Solutions For Your Dog's "Storm Hysteria"!

Nextdoor.com is such a useful tool, if you aren’t a member yet, you should be! The wealth of helpful information I get from their site is some of the fuel for this post!  

I was lucky to have been on vacation for a good part of May while all these Texas rains poured down.  Living in Albuquerque for most of my life, I am still not used to these seemingly endless rains here in Austin each spring.  Ugh!  As I sit here and type this I got a flash flood warning on my phone as I hear the rain assaulting the roof above me.  I checked my Wunderground weather app (the best one, in my opinion) and it has confirmed that these storms will continue into the wee hours of the morning.  I feel grateful I am staying with two dogs who are completely unphased by storms. However it reminds me that my own pup (now passed) developed a slight fear of storms a few years ago.  Many animals are petrified by rain and thunderstorms.

I came across a recent neighborhood thread on Nextdoor.com; my neighbors offered up tried and true solutions for pets who are afraid of storms. Many of the suggestions I already knew about personally or from clients. I’ll list them all for you here, it seems the timing is just right:

This list contains affiliate links to my amazon account, which means I may receive some moola if  you make a purchase using these links.  That said, this is not a money motivated post - all the suggestions below are legitimate solutions from myself and neighbors suggestions!

Thundershirt - highly recommended!
Bach’s Rescue Remedy
Peaceful Paws   
DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) - comes in a collar, spray or a plug-in diffuser.
GNC Calming Chews
Lavender oil (do not give orally)
Calming Collar
Dryer Sheet Wipe Down - wipe your dog down with a downy dryer sheet or similar - dogs can be sensitive to static electricity in the air when storms are present which can be a factor in their fear.
Small/confined areas - put a blanket over a small crate or create a small enclosed spot for your pet to feel safe in.  Line the bathtub with blankets and pillows, suggested one neighbor.
Drugs - get a mild sedative and an anti-anxiety pill from your vet.  Prozac works.

Sound/Distraction Methods:

Marpac Dohm - drown out the storm noise with this high quality white noise machine - good for humans, babies and pets!

Loud radio/tv/music - they even sell calming dog-specific music (do an amazon search)

Rawsome Rib Bones - delicious and take a long time to eat, so could be an option. Buy at Tomlinsons.

Petting/Sitting/Laying with your pet.  Sleep with them or let them sleep with you.

Anything you’ve tried that I’ve missed here? Email me. I’m always interested in ways to keep my furry clients calm during scary storms!

Till next time, I hope you and yours stay warm, dry, happy and calm!

Yvonne