After our recent heat wave we had a major thunderstorm and rain. Even though it cooled the temperature, Sonic the Crazy Beagle can never seem to get over my phobia of thunderstorms and I run for protective cover…the laundry room.What helps me overcome my fear of Thunderstorms is music. My owners usually play the classical music station and I stop panting. I am pretty mellow when they also play soft jazz. They haven’t played soul music. Maybe Barry White or Al Green will work as well.

You can also talk to talk to your veterinarian about your dog’s fear of thunderstorms. He or she can help you develop a program to gradually retrain your scared dog by gradually, gently helping him adjust to storms through behavior modification. Technically called “systematic desensitization,” this involves exposing the storm-phobic dog to some gentle reminders of a thunderstorm, such as a very soft tape recording of thunder or a flashing light, and rewarding the dog with lots of treats, attention, and other positive reinforcement only if there’s no evidence of anxiety. Over time, the intensity of the stimulus is increased, and only calm behavior rewarded. You should get professional guidance, either from a veterinarian or a veterinary behavior specialist, before you begin this process, however. If you introduce frightening stimuli too quickly or don’t see signs of fear your dog may be showing, you could possibly end up making the phobia worse.

If gentle, patient retraining doesn’t help your pooch, there are some prescriptions that can. Your veterinarian can prescribe one of several anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications to help your dog stay calm during storms. You can also make sure your dog has a warm, safe “den” to retreat to when the weather gets too scary. You can try padding a crate with blankets or clearing a space underneath your bed. Just make sure that it’s somewhere your pup can get out of whenever he wants. A panicked dog can do a lot of damage to his crate and himself if he’s confined.

Most important, though, is that your treat your dog gently and kindly when he is afraid. Don’t cuddle and reassure him, because that will reward his scared-dog behavior, but definitely don’t punish him for it either. Instead, just be calm and give him a safe, familiar place where he can feel secure and ride out the storm.

To your calm during the storm!