If you think a camera is bad....

[dreamparkingspace]

My dog Tatum has that severe phobia of cameras and thunder & lightning. Strange thing about the camera is that she is afraid of it even when I turn the flash off. Storms are the worst though, like you said. The worst part about storms here was that Shawnee used to pick on Tatum (by nibbling her ear and things like that) when Tatum would become terrified of the thunder & lightning. Now for some reason, Shawnee doesn't do that anymore and Tatum just shivers and hides under a table or something. A dog obedience trainer at PetSmart told me to reward Tatum when she comes out from under the table with treats. Puppy sedatives aren't a bad idea either probably. I occasionally will buy some called "quiet moments," but for some reason I feel kinda guilty giving them to my dogs, like they are screwing them up or something, which is odd because they are just natural ingredients like tryptophan, and also I take psychiatric meds myself, however, I just don't want my poor pooches to have to do anything remotely close to that.

[Ginger's Mom]

I would agree with many of the people above who suggested some sort of sedative, whether it be herbal or prescribed. Just enough to take the edge off so you aren't worried about what is going on inside her. I don't think you are ever really going to be able to change her behavior, but you both may feel better if she seems a little calmer during the storms. My parents had a beagle that was petrified of storms and would hide in their bedroom closet. The first few years I think they felt just horrible about the poor dogs fears. After a while, they accepted the fact that this was how she dealt with storms.

[lizbud]

Smokey could be the poster boy for storm phobia, at least he used to be.
he still gets nervous but has discovered the bathroom is his safe place.

Maggie doesn't like storms either but she's never paced, panted heavily,
like Smokey used to do.She found her safe place right away & stays there
and sleeps till it's over. (under the dining room table)

I really do believe in the drastic cases, meds do help. I guess each dog is
different.

[Freedom]

Sugar is also terrified of thunder. If permitted, she climbs up the back of Dad's recliner. A few times she has become tangled up in there with springs etc. and we've thought we would have to cut the chair to get her out. But she manages. She also hyperventilates the entire storm, panting quite heavily. Eyes are almost but not quite glazed over. Forget offering a treat of any sort.

If we manage to block the chair, she will curl up under one of the beds. I have also taken her in my bed under the covers and that is acceptable to her as long as I am right there next to her.

Takes her about an hour after the storm is over to come out. And then she is exhausted, from all the stress.

None of the other dogs, none of the cats, seem to care about storms. Tommy actually runs to a window to watch it.

As she is not getting into trouble, we just accept that this is how she reacts to storms. But in the extreme cases mentioned above, I can certainly see where a sedative would be required.

[chocolatepuppy]

Layla too! She is terrified of storms. The worse the storm, the worse she is. She tries to hide under the computer desk and she doesn't fit. She shakes terribly. During most storms at night she'll hide in the bathroom. She will not come out until the storms are well past and I have to coax her out. I have the pheromone plug in, it doesn't seem to help. I do have some of those 'natural' pills and they do seem to help a bit, but you have to know the storm is coming. I'm careful not to baby her but there are times I hug her really tight (think anxiety wrap) and it seems to help. I only do that if she's really shaking bad.

[K9karen]

Thanks so much everyone! I have to admit, I heaved a sigh of relief reading that Mz Logan isn't the only dog afraid of camera, flash or not.

Yes, she feels the storm hours before it hits, but at the first crack of thunder and sight of lightening, she's GONE! I'm glad she found "her safe spot", and doesn't pee or vomit. Surprisingly, she didn't shake much last night, just licked her lips a zillion times, tail under and ears back.

Somehow, I conjoled her to come upstairs to the TV/computer room. We shut the blinds, put on an extra light and upped the TV volume. We also shut the door and tried to act normal. She eventually calmed down, even through the rain part, and hasseled me for head rubs.

She's as happy as a clam today, even on wet grass..there are flocks of birds and rabbits.

It just totally breaks my heart. Logan is so sweet and obedient and loving, but she's so transfixed during a storm, she's not herself. Normally, I'd be less stressed and accept it, but I have a lot of stuff going on with hoomans. Regardless, my always top priority is my precious pumpkin.

Thanks you, again for all your caring and suggestions!

[shepgirl]

A friend has 2 dogs that go totally freaky when a storm hits. She ordered some kind of cape on the internet, don't really know what it's made of, but it was advertised as guaranteed to keep pets calm during storms. Believe it or not it really works, don't have a clue as to why it does. She just wraps them in the capes and the dogs sleep through the storms.