Last week we had one hell of a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, and for only the second time in five months, Skip barked in his crate. (The first time he had diarrhea.) Skip is normally a dream dog in his crate. He goes in happily, lies down and goes to sleep. Skip has been a “downstairs dogs” since he came, at first because I followed generic house training rules to introduce him to one area of the house at a time, and then he injured himself and couldn’t go upstairs at all. So right now he sleeps downstairs in his crate, while all the rest of us sleep upstairs. (Upstairs privileges are on the agenda for this month.)
While I blearily decided what to do, it being 2 AM, Skip let out a heartbreaking howl after an especially loud boom, and I scurried downstairs and began a counter conditioning program. It’s easy, if you can call anything easy at 2 in the morning. Skip and I lay on the rug, and every time it thundered I said “Thunder Treats!” and gave him a treat. The idea is as simple as the execution–teach the dog that thunder means something really good is about to come. Classical counter conditioning is a powerful tool, and I didn’t hesitate it use it right away at the first sign of Skip being afraid of thunder.
I’ve had great luck with it with my own dogs, and also with hundreds of clients. It was heartening, but no surprise then to see that a survey of dog owners found it to be more effective than other methods of treating thunder phobia. You can read about it here in Zazie Todd’s Companion Animal Psychology blog, where she writes about a study that finds classical conditioning and “relaxation therapy” to be the most effective method of dealing with thunder. (As described by owners.)
Of course, it’s not simple if your dog is so frightened that he won’t take food. In that case, you have to start at a much earlier point. I wrote the steps to take in a post of mine from May 2009. I include them here because thunder season is starting here in the Midwest, and if there was ever a time to jump on it, now’s the time. (I highly recommend doing this to prevent thunder phobia if you live in an area with a lot of thunder storms.)
From May 2009:
Counter Classical Conditioning: This is the first treatment I recommend, and it is especially effective in mild or moderate cases. I’m doing it now to prevent thunder phobia in Will, who is one of the most sound sensitive dogs I know, but so far has not reacted with any anxiety to thunder. In this paradigm (described in a a general sense in The Cautious Canine), you pair something the dog adores (food or play best) with a damped down version of what scares him. Your goal is to condition your dog to associate thunder with something he loves, so that his emotional response to the loud noise is “Oh boy!” rather than “Oh No!”
To get this to work:
~ You need to start at whatever stimulus first elicits any sign of fear in the dog. Dogs backward chain storms so well that you can use them as meteorologists… beginning to pace and whine when the wind comes up, and in extreme cases, when the barometer drops long before the storm rolls in.
~ The thunder or other stimulus has to be mild enough to prevent eliciting extreme fear (you can also use CDs or tapes of thunder, but need to have speakers distributed around the room, overhead being best).
~ The “treat” (food or play) has to be highly desirable so that the emotional response it elicits is more powerful than any fear elicited by the thunder.
~ The thunder/noise has to come first… so that it becomes a predictor of something good.
~ You need to proceed in a step-by-step manner, gradually linking louder and louder thunder with the food or play.
In other words, you hear thunder in the far distance, you say “Oh boy! Thunder Treats!” and give your dog a piece of chicken, or throw the ball if they are more motivated by play. Your goal is for your dog to emotionally respond to thunder as a predictor of something good, just like a clicker in clicker training.
Yeah, I know. Believe me, I’ve been through it myself with several dogs. You see the problem here…. how, exactly, does one make arrangements for thunder storms to begin in May with tiny, little quiet thunderettes and then gradually work their way up into glass-rattling boomers once your dog is ready for it? Well, you can’t (if you can, please write soon), but you can give your dog the ‘treat’ (I used food for Pip and play for Luke & Willie) whenever the thunder is relatively quiet, and then just stop once it becomes loud. I’d run outside with Luke and play ball when the barometer dropped and the wind came up, continue playing until the thunder started far away, and then come inside when the thunder began to get so loud that it would overwhelm Luke’s love of ball play. Then we’d go inside, I’d let him hunker beside me, rub his belly, sing and laugh. He got through it in two seasons (I’d call his case a moderate one, not at all severe, while Pip was severe for a few years but came through it fine after two summers of thunder = chicken.).
Back to the present: More thunder is expected this week, so I’ll be cooking up some chicken and getting other treats ready for Skip’s counter conditioning. There’s lots more to read on this topic if you’d like, I’ve written several posts about this topic, it being such a critical issue here in thunder alley. You can read about it (and my changing perspectives) in blogs on May 8, 2009, and June 26, 2018, or go to the Learning Center in my website.
I should also mention, that since I wrote those earlier blogs, a new medication, Sileo, specifically designed for noise phobias has been released. Several people commented in earlier blogs that they had found it helpful. I’ve personally had no experience with it, so chime in if you have.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Picture perfect weather allowed us to have a picture perfect night in the tent on Saturday night. I wouldn’t say it was the best sleep we’ve ever had, due to the nearby, and seemingly unceasing, chorus of coyote yips, howls and tremolos. Tootsie, by the way, seems to love the tent because she gets to sleep in the bed all night. (Another reason why sleeping in the tent is not the place for a good night’s sleep. Toots is not allowed on the bed in the house because she has fallen off of it, landing in a terrified, and terrifying, thump at dark-thirty in the morning.) In the tent we surrounded her with pillows, and carefully arrange our legs on either side of her and try not to move much.) Speaking of picture perfect, the dogs lined up like this on their own while Jim was building a fire, and if it didn’t call for a photograph, I don’t know what does.
The colors this time of year are so rich and varied. I loved this simple view of our Lilac tree in front of the light green Sunburst Locust.
Speaking of color, we have one Tree Peony bush that blooms for just a few days in the heat, but oh my, when it does . . .
The butterflies and bees are out in abundance now. Last night, a pair of Swallowtails flitted over and around my head in what I am guessing was a mating dance. They were so busy getting busy that they were oblivious to me–I expected them to alight in my hair while a bluebird perched on my shoulder and Bambi nuzzled my hand. Here’s one busy gathering food.
One more thing before I go. I have made it a point to avoid anything even vaguely political in this blog since its inception thirteen years ago. That decision was as much for my sake as for others; I wanted, and still want, this site to be a place that provides knowledge about human-animal relationships, and the joys and challenges of this remarkable miracle that we call life. Disagreements and controversies regarding training methods and beliefs have always been welcomed, as long as they are done with compassion and respect.
However, the events of the last week and a half in our country are so huge, and so critically important, that it feels unethical to ignore them here. I have struggled how to handle this for days–say something or say nothing? I’m aware that having a public forum is an honor, and should not be taken lightly. There are reasons for me to continue staying out of current events even today. I’ve received many comments over the years from people thanking me for keeping the tone and focus off of anything that doesn’t relate to animals and animal behavior.
But I have to say something today about what’s going on in our country–our poor, challenged, partially broken country. I just have to. Here is all I’ll say here: Jim and I believe that enough is enough. That there is deeply ingrained racism in this country that has been highlighted by the brutal, and heartbreaking, murder of George Floyd. That police departments need more support for community policing, for cops who bravely call out colleagues who betray the public’s trust, and less emphasis on violent, aggressive behavior. Jim and I are doing our parts as best we can. We’ve marched with protest signs in a small group of socially distanced friends. (Afterward I thought I should have made a sign that said “Old people for Equality.”) We’ve made numerous contributions to organizations that we feel are working toward positive and realistic changes. I’ve been involved for the last year in encouraging every citizen to vote, and I will redouble those efforts. We read and talk and listen and question and keep asking ourselves “what else can we do?”
I say this not expecting any responses; I just needed to say it. I apologize for breaking the “rules,” but as the duck said in the movie Babe, “That’s a good rule. But sometimes rules need to be broken.” I’ll post short comments related to this that are compassionate and respectful, but promise to avoid letting the blog be overwhelmed by controversy.
Thanks for hearing me out. Stay safe friends; let’s be careful out there.
Martin says
My dog reacts even to quiet recordings to thunder, gun shots, fireworks, and other such sounds. That means I need to be careful about what music I listen to (particularly New Age/relaxation music often includes thunder….). The news and audio dramas can also set her off. She doesn’t endanger herself, others, or the environment, but she’s miserable and that’s plenty bad enough.
She’s been this way since she was about four, so it’s been six years now. I’m not sure if it was a traumatic experience of being near a loud coin-stamping machine, the death of my bomb-proof dog, or just her age. And since that time I’ve been meaning to go through with a systematic counter-conditioning program plus a more consistent relaxation program. Figuring out the details continues to overwhelm me, to the point where it just doesn’t happen. I’ve tried to find a trainer to design the program and help keep me accountable. No luck. The ones close enough that I can actually go to them or afford to pay their transportation costs won’t work on her noise sensitivity. COVID-19 won’t make finding someone any easier.
So she usually just gets ad-hoc counter-conditioning. Even that is difficult. If I give her treats or play her favorite games (that all also involve treats!) every time she’s afraid and keep doing it until the situation is over, she gets diarrhea. And I don’t think associating weather with pain and nausea is going to help any. But if I only give her something when there’s actual thunder, it won’t help with her anxiety when the sky is overcast. It’s not that she reacts before the storm hits, she reacts to the possibility of a storm – a possibility that usually doesn’t materialize. Also, sometimes she reacts to planes – especially when it’s overcast as they sound a bit like thunder- and there’s far too many of them to give her a treat every single time.
We’ve overcome so many of her fears and her self-confidence is much higher than it used to be. Her sound sensitivity, on the other hand, just keep getting worse.
By the way, there’s a website that shows in real time where lightening strikes around the world. It lets me see if my dog is reacting to thunder I can’t hear (yet) or if it’s just the clouds. Theoretically it can also be used to see if a storm is closing in. Overall I find it more interesting than useful. The URL is https://www.lightningmaps.org/
Alicesfarm says
As always, your blog is Spot On, but today it is especially so. Thank you.
Joy Waddington says
Thanks for this reminder about counter conditioning which I’ve used successfully with my sensitive Irish Water Spaniel in our scent-detection training.
But thanks for being bold and brave and honest about what is happening in our world. Everything is connected and we cannot choose to see some things and not others.
Ishy Creo says
Brilliant! It’s so simple I’m embarrassed I didn’t think of it myself. I’ll be trying this with little Augie when the next storm hits.
Becky G says
With all due respect, I have to say that I stopped reading when you began your commentary on the current state of affairs. Whether I agree or not is not the issue. I, too, am one who has always appreciated the apolitical nature of this space. I found it a welcome respite from the raging social media commentary of the day. I also recognize and respect your desire to use your platform to state your concerns and positions. I would have expected nothing less than compassion from you; I didn’t have to read it here. I hope we can return to a dialogue on enhancing our dogs’ lives and our relationships with these wonderful companions.
Debby Gray says
I just emailed the link to Sileo to my vets’ office to ask for their opinion. I now have the most sound phobic dog I’ve ever had. Monty doesn’t want to be cuddled, and wont take treats. He wants to squeeze into the space between a file cabinet and the dresser in my bedroom. Once there he shivers and shakes. He stops shaking when the aversive sounds stops but it will be several hours before he leaves his hiding place.
We are expecting heavy storms tonight thanks to Cristobal and his fear behavior has already started.
Yesterday every time he was outside, he’d stick his nose up in the air, seeming to test the air. Checking humidity? Or atmospheric pressure? There was no walking for pleasure. Monty took care of his business and then, tail between legs, pulled hard back to the car or the house. Last 4th of July ” season” (fireworks go on for 3-4 weeks here,) he went 40 hours without pooping. I ended up taking him to a different town where he had no association with scary noises. He pooped there as soon as he got out of the car.
Thank you for your comments on current events Trisha. I think we all must examine our views and have a respectful conversation. Being silent hasn’t worked.
Sally says
Thank you, Patricia. Great post–all of it. Deep, wise, compassionate change needs those of us who are less confrontational to join the movement.
Michelle Sewell says
This is an awesome blog. All of it.
I too use classical conditioning for thunder and have had great success with my brave blue heeler who would cower and tremble in the bathtub during storms. Also with a dog who was terrified of going through the car wash. I would treat him all through the wash and now when we drive by the car wash he looks at me like “Scuse me you passed it”. Thank you for your positive posts and beautiful pictures.
MinnesotaMary says
Oh Trisha, thank you so very much for this post. For the thunder fear tips but especially for your thoughtful and meaningful words about the murder of George Floyd. I live just a few miles from ground zero in Minneapolis. There have been gunshots, sirens and helicopters at night, which is not the same as thunder but sleep-disrupting anyway. Your words about deeply ingrained racism and need for change are very much appreciated. I’m reading and contributing and trying to recognize my own inherent racism so I can be a better person and help create a better world. Thank you for breaking the rule. It needed to be said. One thing I didn’t read about thunder fear in your wonderful post is the need to not have fear in your own heart. Thunder doesn’t bother me, and my dogs are easily calmed during a storm. The gunshots, etc. did create stress in my mind, and the dogs were not as easily calmed the past couple of weeks.
Heidrun says
Dear Patricia, thank you for “breaking the rules” in such a heartwarming way. You have my admiration for being so polite and diplomatic – and yet speak very clearly. The world wouldn’t be in such a turmoil if more people were able (or willing) to do that.
As for the Classical Counterconditioning: it worked very well for our little Terrier-X. She was afraid of thunder and fireworks and tried to hide her shaking body under the furniture. When outside, she startled at gunshots/thunderclaps and tried to run. Not anymore!
Now she comes running to me if she is really concerned, e.g. about a banging noise, and reminds me to give her some “big bang cookies” (as we call those treats). I’m so happy she now chooses to COME instead of hiding or running and she doesn’t shake anymore either! She can even sleep through a thunderstorm (if it’s not a bad one) after she had a few initial treats.
On the other side this was no cure for my German Shepherd. She always did come when frightened (never tried to run) but was shaking and panting very badly (despite thunder-shirt and gentle calming drugs) through thunderstorms. The only thing that helped her was to hold her very tight and best use her as a pillow at night. And things got worse when she was old.
Interestingly neither of our present dogs (who grew up with the Shepherd) adopted her behaviour. The ACD wasn’t and isn’t afraid of anything. The Terrier-X joined us (already being anxious) and learned to keep calm regardless of the Shepherd being terrified.
It might have had something to do with health condition. My GSD-Girl had allergies and problems with her spine, even though on medication. In addition she wasn’t the bravest dog in the world (but had an absolutely lovely character). All of this could have contributed to the problem.
Charlotte Kasner says
Thank you as ever for all of the content in the blog including the “political”. Sometimes some things are just too big to be ignored and we have a moral duty to respond. As we have an understanding of behaviour and R+, we also have the skills to modify people’s behaviour to good effect where we can.
Trisha says
Thank you Charlotte, much appreciated.
Trisha says
Big Bang Cookies? I’m borrowing that!
Mary Foree says
No political comment from me…just a fun memory that you evoked. When my 3 kids were little, we had major thunderstorms in the area on Mother’s Day. My husband was trying to cook steaks on the grill (and refused to leave them and come inside!) We then heard the Tornado Warning, so I took the kids down to the basement, spread out a blanket and offered 3 cans of Dr. Peppers and an entire package of Chips Ahoy (I called them “Thunder Cookies.”) The kids were so shocked that Mom would give them these forbidden treats that they didn’t mind the storms around us. Meanwhile, I realized that if my husband blew away, he would be leaving me all by myself to raise 3 kids!! But in the end, he got the steaks cooked before the rain hit and put them in the oven to keep warm before joining us downstairs. No way was he wasting that expensive meat on the grill!
Trisha says
Thank you Minnesota Mary, stay safe out there.
Trisha says
Thank you Becky G for taking the time to comment. I truly understand, and agree too to return to ‘normal’, whatever that is now. So far I’ve been encouraged by nothing but brief comments about my ‘rule breaking’ and an immediate return to focus on dogs and how much we love them. Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Trisha says
Oh Debby, I’m so sorry about Monty’s extreme noise phobia. Crossing paws that medicine might help, keep us posted.
Barb Stanek says
Thunder. Yuck. While I love storms, my 9 year old boy has developed a real phobia since his sister died 2 years ago. Will not take treats. Will not wear any of the thunder phobia clothes that might help. Will not be comforted. He let me know that what he wanted is to be in the storm. In desparation, I let him out in the storms — until the lightning is close — complete with wind and rain. (There is an 8 foot fence around my acre back yard.) Then he is calm, facing into the wind and seeming to dare the storm to do its worst.
When I feel it is too dangerous for him to be outside, I call him in. This summer, I’ve been able to call him in sooner than in the past. I attribute this to some hearing loss for thunder, but I’m willing to be wrong.
He will now stand by my chair if I don’t touch him. I say, “Good boy. Well done dog. What a good boy you are.” and variations on that theme in a quiet, calm voice. During the last storm, he sat down and finally lay down. All the while I was crooning to him. He still has his head up. His body is still tense. He still is watching. But at least he’s lying down. Progress. If this helps anyone, go ahead and try it. I’d love to know if it works for someone.
The death of George Floyd is a last straw for me. I will be quiet no more. In my 73 years, I have seen and heard things that I thought should never happen, and I’m not proud that I didn’t speak out. I am speaking out now for the kind of society that we all want to give to our grandchildren. We’re not there. Being quiet didn’t help. It is time for all of us to work together to form the society that we dream of and want to live in. I don’t have all of the answers. I do know that we need to talk together to find the solutions that will build the society that is safe for everyone. From now on I will speak to that goal.
Kathy Griffin says
I have used thunder treats to stop fear since I had a very phobic dog years ago. Excellent results.
Trish- have you connected with Hunger4words on Instagram? The owner is a pediatric speech pathologist who is working with her dog Stella on communication using word buttons. Stella now forms sentences and communicates her feelings and needs. As amazing as Koko!!!
Tiffany Yates Martin says
Thank you, thank you! Silence preserves the status quo; your reasoned, thoughtful, human words are much appreciated, and necessary now for all of us as we look to foster more compassion and understanding among all people. Thank you.
Michelle says
Thank you for ALL of this post. Including the “rule breaking.” In all honesty, this is NOT a political issue. Human rights are not political. Or they shouldn’t be at least. Thank you for marching. Thank you for your compassion. You’ve always been one of the dog trainer/behaviorists I’ve most looked up to and this just shows why yet again.
Jill says
Trisha, thank you for sharing your open heart with us. I respect that it is exceptional circumstances inducing you to share your opinion.
My Lucy, was found wandering the streets of Ft. Myers, FL in the middle of August. I don’t know if that caused her thunder phobia or if that’s how she ended up homeless. She’s a mess. We have tried Sileo and she was immediately sick from it (which the vet warned us about and suggested using before needing it.) We’ve tried prozac and valium. Valium works, but she is too drugged. We’ve seen a veterinarian behaviorist and put a plan together, but little, if anything has worked. She is simply frantic.., going from place to place in search of safety. If the house isn’t storm-proofed, she’ll climb into dishwashers, washing machines, food pantry shelves, etc. She has eaten through door molding trying to get a door open. Last summer, I began giving her CBD and it has helped a lot, if I get the right amount to her in time. We live in SW FL where we have the most thunder hits in America. It gets noisy. We live by the radar from May to October. At one point, I considered rehoming her out west, but I couldn’t do it. I will restart a counter conditioning program, but it may require filet mignon. As soon, as she begins to get scared, she won’t eat. Thanks for being here and helping through the process.
Margarita palacio says
As always when I read your latest post I come away with a little bit of knowledge.
Today I came away with a couple both of vital importance.
First, My daughter’s dog is super sensitive to thunder so I will pass along that little nugget of info.
Second, I learned where you stand on an issue that has long been ignored in our country. Quite a few times in the last 3.5 years I’ve been surprised to see in friend and family some beliefs that are oppositional to my own.
It’s good to know where people stand so that you are able to reevaluate how much you want to interact with them or sever ties.
Thank you for not shying away from speaking your truth.
Gayla says
You’re my hero. Not just because of your knowledge of animal behavior, – but mostly because of the patience, compassion and empathy I saw in you when I first started watching your seminars…
So I’m a little surprised by this quote, “I expected them to alight in my hair while a bluebird perched on my shoulder and Bambi nuzzled my hand.” I kinda imagined that happened whenever you went outside! :>)
Shana says
I have used counter conditioning with Hobbes and fireworks with great success after he ripped his way out of his soft crate one July when I was away on a business trip and my husband slept through his panicked cries. He does not react at all to thunder although we do not get it much.
Thank you also for ‘breaking the rules’. It is a tough time for everyone and I can’t imagine anyone who is not affected in some manner. I did love your thought for a sign ‘Old people for Equality’. I may have to use it with your permission 🙂
Deborah Mason says
For one of our current dogs the nemesis was trains. He’s been a nervous, easily frightened boy since we got him from the shelter at 6 weeks old (I know, too, too young). But when I was introducing him to Rally, the building was pretty close to the RR tracks and the sound just threw him into a panic. Once the first train went by, every time our course took us near the door he’d pull & pull to go out (and home, of course). Then we started agility practice at a private ring even closer to the tracks. I had to do something, so I started giving him “train cookies” when the train would approach. Now, he can continue the agility course even with a train passing by. Most of the time, anyway. He fears so much we are constantly working on some kind of “cookies” or “it’s just the car wash, it’s OK”. He’s getting braver as we go. His younger “brother”, also a pound puppy is not afraid of much other than sneezes & plastic bag noise.
Sissy DeBraal says
Thanks for breaking the rules and speaking up. This is the time for rules to be broken.
I have a sound phobic little dog I rescued last year. I was curious about the Sileo and clicked on it. Too bad that under “tips” they tell people never to comfort their upset dog.
She is one who seems to know when barometric pressure is dropping. And the sound AND feel of rain bothers her outside as well, sometimes. Not always. Just got some very high value treats to try. I will work harder at the counter conditioning.
Kathryn Traxel says
Thank you for expressing your opinion about the current state of the world. I appreciate it.
LisaW says
These are such good reminders, thank you. One other mention is hoping your dog lives long enough to go deaf 🙂 Phoebe is now deeply deaf and thunder, knocking, fireworks (coming soon, yikes), do not bother her one bit. Olive jumps up and barks like she wants to nip at the thunder clap (she imagines herself as Thor, Terrier of Thunder), but she has also learned to settle down as much as she can thanks to your good instructions.
I have always believed silence=complicity. I appreciate your desire to keep this space free from politics and world events, and I realize how much those things influence how we are present to each other and all of those with whom we share our spaces, such as our dogs. I applaud you giving voice to your feelings. We can choose to hear you or we can choose not to listen. We are lucky to have choices.
I am searching for meaningful ways I can make a teeny, tiny impact. My body is urging me to go protest, but my brain knows that is not a choice I should exercise, and I am extremely lucky to have that option. I just wrote a piece to one of our state senators urging her to rethink the “We Are All in This Together” trope. I won’t include it here, but essentially it says our togetherness implies equal access, reference points, and resources, and this is just not the case.
Anyway, thank you for all you do, and I hope this community takes good care.
weblin says
Agreeing with u on all (!)accounts and thank u for the phobia …my 2 year old is not phased at all but I have lived (on the floor) through all the thunderstorms with my BC..she suffered greatly.
Trisha says
LisaW, Toots is now deaf too, and so is oblivious. I should add too, to everyone, that after the famous Barneveld tornado that literally destroyed an entire town and traveled on the other side of a small hill from our house, I was rattled by storms for a couple of years. I would drive home in a panic, as if that would help anything. Once I was home I was okay, but I couldn’t bear not being there in case the roof blew off. (A friend threw his body against a door to hold it shut during this extremely large and destructive tornado, which was patently ridiculous if not extremely dangerous. We both laughed afterward how logic seemed to have little effect on our reactions.
Theresa says
Ha! “Thunder treat” sounds so much more professional than my own “Boom cookie!”
Oh well. Too late to change now!
Cynthia Sweet says
What about dogs that react to the smell about 10-15 minutes before any kind of storm comes? Of course he doesn’t like rain, wind, thunder or lightening, but he will wake up when he is dead sleeping, stand up, sniff the air and start panting. I know how to work on all the other things. What does that mean?
JoAnne Pinney says
Thank you for writing and sharing your photos. I so appreciate every single thing you’ve shared. And I am inspired with the tent idea, because my husband and I would love to sleep with all our dogs….
Meredith says
I have a greyhound whose thunder phobia is so severe, he has developed rhabdo. He shuts down pretty immediately and counter conditioning has not worked for him (partially because he does not react to recordings of storms – I think he really feels the barometric changes and feeds off that). Anyway, Sileo has been a lifesaver for us. He is also on a daily regimen of clonazepam and sertraline because he was triggering so easily. In addition to thunder, he reacts to gunshots (I live in hunting country and near a gun range *sigh*) and, of course, fireworks, so we need to stay on meds year ‘round. The Sileo does not stop his reaction, but it does make it less severe and he “comes back” a lot quicker than he did before. I’m lucky to work with a wonderful veterinary behaviorist as well.
Kat says
We’re fortunate that Thunderstorms are rare where we live although we had one just a couple weeks ago after we’d all gone to bed. D’Artagnan was concerned and checked on everyone several times before settling in my daughter’s room and going to sleep. I’m hoping that the humans failure to react was enough reassurance that he’ll feel more secure the next time. If not, there’s always salmon (Costco has some nice already cooked and frozen salmon burgers which, for D’Artagnan who believes salmon is the food of the gods, is a blessing) for counter-conditioning.
My friends and family know that I will connect almost any thing back to what I know of dog behavior and training. (Just ask any of my friends who have complained to me about their child’s behavior, lol) I love seeing more and more people learning to use positive reinforcement for training and discovering how to set their dog up for success. I’m eager for the day this spreads to our treatment of our fellow humans. It’s very satisfying to me to imagine what policing would look like as an exercise in positive reinforcement (I’d love to be stopped and rewarded for driving the speed limit) and to look at the success in those places that are experimenting with it. Here’s hoping the world will become full of “crossover trainers.” Which reminds me, I need to see if we have any white cardstock on hands so I can make D’Artagnan his sign to pose with. ‘Black Lives Matter to Big White Dogs’
Sarah Johnson says
Our Daisy Furball was SO thunder phobic that she would panic and try frantically to escape out into the storm. No counter conditioning option there. After a couple of years I got her to run to me when there was something scary- YAY!! We would wrap her in blankets under our knees until it passed. Now I might consider medicine if I had a dog like that. My newest dog is showing to be somewhat sound sensitive so I will get with the program and watch the weather better. With the Covid we have learned that she howls at every single siren that goes by, and we are near a hospital so it has been frequent. At least she has a pretty singing voice. And Trisha, thanks for having the courage and wisdom to speak out now about what is going on. We are all in this together. Peace and strength.
Bruce K says
One of my favourite dog books is the “Other End of the Leash”. Have you heard of it? 🙂 To me that leash is a symbol of the live connection we have with our dog and, to extend the metaphor, to the world. Every day I meditate, do yoga, set intentions, practice self-love, embrace the moment, live in and from the heart, eat a chocolate chip cookie. 🙂 This energy I create in me, I see in my dog Kipton (my daughter named him after some guy on the Bachelorette – sigh). He is an Australian Shepard and is really a Buddha dog (except when a male puppy gets into his face too much, then he is an Air Snapping Shepard – sigh). Many people have commented on how chill he is. I love a good thunder storm and Kipton sleeps through them. I am not saying this will cure all dog or even most dogs or even some dogs, but I think it is a factor to consider in dealing with Storms of any kind. “Be the change you want to see in the World”. I love this blog because of all the loving people on it. It truly is special.
Tricia Lude says
Always enjoy reading your blog. Sileo was a godsend for my severely thunder phobic Aussie. It started to take effect within 15 minutes, and he walked around like nothing was happening. He did get a little sleepy, but what’s wrong with that? It’s much better than climbing out of your skin.
Melanie Hawkes says
I am in Australia, and was shocked and saddened by the death of George Floyd. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in America right now. Well done on speaking out about it. As some of the other comments have said, it’s about compassion and equality. I was taught the behaviour you walk past is what you approve of. See something, say something.
I love your photo of the dogs. It made me realise why you love colour so much – your dogs are black and white! Beautiful flowers.
I’ve been lucky to not have any dogs afraid of thunder. But my last service dog was afraid of noises, like the beep of the scanner at the checkout. He retired to the country, where it’s much quieter. My current dog hates all other noises, from car horns, the smoke alarm to barking and chains rattling (I think my neighbour’s dog had a metal collar). Unfortunately he’s allergic to chicken, so I use kangaroo. Some days I feel like I feed him all day long! I hope he can retire to the country too. It seems cruel to keep dogs in the cities, when they get anxiety over everyday noises. I hope my next dog will be bomb proof!
Dorte Nielsen says
If I was trapped in a cage during a thunderstorm, I would be scared into Hell too.
Mary Jo Koranda says
We tried Sileo but my dog, Scooter is under the bed well before anything starts and I can’t get the stuff in him. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s a paste delivered in a large bore syringe. He seems to be better this year, perhaps his hearing has gotten worse as others have suggested.
Paula Gatens says
I love your blog and your brilliance with regard to dog training. I have been reading and learning for years.
Regarding the current state of affairs, I agree things need to change. The how if it is very complex. But I don’t believe we are as racist a nation as we are being led to believe. I’ve been improving my knowledge on these matters too. I was raised in a liberal family but not really taught anything except Republicans and rich people are bad and poor people need us to help them. I just watched a YouTube video from last year of Thomas Sowell speaking on these matters. He presents evidence for what he discusses. https://youtu.be/mS5WYp5xmvI
Leslie Sachlis says
Thank-you for your blog, it is the sanity that sustains me in all of this craziness.
Thunderstorms have been an issue for three of my pups – all male. The ladies thankfully did not react to loud sounds.
Lancelot would take a toy and a bone into the back of my closet behind the clothing bags. He would stay there until the storm was over. This led him to storing many of his favorite possessions there. He self managed the situation. I just had to remember to leave the closet door open.
Jake would panic and try to escape. The vet prescribed Acepromazine. 1/2 dose would make him appear drunk. None of his joints worked the way he expected them to. In a house with stairs this was dangerous. The med only added to his discomfort. I only used the med once. After that, I put a harness on him, attached a leash and held on to prevent him from escaping or injuring himself. We cuddled when he allowed it, until it was over – not a great solution.
With Honeybear it was different. My wonderful holistic vet prescribed a Chinese Herb mixture called Anxiety Stress. When I noticed Honeybear beginning to react I would sing Peanut, Peanut Butter and Jelly and head for the refrigerator. Honeybear would follow, receive Anxiety Stress wrapped up in crunchy peanut butter and then we would settle on the couch for some serious cuddling – usually a puppy sleep over – he and I on the couch through the storm. He would sleep through most storms. If tense, I would rub his tummy. You could feel the tension leave his body. He would usually go back to sleep. If he needed it, I could continue to give him more pills. He could have had 8. We never got beyond 6, even in the most violent storms. When he awoke, there were no lingering symptoms of either fear or drowsiness. Whether he was conditioned by the peanut butter (a favorite of his) or whether it was the Chinese Herbs that calmed his fears, I will never know.
I have always been able to predict the weather by watching my dogs. Even in the winter, when we rarely get thunder snow, our dog’s behavior changes as a low pressure system moves in. It sounds like your chicken works at least as well as “Anxiety Stress”. I will have to remember that if we have another thunder phobic pup among us. Thank-you
Tails Around the Ranch says
As I get to know Norman more and more as he becomes more settled since adoption nearly 5 months ago, your counter-conditioning tips for thunder (just in time for the season, I might add especially with July 4th coming up quickly), it seems clear these kinds of loud noises bother/affect him. Thank you for sharing the tips. Thank you for your thoughts on the past couple of weeks. Indeed, our country seems broken and I hope one way to repair it is to acknowledge, listen and share our thoughts. Enough is enough and now that a majority of others feel the same way; hopefully systemic and meaningful change is in the near future. It’s far too important not to get it right. Stay safe, stay sane and keep smiling.
Jenn D. says
I’ve been passing along your training advice and techniques to clients for years (along with highly recommending your books!), and several have had great success with counter-conditioning for noise. It’s always wonderful to see a dog that used to shake and hide during a storm instead sitting calmly and ignoring the thunder booms for delicious treats instead. I have not had a noise-sensitive dog yet (knock on wood) but I know from my clients’ experience that this type of “re-training” can work wonders.
As for the state of our country today, thank you for speaking up. It’s not a political issue, or (to be more accurate), it *shouldn’t* be a political issue. It’s a human rights issue. All humans should care, and we all need to acknowledge that change needs to happen. It’s got to be hard to say something on a public forum, knowing you’re going to get scorn and dismissive, potentially ugly responses. Thank you for taking a stand despite all that. It’s so important and it means a lot to hear your words.
lin says
Very few thunderstorms in our area, so just have to contend with fireworks, which are, at least, more predictable. Pupper was disturbed by firecrackers, but not to the point of needing medication. Mr. B is not nearly as sensitive to fireworks, but something made him very skittish a couple of nights ago, because he refused to come into the house! When we finally got him in, we let him sleep on the bed because he was so anxious. I told my husband, “I hope he’s not sensing an earthquake.” Luckily, Mr. B. is not that prescient, and all is back to normal.
Because you refrain from commenting on social/political issues, it makes it all the more significant and powerful when you do.
Ayn says
My last girl would sit on the screen porch with me in the summer listening and watching the storms UNTIL…one day she got really scared. Her thunderstorm fear just kept getting worse as she got older. Nothing seemed to help. We tried conditioning with “chicken rain” timed at the first sign of wind and rumble, rescue remedy, giving her safe places, but eventually just lots of petting and cuddling and usually long nights of letting her know she was as safe as we could make her.
I love your blog. I appreciate your rule. But sometimes people just have to speak up. I appreciate that you spoke up. It is the only way things will change. I don’t always contribute since I am just a pet dog owner. However, I wanted you to know that I look forward to your posts and will continue to do.
Trisha says
Thank you Any, lovely to hear from you! Thanks for the encouragement.
Kathie Lehtonen says
Hello,
I have a long history with thunder and lightning phobia in borders. I went to a behaviorist who prescribed Sileo. You put on gloves and rub it into their gums. The good thing is it works in about ten minutes so no need to forecast. It gradually made him lie down the first storm. I thought great something works. But apparently it only works once in some dogs—how strange. I tried it a few more times and saw that it no longer helped. Very expensive too.
There’s a new drug approved by the FDA for seizures that has been found to help thunder phobic dogs. But to date it’s only on sale in the UK called Pexion. I haven’t found it in the US but my behaviorist said it was promising.
I’ve tried everything too. I could write a book. It’s hard but just do your best.
Roberta says
I have one thunder phobic dog now, whose fears are decreasing.
But, I once had a rough collie who reacted to the drop in barometer before storms. If I didn’t hear the weather report or notice the oncoming clouds in time to close the house, she would bolt out the dog door, over the 4 foot fence, and run sometimes for miles. This happened 5 times at least. Being a very personable dog, anyone who found her called me. I finally sent her with a good friend to AZ. She was a gem. The barometer change was her “cue.”
Trisha says
Roberta: Wow, your poor collie. I had clients with dogs that bad; one leapt through a third story window. Curious though…I grew up in AZ and we had occ’l thunderstorms in August especially. But then, nothing like the frequency here in the Midwest, so maybe that was the difference.
Linda says
Our prior Westie was didn’t like thunder storms, but only at night. During the day or evening when we were awake, he paid no attention to thunderstorms. But at night he would pace and whine until the storm passed. The only thing that would settle him was to take him to the basement and sleep with him there. I tried lying on the floor next to him upstairs and discovered I could feel the floor vibrate from the thunder. I always wondered if that was part of what bothered him. He eventually became deaf after which thunder no longer affected him so the sound obviously was part of it.
Sue says
My very understanding vet precribed Sileo today in advanced planning for July celebrations. The dosage protocols are daunting, but I will prevale. My Standard Poodle has a bacterial skin infection, not serious yet, but an aggravation with three baths a week and medication daily. He is more than worth the effort. His name is Sir Winston, BUT, he acts like Goofy. Love him to death!
Trisha says
Good luck Sue, keep us posted how the Sileo works.
MaryLynne Barber says
Thank you for posting your thoughtful reflection on the events of the past few weeks. I agree with others that this is not a political issue but a human issue. I always appreciate it when someone I admire opens up and let’s me know their thoughts on something critical. Usually I agree with the person (like you) and sometimes I don’t but at least it then gives me a different perspective and something to think about. And I also really value your perspective on dogs and your training tips. 😊
Thea Anderson says
Trisha, thank you for breaking your apolitical rule and for everything you and Jim are doing, because silence and inaction support the status quo. Please keep trying to do more; White women like you and me are the beneficiaries of white supremacy so we are the ones with power + responsibility to change it even though it doesn’t feel that way.
Kim L says
My comment is more about Skip’s cat fixtation. A friend who worked at a raptor rescue center was worried about the kitten she was bringing home. She had quite a large dog that could gulp the kitten down easily. She was told by one of the people working there that they had quite a bit of success, with patting and playing with the kitten in front of the dog, and explaining to the dog that this was important to you, and was not to be chased or herded.
FWIW, I have had considerable success explaining to my girl that the kitten with a abdominal hernia (stomach and liver were lying on her lung, partially collapsing it), who had just had surgery could not be chased or chomped on. She never did. But since she was cat friendly from the get go, your mileage may vary, but I do wonder if explaining to him that you don’t want him to stare at the cat or herd/chase it, would be useful. I realize with your allergies, your husband would have to do the physical part of interacting with the cat and cuddling it. Just a thought. I realize it may not be that helpful, but am hoping it is.
Vena Blitsch says
I’m so glad I stumbled across this blog! Thank you for your amazing insight into dogs as well as speaking out about the George Floyd incident. I just wanted to say my vet recommended Composure Pro for our dog to help with her thunder and fireworks anxiety. We have to give her a couple a day throughout the season (we have a lot of thunder and lightening in Colorado). It doesn’t drug her but does seem to help her stay calm. She still wants her calming bed in her crate, but doesn’t do all that running around trying to find a safe place. Here’s the link (I buy mine from my vet). https://smile.amazon.com/VetriScience-026664000101-Composure-Chicken-Relaxants/dp/B00JMMMAOQ/ref=sr_1_4
Chris from Boise says
Thanks to a crabby computer, I couldn’t post my comment earlier, so sent it directly to Trisha. As the computer finally seems to be working now, I wanted to post it publicly too:
Thank you for sharing your heart in this post. That was a wise duck.
In your penultimate paragraph, you modeled one of the tenets of modern learning theory: focus on what behavior you want, rather than what you don’t want. “…That police departments need more support for community policing, for cops who bravely call out colleagues who betray the public’s trust, …”.
We who have adopted this evidence-based method of training have perhaps better tools than many for effecting change. Let’s put it to work in our human communities as well as with our animals.
And as far as thunder/fireworks and dogs – we survived the 4th by finding a quiet place to camp on National Forest land where fireworks aren’t allowed. To deal with the bangs and pops and crackles that go one for the week before and couple of weeks after, we play Thunder Parties with Obi. It has completely changed his opinion about loud noises. Rowan, however, wilts and won’t/can’t take food. We bought her a Thundershirt a week before the 4th. I was (quite) skeptical, but it actually seemed to help. With it on, she was willing to go into the backyard at dusk and potty. Without it, she would refuse to go out till after midnight. We also used white noise (two fans) and radio going all night for several nights till the worst was over, plus trazadone one night. Management worked well.
Thank you again for speaking out, Trisha.
Abby says
Do you know about this site?
https://www.lightningmaps.org
real-time lightning strike updates!