Pet Lovers

[SeaMaiden]

My  male Golden who I adopted in November 2016, is very afraid of Thunder I found out last month when we had a huge thunder storm here in the Seattle WA. Area.  They say that sensitive dogs  reacting to thunder are also reacting   to the changes in barometric pressure prior to the thunder storm.

So the last huge thunder storm we had, ZaZu went crazy.....pacing, doing weird things....my other golden(a female) sleeps right through it all. Nothing bothers her. 

Now with the 4th of July coming up, I am prepared.... I bought a thunder shirt, and doggie herbal calming tablets to give him prior to the noise.  I do  not know how he will react with the huge BOOM TYPE OF FIREWORKS. I hate those!  Perhaps fireworks will not bother him.....but, knowing how much anxiety he has in general, I worry it will be very scary for him.

I thought about going to my vet and getting some anxiety meds that they give dogs, but, I really do not like pharmaceuticals in general because they are so strong.  But if you have a suggestion on a drug that you gave or give your pup for scary noises etc, please enlighten me.

Thank so much! 🙂

[CrazyDaisy]

I would not disregard the use of pharmaceuticals.  It all depends on the severity of your dogs reaction.  From my experience the natural products have limited benefits.  Noises do not bother my dogs, however I would not want to watch them suffer through that fear if there was some way to help them.

[StraytoStay]

It will bother him if he reacts to thunder. Unfortunately they don't set them off at just midnight like they do January first. They're every fifteen minutes in my neighborhood for several hours once dusk. Our Schipperke was very frightened so we'd take him to the basement where it was quieter and sit with him and pet him, talk softly and reassure him. Sometimes holding him when he'd react after another round outside. Poor things.

[hoosieroriginal]

Scully and Sedona would just pant and hide and shake 4th of July and New Years.  Sedona is deaf now which is a blessing in that regard.  Story doesn't seem to be phased by anything luckily!  I have a window air conditioner in my bedroom where they sleep - I turn it on high and they are in their crates anyway.  I usually don't hear a thing. 

[CrazyDaisy]

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@StraytoStay wrote:

It will bother him if he reacts to thunder. Unfortunately they don't set them off at just midnight like they do January first. They're every fifteen minutes in my neighborhood for several hours once dusk. Our Schipperke was very frightened so we'd take him to the basement where it was quieter and sit with him and pet him, talk softly and reassure him. Sometimes holding him when he'd react after another round outside. Poor things.

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This is really not reassuring to your pet, in fact it is telling him that he actually has something to fear.  This usually further feeds into the pets fear.  Try taking him in the basement and play games with him, or make the noise a game.  Everytime there is a loud noise, make one too then give them a special treat.  Now the noises are not something to fear.

[Daysdee]

My little rescue doggie is very afraid of the noise.  First July 4th she was here was awful.  Been getting meds from the vet.  I give her  pill (1/4-1/2) 90 minutes or so before I think the noise will start--hard to tell that though.  Here they sometimes set off firecrackers, etc. even on the 3rd even though they are illegal here.  Also sometimes even on the 5th.   This is the first dog I have had that is bothered by the noise.

[jaxs mom]

Thundershirt. It works on my one cat that is very upset by loud noises, along with my dog. 

[Kachina624]

My sheltie starts non-stop barking at the first rumble of thunder or fireworks and will continue long after it has ended.  Dives me nuts because I have to keep him in the house so he won't bother the neighbors.  I don't think it's fear because he wants to go outside and chase it away. 

[QVCFanfromLongIsland]

I totally can relate to your situation.  My Sophie also a golden(whom we lost 2 years ago) was deathly afraid of thunderstorms. She use to try to hide behind our toilet bowl in the bathroom! The fireworks were another problem. If she was outside in the yard and heard something 20 miles away she would run in the house and go in her crate. On the 4th of July we just had to stay home. We were invited every year to a barbecue and I use to come home early before dark but my neighbors were blasting away and I found her stuck behind my couch one time so then I decided stay home with her.  Miss her!  

[Lapdog]

So sorry to everyone that has a furbaby that is afraid.  I feel for you.

My neighbors had 3 boys.  They blasted rockets and bombs etc all May all July and December into January.  Every year.

My 150 pound Great Dane would go ape.  I would give him the max of tranquilzers to no effect. 

Thunder shirts were not around then.  I felt so very bad for him.

I lost Many nights of sleep and he would tear out of his crate and empty his bowels all over the house if I was at work. 

I missed 6 years of fireworks/cookouts/parties you name it. 

I would not have had it any other way other than I would have been a lot happier for him if I could have helped him not be afraid.

(This all happened after lightning struck a tree in the back yard not too far from where he was, when I was not at home)

He would freak over a pager, smoke alarm, microwave, oven timer poor guy.

Now, all my neighbors are pyros and they all have major firework exhibitions.  The Sheltie just barks and barks and ......  Sigh.........