin and it calms her enough that she just sleeps through it without being stoned. The way we discovered this was going to the mountains and the change in altitude upset her, just like when your ears pop. Melatonin also helps a little with that and benadryl is another one that helps but is zaps her so I really don't like using it. Just a thought that maybe this is what is going on with your pup.

 

Ruth

[greyhoundlov]

The problem with Gidge is that she now associates rain with thunder and lightning so she panics no matter what it is. If I can get her to lay down long enough for me to put the storm defender cape on, then she is fine. I feel like an idiot trotting along behind her waiting for her to finally cave.