Thunder aggression - Looking for suggestions to help overcome.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

I am watching my sister's Westie while she is on vacation.  He is a wonderful little guy but he has a real issue with thunder.  He doesn't hide from it or shiver but growls and barks constantly and tries to chase it.  I am in a quaundry on how to help him to calm down during thunder storms (DS says he does the same thing with fireworks).  I have read lots of articles that talk about how to help dogs get over their fear of thunder/fireworks (crating, white noise, play, etc.).  I have tried the suggestions but they didn't work.  I would prefer not to medicate the little guy as that would be of no help if a thunder storm popped up and no one was home.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Interesting that you posted this today Nina......I was telling Karen yesterday that Blake in the wake of a particularly violent thunder storm yesterday afternoon (who previously as a puppy used to jump in the bathtub during storms and as an adult had become desensitized to them) started acting in a way that I had never witnessed before!

He was in another room when the storm started and I could hear him whimpering. All of a sudden he came charging down the hall to find me with a WILD wide eyed expression on his face, leapt up into my arms, shoved his face in my hair as if he were trying to hide in it and started to violently shake as if he were in shock or having a seizure!

I held him of course trying to comfort him (as Bella who is totally unfazed by ANYTHING..lol...continued to incessantly squeak her toy..ugh..that's another story..lol)...Blake was inconsolable!...He kept shaking and whimpering for an hour after the storm passed!

Then late last night a low flying jet passed over our house in approach to Newark Airport which is 15 minutes away from me....The engines were obviously being reverse fired as the plane was beginning its descent into Newark...It was LOUD to say the least....

Same thing happened!...This is TOTALLY new behavior.....

Anyway I was told there are dog ear muffs you can purchase that were developed for just these reasons and it's reported that they actually DO work.......

[Nugget's Family]

When I went to pick up Nugget's ridiculously expensive dog food at a ridiculously expensive "doggie boutique" yesterday, I noticed they had a "Thunder Shirt" on display. Nugget sleeps through thunder storms but a friend's dog has real anxiety during thunder so I asked about it. The owner told me that you wrap the dog up in the shirt very tightly (think "swaddling a baby") and they are supposed to feel much more secure and less anxious. She said people have told her they work great! I have no idea if they do or not but it might be worth a try?

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Thanks for the info. I checked out the Thunder Shirt website (http://www.thundershirt.com/). It makes sense. I remembered a post from JoAnn (Spud & Starlit) where she talked about swaddling. Last night we had another thunder storm and I 'swaddle' Tegan in a big beach towel. By golly, it worked! Rather than running, barking and snapping at the thunder, he curled up in y arms and fell asleep. I am going to suggest to sis that she invest in a Thunder Shirt for him.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Our Lucy has taken a dislike to Thunder recently. If she is outside to potty and it starts to Thunder, doesn't matter if she is mid pee, she is heading for the house and holding it until the Thunder stops. We had a storm roll in last night around midnight and the girls were already asleep in their room, but as soon as the lightening and thunder started Lucy started barking and almost crying! Every time the lightening flashed she would cry. We tried ignoring her, telling her to go back to sleep and she just kept crying. I finally got up and just let them out of their room and they went straight to our bed. Lucy curled up down at the foot board and was asleep within 60 seconds. Sophie was a little more restless. She sat up in the middle of the bed and wanted to hold hands (picture "shake" but not letting go) for a little while, then she had to go back to her room and get her favorite toy, then she came back and went to sleep on the floor beside the bed and all was well until the storm was over at which point I sent them back to their room.