Storms - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Scoobstersmom · 09-05-2015, 09:24 AM

Thanks. We feel so bad for him. He did not come from a good place and did not have proper care. We assume he was an "outside dog" where he was before, as he was covered in ticks, was not house trained, not neutered, had never even had his teeth brushed or a grooming, had no inside manners, and was terribly timid and fearful. We've worked long and hard with him, and he's been neutered, checked several times for tick diseases, had a dental, is now house trained and is sweet and lovable. We live in the desert and don't get much rain, so we didn't really have a good storm until July and were shocked when we discovered he had this issue. The last couple of weeks has been awful for him as it has stormed nearly every day. We're desperate to find some way to acclimate him so that he can get through this without pills to knock him out.

Diana

Scoobstersmom · 09-05-2015, 09:33 AM

I know what you mean about the meds. It has been a last resort for us. We didn't resort to it until he started getting so worked up that he would throw up and refuse to eat for at least a day. Then, we thought he was ill, so went through a long ordeal with three vet visits trying to figure out what was wrong with his tummy. It finally came down to stress. The tranquilizers do work pretty well. We traveled up to the mountains this weekend, and I gave him one for the car ride before we left because we expected to run into weather along the way. He did great on the drive and through an hour long raging storm without even panting, so that was awesome. I guess we have no choice really, at this point. We got a number for a behaviorist from our vet yesterday but he is closed till Tuesday, so I guess we'll call then and at least see if he has anything to offer.

Diana

dottiesyrky · 09-05-2015, 09:38 AM

Thank you for saving this poor neglected guy and making him better. Sounds like you have worked long and hard to over come all his issues. You must feel so helpless with the noise problem as all you have tried is not helping.
I adopted my dog when he was a year old, and although he was not in that bad a physical shape, he obviously had been mistreated as he has some strange behaviors that are hard to resolve. I am sure his sensitivity to some noises happened due to his history. How is your dog with fireworks and other noises?
I can help more with that as I know when they are coming. Luckily we don't have too many thunderstorms in Southern Ca, but we do live near Camp Pendleton, a marine base, and when they have bomb and gun training, the booms really upset my boy. Unhappily the boom booms happen quite a lot and at night too. Aaargh!

dottiesyrky · 09-05-2015, 09:48 AM

Wow, that is great that he was calm on your trip......here, the ends surely justified the means

I have had behaviorists in for my dog and his behaviors, but it was very expensive and time consuming, and I must admit not too successful. From what I saw with Cesar's treatment, desensitizing a dog from the sound problems is not an easy task. However, we have to try everything, and it may work for you....praying it does. Good luck and please let us know how it goes as I am sure we are not alone with this issue.

Scoobstersmom · 09-05-2015, 10:20 AM

I don't think it is the noise as much as something he senses/feels in the air when a storm is coming. Since he lived outside before we adopted him, we think he was probably left to fend for himself no matter what the weather conditions were. Most other noises don't seem to bother him. He sailed right through 4th of July (although the vet suggested I give him a Cerenia, and he slept right through it all) He also seems to work himself into a panic during car rides also. I've tried hard to sensitize him to at least short car rides without much success. Our vet is only four blocks from our house and he manages to work himself into a frenzy by the time we get there. It's funny because he always gets very excited to go in the car, but pants the whole time he's in the car, won't take a treat, won't settle and won't sleep. It's a hassle for us because we have a second home that is about a two hour drive, and we travel there quite often on the weekends. At least with the car rides though, he settles right away as soon as we get where we're going. He doesn't pant and tremble for hours afterwards. Honestly I don't have a lot of hope for the behaviorist either. At least, we don't have a long rainy season. It lasts a couple of months at the end of the summer and rarely rains during the rest of the year. We are about to the end of it now, thankfully.

Diana

tb98rock · 09-05-2015, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobstersmom

I don't think it is the noise as much as something he senses/feels in the air when a storm is coming. Since he lived outside before we adopted him, we think he was probably left to fend for himself no matter what the weather conditions were. Most other noises don't seem to bother him. He sailed right through 4th of July (although the vet suggested I give him a Cerenia, and he slept right through it all) He also seems to work himself into a panic during car rides also. I've tried hard to sensitize him to at least short car rides without much success. Our vet is only four blocks from our house and he manages to work himself into a frenzy by the time we get there. It's funny because he always gets very excited to go in the car, but pants the whole time he's in the car, won't take a treat, won't settle and won't sleep. It's a hassle for us because we have a second home that is about a two hour drive, and we travel there quite often on the weekends. At least with the car rides though, he settles right away as soon as we get where we're going. He doesn't pant and tremble for hours afterwards. Honestly I don't have a lot of hope for the behaviorist either. At least, we don't have a long rainy season. It lasts a couple of months at the end of the summer and rarely rains during the rest of the year. We are about to the end of it now, thankfully.

Diana

Aw I hope for the best for you and your little guy! Thank goodness he has you now after what sounds like horrible past! I'm so thankful to have had mine since a baby and show him how fun cars are! We go to the nature trail and my grandmas mainly since a baby so he doesn't have the negative connection with cars! Good luck to you both!

gracielove · 09-06-2015, 06:31 AM

Gracie is good with storms. When she was a pup she used to look at me when she would hear the thunder and I would just pretend I didn't notice so she would settle down and ignore it too. Seems to have worked. She turned 5 this year and still has no interest in thunder.....now bears and racoon are a whole different story.

09-05-2015, 09:38 AM	#18
dottiesyrky Donating YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: SW USA Posts: 2,505	Thunder Thank you for saving this poor neglected guy and making him better. Sounds like you have worked long and hard to over come all his issues. You must feel so helpless with the noise problem as all you have tried is not helping. I adopted my dog when he was a year old, and although he was not in that bad a physical shape, he obviously had been mistreated as he has some strange behaviors that are hard to resolve. I am sure his sensitivity to some noises happened due to his history. How is your dog with fireworks and other noises? I can help more with that as I know when they are coming. Luckily we don't have too many thunderstorms in Southern Ca, but we do live near Camp Pendleton, a marine base, and when they have bomb and gun training, the booms really upset my boy. Unhappily the boom booms happen quite a lot and at night too. Aaargh!

09-05-2015, 09:48 AM	#19
dottiesyrky Donating YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: SW USA Posts: 2,505	Thunder Wow, that is great that he was calm on your trip......here, the ends surely justified the means I have had behaviorists in for my dog and his behaviors, but it was very expensive and time consuming, and I must admit not too successful. From what I saw with Cesar's treatment, desensitizing a dog from the sound problems is not an easy task. However, we have to try everything, and it may work for you....praying it does. Good luck and please let us know how it goes as I am sure we are not alone with this issue.

09-05-2015, 09:24 AM	#16
Scoobstersmom YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Fountain Hills, AZ USA Posts: 385	Thanks. We feel so bad for him. He did not come from a good place and did not have proper care. We assume he was an "outside dog" where he was before, as he was covered in ticks, was not house trained, not neutered, had never even had his teeth brushed or a grooming, had no inside manners, and was terribly timid and fearful. We've worked long and hard with him, and he's been neutered, checked several times for tick diseases, had a dental, is now house trained and is sweet and lovable. We live in the desert and don't get much rain, so we didn't really have a good storm until July and were shocked when we discovered he had this issue. The last couple of weeks has been awful for him as it has stormed nearly every day. We're desperate to find some way to acclimate him so that he can get through this without pills to knock him out. Diana

09-05-2015, 09:33 AM	#17
Scoobstersmom YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Fountain Hills, AZ USA Posts: 385	I know what you mean about the meds. It has been a last resort for us. We didn't resort to it until he started getting so worked up that he would throw up and refuse to eat for at least a day. Then, we thought he was ill, so went through a long ordeal with three vet visits trying to figure out what was wrong with his tummy. It finally came down to stress. The tranquilizers do work pretty well. We traveled up to the mountains this weekend, and I gave him one for the car ride before we left because we expected to run into weather along the way. He did great on the drive and through an hour long raging storm without even panting, so that was awesome. I guess we have no choice really, at this point. We got a number for a behaviorist from our vet yesterday but he is closed till Tuesday, so I guess we'll call then and at least see if he has anything to offer. Diana

09-05-2015, 10:20 AM	#20
Scoobstersmom YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Fountain Hills, AZ USA Posts: 385	I don't think it is the noise as much as something he senses/feels in the air when a storm is coming. Since he lived outside before we adopted him, we think he was probably left to fend for himself no matter what the weather conditions were. Most other noises don't seem to bother him. He sailed right through 4th of July (although the vet suggested I give him a Cerenia, and he slept right through it all) He also seems to work himself into a panic during car rides also. I've tried hard to sensitize him to at least short car rides without much success. Our vet is only four blocks from our house and he manages to work himself into a frenzy by the time we get there. It's funny because he always gets very excited to go in the car, but pants the whole time he's in the car, won't take a treat, won't settle and won't sleep. It's a hassle for us because we have a second home that is about a two hour drive, and we travel there quite often on the weekends. At least with the car rides though, he settles right away as soon as we get where we're going. He doesn't pant and tremble for hours afterwards. Honestly I don't have a lot of hope for the behaviorist either. At least, we don't have a long rainy season. It lasts a couple of months at the end of the summer and rarely rains during the rest of the year. We are about to the end of it now, thankfully. Diana

09-06-2015, 06:31 AM	#22
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	Gracie is good with storms. When she was a pup she used to look at me when she would hear the thunder and I would just pretend I didn't notice so she would settle down and ignore it too. Seems to have worked. She turned 5 this year and still has no interest in thunder.....now bears and racoon are a whole different story.