Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know most, if not all animals, have a somewhat sixth sense of the Weather, but my Golden Retriever in perticular has some violent episodes of shaking, and panting. He will constantly dig through things like pillows, couches, into the corners of anyhing. It seems as though he is trying to get away from the storm. The Vet had my parents give him anti-anxiety pills everytime he does this, or before we know there is a storm coming, these worked ok at first, and not so well most of the time, but know they seem almost pointless what they do is just eventually calm him down to a sleeping state, but he still has the same episodes...

Im not sure, Im just worried about dependancy issues, I know like in humans but is it even the same with dogs? I would think so... I just dont want my pup to be some sort of fiend.

any info on this?
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Im a Discovery World Traveler

I know most, if not all animals, have a somewhat sixth sense of the Weather, but my Golden Retriever in perticular has some violent episodes of shaking, and panting. He will constantly dig through things like pillows, couches, into the corners of anyhing. It seems as though he is trying to get away from the storm. The Vet had my parents give him anti-anxiety pills everytime he does this, or before we know there is a storm coming, these worked ok at first, and not so well most of the time, but know they seem almost pointless what they do is just eventually calm him down to a sleeping state, but he still has the same episodes...
>>
>>Im not sure, Im just worried about dependancy issues, I know like in humans but is it even the same with dogs? I would think so... I just dont want my pup to be some sort of fiend.
>>
>>any info on this?
>>-----
>> Im a Discovery World Traveler

Hi,
I had the same problem with my Shih Tzu when she was younger. She knew a storm was coming long before I did especially when we were at the Cape....perhaps it was because of all the open water around. She would also shake. When this happened, I tried to distract her with some playing and that worked pretty well. When they came at night, it wasn't quite as easy. As she got older, the problem wasn't as bad and now she just looks up at the ceiling when she hears thunder. Apparently, some dogs are bothered by this more than others. Good luck to you. It's very upsetting to see them so upset.
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Mary Lou & Katie

Have you tried a product called "rescue remedy". I have heard of it working on several dogs to help with this exact problem. There are also treats you can buy with lavender in them that are supposed to calm dogs. If anything it might take the edge off so you can distract your dog with food or toys. Maybe try distracting him with a spoonful of peanut butter in a Kong or some other time consuming/high-value reward. If there is any specific thing that your dog absolutely loves a storm might be the perfect time to do it. Pull out all the stops and see which one's work best for you. If you try out several things you can narrow it down and have a game plan ready for whenever he starts acting up.
I hope everything works out for you and your dog!