I have been working on this for the past month. When it thunders, Cooper goes and hides and shakes. Poor thing is so scared. I've tried everything but we've made progress with 3 specific techniques. Cooper would never take a treat or play ball or anything.
1. Believe it or not, I take Cooper outside to play ball right before a storm comes, if i can time it right. He's so involved with the ball that he hardly hears the thunder when it starts. Now, when it thunders, he gets his ball and rings the bell to go play outside.
2. I put on his 'tough boy' shirt. I've learned that there are items like the
Thundershirt | The Best Solution for Dog Anxiety, that apply constant pressure to a dog's body, thereby comforting the dog. Well, I make a big deal out of Cooper's tough boy shirt and it's become an excitement to put it on.
3. Classical/soft music. I seriously didn't think this was going to work, but it does. If you turn it loud enough it will drown out the thunder.
Cooper still runs in the corner sometimes and shakes. But with these 3 techniques, we keep busy enough that he learns to ignore the awful sound.