storm & fireworks phobia

As promised, here is more info on solutions for dogs who are terrified of thunderstorms and/or fireworks:

Many of the dogs who react to thunderstorms are afraid of the sound of the thunder. The information below may help these dogs deal with this fear, and with fear of other loud sounds such as fireworks.
Some dogs react to other atmospheric conditions associated with storms, such as barometric pressure and other factors that are hard to measure. They are harder to help. If they seek a grounded surface such as an appliance or metal bathtub, let them (one German Shepherd I know gets on top of the family’s washing machine during storms).

There is a very thorough article at this link

Two therapies discussed in this article are particularly helpful for sound-phobic dogs: melatonin treatment and a pressure wrap (described under "Hug Therapy" in the article referenced above) I've heard that, in a pinch, a snug-fitting T-shirt has some of the helpfulness of the body wrap.

The hormone melatonin helps many dogs that are afraid of loud sounds such as thunder and fireworks. It can be purchased over the counter at health food stores. The dose for an average size dog (30-100 lb) is a 3 mg tablet, ideally to be given before anxiety becomes severe (once they're really stressed, it's less effective). Dogs weighing over 100 pounds may need 6 mg. Dogs weighing less than 30 lb should receive 1.5 mg.
The recommended dose can be given up to 3 times per day.
It is most effective if given before the dog becomes anxious. If thunderstorms are predicted and you have to leave the house, you may give your dog melatonin before you leave – it remains effective for several hours.

Before you buy melatonin, read the following excerpt from the site:
"It's important to read the labels on melatonin bottles very carefully. Some are mixed with herbs or nutrients that may not be safe for dogs. Make sure you buy the correct dosage for your size dog. Remember, there are 1,000 micrograms (mcg.) in a milligram (mg.) so a 200 mcg. pill contains only 1/15 of the amount recommended for a large dog.

" Because melatonin is not regulated by any federal agency, the quality varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. If an inferior product is administered, it may not be effective in calming a dog whereas a higher quality product might be. We cannot recommend any particular brand that is best, so the best course of action is purchase the product from a supplier you trust and believe to carry better quality. “

The veterinarian who pioneered this therapy is Dr. Linda Aronson at Tufts New England Veterinary Medical Center. If your veterinarian is curious, the citation for her original case report is J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1999 Jul 1;215(1):22-24.

Taking the lead with worried dogs

So often our dogs' behavior contradicts our human intuition, as in the following very common predicament: "Poor Rover is afraid of __________ [fill in the blank: thunder, the vacuum cleaner, strangers, …]. At first he just seemed a little worried, but the more we've try to comfort him, the more fearful he's become. What on earth is going on?"

As loving caretakers, our first impulse is to soothe and console our dogs when they act afraid: “it’s ok – it won’t hurt you”. Unfortunately, your dog doesn’t understand the words of explanation, all he knows is that when he acts scared, people pet him and speak kindly. That’s how you praise his other good behaviors…so to his doggy mind the logical conclusion is that you are praising him for acting scared. He obliges you by acting (and feeling) even more frightened the next time.

Uh oh, how do we get off this track?

The best things to do when your dog acts frightened or worried about anything are:

1. Set an example of cheerful confidence.

• You may say something in an upbeat tone of voice: “wow, what a great storm!” or “hey, there’s a cool person over there!”
• If your dog is frightened of an object, and you can get close enough without forcing your dog, it may help for you to confidently touch and speak to the object (I once patted and conversed with a parked bulldozer - luckily there were no human witnesses!)
• Do not force your dog to approach the object or person.
• Do not allow a stranger to approach if your dog is frightened. Explain that your dog needs some space right now.
  

2. Ignore frightened behavior and watch for any curious or confident behavior that you can reward.

• By watching his body posture, ear and tail position, and the skin around his mouth and eyes in many different situations (fun as well as scary), you will learn to judge his attitude with precision.
• Do not pat or stroke your dog when he is acting worried – there is a better way to distract him: see #3 below.

3. If possible, take his mind off the Scary Thing by asking him to focus on you and perform a trained behavior that is very easy (I like to teach finger-targeting for this).

• If he is too scared to perform, get him further from the scary thing if possible.
  
• Reward each performance of the behavior with a treat if he will take it. If he won't take the treat, try getting further from the scary thing and gradually working toward it.
  
• You can give a double reward for taking a step toward a scary thing by tossing the treat away from the scary thing. He gets the treat, plus he gets to go further away. This will make him more willing to move toward it again.

In my next post I will share some specific information about thunderstorm/fireworks phobia.