Yoshi shakes so bad when it storms...
 

He scares me with how hard he shakes, it has stormed all day here and he has been miserable:(...does anyone know what I can do for him? I admit storms never bothered him until he was around 4 yrs old. He is a Peke and will be 7 yrs old in Aug. I had always ignored the storms and he was ok for several years, then I don't know what happened.

Isn't it odd that they suddenly are afraid of storms? My Miss Mini started this with wind and thunderstorms when she was four as well. She is now almost 7.

I'm not to sure what can be done. Someone told me Benadryl but it works the opposite on Miss Mini. I usually try to be home when I know its going to be like that and just hold her or play with her, I never react to the thunder (even when I get scared) This is a good time to give them a good chew (I do not endorse bully sticks :)) and turn the stereo up!!!

If I am at work I make sure to put her in a room with classical music very loud, draw the blinds and put her in her kennel with a blanket over it.

I can't wait to see what others suggest, cuz I'm afraid Mini is going to teach Mia this fear...

I am so sorry to hear this...poor Yoshi. You could try one of those storm jackets..they reduce static in the coat I think, since when a storm is approaching the air is charged...

He is also frightened by fireworks, gunshots and so forth...He take Hydroxyzine for when his allergies act up but it doesn't help...I used to give him Benedryl and it didn't work for his allergies either. He goes for his check up next month and I will talk to the vet about this, I just hate to see him like this..We ignore storms and act like everything is normal here, well somewhat normal for us. LOL

Have you tried Thundershirt | The Best Dog Anxiety Treatment ? We have had great luck with it.

The Thuindershirt didn't work for him, I had hoped it would .

Oh I'm sorry to hear that. It doesn't work for all dogs. With Cooper I have to put it on well before the storm has arrived. If i put it on him while it's thundering it doesn't do anything.

This really helps my foster who suffers from panic attacks. Amazon.com: Vet's Best Comfort Calm - 30 Tab: Pet... . I think it's good to use this in addition to behavioral training. Remember, you aren't to act any different than you normally do and trying to reassure him can actually make the problem worse. The comfort calm shirt can work because a dog’s hair will stand on end during thunderstorms and this can be very uncomfortable. Some people have reported success with just rubbing a fabric softener sheet over the body, while other reported success with a snug type shirt.

We have tried ignoring his behavior and it seems to help some but he still shakes..DH wants to pet him and coddle him and I keep telling him to ignore him so that he will try to handle the situation himself....I just hate this for my boy, he is such a great furkid and I hate to see him upset. Thank you all for your responses....YT is awesome...

Thundershirt did nothing for my Miss Mini either, I've tried putting it on just at the mention of storms etc., never works. However, the full pajamas with the sleeves for all 4 legs has an effect on both my girls, I wonder.....I will definitely try this next time and let you know!

I'm going to try those calming pills, assuming they are safe?

I am not sure what to tell you, but I have had several experiences with dogs and thunderstorm reactions, notably the following.

My big Shep/Lab insisted on being outside until one particular, sudden, thunderstorm where lightning struck a tree beside the driveway. He was shaking in the driveway, terrified, when DH got out to him. Dh was nauseous from the electric current in the air before he reached Ziggy, who was standing on wet pavement. After that storm, 120+ lb. Ziggy, who'd never been the least concerned about storms, was literally 'pasted' to my legs from any sharp, thunder-soundng noise until he passed about a year ago. Poor baby...there was almost no comfort after being that close to a strike.

Brody, my male Yorkie, had been kept mostly in a bathroom before we got him. The first night he was with us, we had a storm. At the first crack of thunder, Brody jumped up and headed for our bathroom, even though he'd had full run of the house since he arrived, turning around and looking back at me just after heading for the bathroom. I jumped up and cuddled him in my arms and held him until bedtime, then kept him tucked and cuddled in my arms all night while the storm raged. He seems unaffected by storms after that first night.

So, you see, I cannot tell you what the answer might be. I think it depends largely on you and them and the particular circumstances. Good luck...I hope you find the answer for your baby.
:)

My two Yorkie babies seem to do ok during thunderstorms, but my cat goes absolutely nuts! First of all, I don't have to watch the weather on tv -- as soon as Molly thinks a storm is brewing, she puts her forehead on the baseboard of a room that faces the storm. Once she senses the storm is close, she climbs my bed and crawls under the mattress cover. Now, before you think this is a timid cat, let me tell you that I just paid $40 to have her collar removed because it was too tight, and the vet had to anesthetize her in order to remove it. She is a devil in a fur coat. How on earth do I manage to attract (rescue) the weirdest animals ever!

Thats what I mean about the written versus the spoken, I was thinking "omg what an awful person that let her cats collar get so tight she had to be euthanized"...eiyieyie (and I'm exhausted) Sorry, I read it again for clarification....and now I say WHAT A VERY BRAVE SOUL YOU ARE AND does she let you sleep in your bed often??? :D

This is safe and natural:

Original Bach Rescue Remedy now alcohol free for Pets

Pixie (5 years old at the time)started all of a sudden last spring getting petrified of thunderstorms. After many sleepless nights I tried the thunder shirt and it helped some. Her vet gave us natural calming drops called Nutricalm to try. That with the thunder shirt works great. Pixie got t the point when it started to thunder she would come over to me to put her thunder shirt on.

The dog I had before Gracie was fine with thunder storms until a forth of July when some kids started using those big M80?? or something like that really near our home. I may have gotten a bit upset myself and I think the dog picked up on it. After that any loud noise stated bothering him. Thunder and fireworks seemed to be the worst. I always felt terrible when there was a storm and I was not home because I knew he would be terrified. I always let him sit near me but I tried not to act as though I was afraid or bothered by the noise.

Being near me seemed to help him feel some what better but we never found anything to help him until he lost his hearing. I have heard good things about the Rescue Remedy. It has helped many dogs. So far Gracie is fine with storms. I make sure everyone acts as though nothing is happening when one starts. She will look at us sometimes when there is a loud crash and we pretend we didn't hear it so she just goes on as usual. I sure hope it stays like this.

OMG!! I re-read my post as well, and I can see how you misunderstood! I forgot to mention one very important detail... Molly only had the collar ON because the vet was able to put it on while she was under anesthesia for her annual dental check. I don't know why they left it too tight unless she had begun to wake up -- in which case NOBODY can touch her. She goes to a special cat clinic. The reg pet place here in town won't treat her. She came to my office door one day, bedraggled, dirty, pregnant and crying. I swear she looked me straight in the eyes and begged for help. I did not know she was ferral. She is indoor/outdoor and is affectionate on her own terms. She wants to be near me, but not touching me unless it's time for me to scratch her ears OR a storm is coming. She has different meow's for "I want to go to the basement"; "I want food"; I want to go outside"; and "I want my ears scratched". She's incredibly smart, and I love her. But if you come to my house, don't make eye contact; and don't lean down to pet her. It's amazing how our animals train us.

Thank you all and I will try some of the things mentioned. Sorry that I haven't answered back sooner but Miss Prissy is keeping me busy, gosh I just love my furkids and want the best for them...

I recently heard from 2 different vet's about a product called "composure". It is an all natural calming chew. I get the mini size for my Yorkies and they are made by Vetri-Science Laboratories. BTW-they love them and come running when they see I have the pouch they come in.

Thank you, I will look into that too.

OMG! Where do you live? :p 'Cuz I had a pregnant calico feral arrive at my house in 1998 that I could pet...when given express permission. When her babies were 11 weeks old, she started thinking boy cats were interesting again, and was chauffeured to the vet to get spayed and shots. She got spayed but never got the shots 'cuz she let herself out of her cage at the vet hospital overnight and was never seen again...nor were we charged for the spay. Our poor vet...he didn't quite know how to give us the news! We all looked for her...combed the area several times...

I still have two of that litter who will be 14 in mid-June, and have lost two, one recently. Her name was Schitzie 'cuz, well, she was...schizophrenic, I mean...:D

Interestingly, she was the sweetest, nicest, most lovable, cuddly thing once those babies were born...until they started getting older, I mean, and OMG were we freaked when we had to bring them all in the house to keep them from drowning in the rain hours after she delivered. We wrapped heavy towels around DH's arms in case she decided to tear him to ribbons when we started picking up the kittens...but, she seemed relieved. She chose the oddest place to deliver.