Thunder, Things That Go Boom in the Night, and Fireworks

Dear Jubilee:
My dog is afraid of thunder and fireworks. What can I do? I really hate storms and the fourth of July because of my dogs’ reactions.


Things That Go Boom in Albuquerque


Dear Things,
Many of us have dogs that hate thunder storms and that hate fireworks. Some of these dogs can be helped to get over it; others don't seem to be able to let go of their concerns. There are many websites with suggestions, and there are many people who have tried every single suggestion without any success.

The only time I had a thunder concerned dog, it was my Buster. He was a very stable dog, who suddenly for no apparent reason decided he didn't like thunder when he was two years old.

After a couple of thunder storms, I tried a calming homeopathic remedy, and it didn't work. I called the person who recommended it, and he said that I had to give it before the dog could hear the thunder, not when I heard the thunder. After a couple of misses (we live in Dallas, but Fort Worth was not far enough away for him not to hear the thunder), I caught news of a storm that was way west of Dallas and headed our way. I gave him the remedy.

When that storm hit, it was huge: lots of loud thunder right on top of bright lightening.. Buster ignored it: no quivering, no cowering, no shivering, no moaning, no trembling.

And he never reacted to these storms again while he lived with us (and he was tested quite frequently). The remedy was gelsemium 1M, and it can be found on the Internet if you search homeopathic websites. Many have gelsemium; few have the 1M dose. But before using it, do consult with a homepathic or alternative vet to find out if there are things you should know or issues that might affect your dog.

My own cure for things that go boom is a cure that has worked with several students of mine over the years. What works for me and them is to change our minds and expect our dogs to go calmly through the experience of the storm or the fireworks.

We cannot anticipate such events with any dread or negative thinking. We have to see, in our mind, the dog being calm and relaxed in the midst of the storm. You can read more about this in an article I wrote for the Clicker Journal, "Picture the Behavior", at http://www.dearjubilee.com/PictureTheBehavior.pdf and on this website. In the article, there is information about a dog named Vanity. Many people have told me that what I recommended for Vanity has worked for them, including the woman who proofread the article: she used it on her Wheaten Terrier the very next day, and it worked for her.

Another thing that works for some dogs is to put them in a Tellington T-Touch Wrap made with Ace bandages -- it uses mild pressure to comfort the dog's mind and body during periods of stress, travel, loud noises, hyperactivity, etc. to find directions for using T-Touch, do a google search on Tellington T-Touch. You will find good information about using these wraps at http://www.barbarajanelle.com/ttact/TA18-THE_TELLINGTON_TTOUCH_BODY_WRAP.htm
There is also information at these two sites as well:
http://www.heartseasettouch.com/article8wrap.htm
http://enlightenedhorsemanship.net/2009/04/25/tellington-ttouch-and-sensory-integration-by-kathy-cascade/

Whatever you use, what you do in the moment is critical: you must NOT anticipate or worry about what is going to happen. When it happens, you need to stay light and calm so the dog cannot feed off of your worried energy but will be comforted by you calm energy.

For a good book on working with a dog that has concerns about things, read Patricka McConnell's The Cautious Canine. This little, $6.95 book is available at http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/product/cautious-canine-dog-training-book and I have been told by many people that it helped them deal with their dogs' concerns very effectively. Note how she calls these dogs "cautious" not fearful. McConnell is a canine behaviorist and a professor at the Univ. of Wisconsin: she well knows how important your feelings and thoughts are in working with your dog. Another useful book, one that does use the term fearful, is Help for Your Fearful Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping Your Dog Conquer His Fears by Nicole Wilde, a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) who specializes in behavior issues.
Hope this helps,

Jubilee