Helpful Tips to Calm Your Dog During a Thunderstorm

It can be heartbreaking to watch: even before the first sound of thunder, seemingly well behaved dogs can have a radical change in their temperament and behavior.  You may see your pet begin to pace, or pant, and become very clingy to you.  Some dogs will look for a dark place to hide like a closet. And some who truly suffer from fear and anxiety of thunderstorms can do damage to walls or carpets trying to claw their way out in a panic. Do you know the story of Marley and Me?  Poor Marley had a severe case of thunderstorm phobia.
The fear of loud sounds such as fireworks and thunder are not uncommon, and shouldn't be ignored.  Most of the time your pet will not simply grow out of the phobia, and its possible it can get worse over their lifetime.
Its hard to put a finger on what triggers dogs to have Thunderstorm phobia's in particular. Aside from the loud rumbling of thunder, it is thought that the change in barometric pressure and the static electricity that we humans are not sensitive too play a major roll in igniting this behavior.
Its the height of the rainy and stormy season in most of the US right now.  Recently our own dog went through a series of days where he was just not himself. He was clingy, panted nonstop and didn't want to come back inside the house after his walks.  This started a few days even before we had heard of a storm in the forecast. I began to look for something to help him, and in doing my research I discovered Nelson Bach Rescue Remedy.
This all natural homeopathic product has five main ingredients that target sensitive pets.  We noticed a big difference in our dog right away, and now we keep a bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy on hand so that we can give him a dose at the moment we notice a change in his behavior. This product is great for Cat Anxiety issues as well.
Another all natural approach to providing your dog support during these fearful moments is the patent-pending Thundershirt.  This amazing product is a pressure wrap that applies gentle, constant pressure on a dog or cats torso.  From real life experiences it has been proven to make a difference which is why there is a money back guarantee. Over 85% of dogs showed significant improvement when wearing the Thundershirt. Cabo Dog Boutique is happy to offer this well-designed and affordable wrap specially made for dogs in four different color options from Classic Gray, Rugby Blue, Red Polo, Rugby Pink and Blue Polo. There is even a Thundershirt for cats to help with your cats stress and anxiety issues.
Adding a Natural anti-anxiety dog supplement to your dogs diet during thunderstorm season can be a very helpful benefit for your dog.  The Peaceful Pooch Calming Supplement has an amazing blend of ingredients such as Melatonin, Valerian, Chamomile and Passion Flower, all of which have been proven to relieve stress and anxiety during anxiety-filled moments such as fireworks, Thunderstorms or separation anxiety. You simply add it to their favorite food daily.

Cabo Dog Boutique is dedicated to helping you with natural solutions for your pet.  Here are the Top Five Helpful Tips from WebMD Pets:

1. Reward calm behavior year-round.
2. Give the dog a safe place where he can go in a storm like a crate.
3. Consider a snug garment.
4.  Desensitize your dog during the winter months by playing a CD of thunder recordings at very low volume so as not to frighten your dog, and give them treats, you can help to build up their acceptance levels for the sound of thunder which is a major trigger for an anxiety or phobic attack.
5. In severe cases, seek medical help from your Veterinarian who may feel a prescription medication is necessary.

Want to see how a Thundershirt can help? View this video of some "Before and After" clips!