thunder/lightning freaking out my dog

[redhooks]

I have a 7 year old lab that shakes and drools whenever there is a thunderstorm. We've tried abounce sheets and some calming drops for travel sickness but neither really work. Anybody have any ideas?

[panhead]

Redhooks, my 9 yr old lab was fine until age 6 or so. Now the same as yours. If home i just put him in his cage. Have gone as far as covering cage with a blanket to see if that made any difference, it didnt. Ive read that some get their dog thru this by starting a distraction, play treats etc. before and during the thunder and it has helpped some. That didnt work for me either. Cant figure out why in mid life thunder started bothering him. Fireworks do the same thing, perhaps that led to the issue with thunder?

[ClownColor]

Mine is the same. She has no problems with gun shots, fire works, you name it. But high winds and a storm freaks her out. Maybe it's the pressure changes that animals feel vs the actual noise from the storm itself? What ever it is though, panhead is right. I will play with my dog and she's fine during it.

[Ufatz]

Seems to be a strange thing fellas: some dogs react to storms and others seem oblivious. But the reference to Bounce sheets intrigues me-have not heard of it. Firs thing that pops in my mind though is most dogs, if bored, will chew it up. And what might be in that sheet that we don't want going into our dogs. Where did you hear of this as a "treatment" for such a situation? Who else knows of this or has any experience at it. Must confess I've never heard of it and frankly it would make me a little nervous.

Fill me in.

[fishdale]

My dog is a smaller bread and has the same problem. The wife got him a thundershirt (google it) and if we get it on him prior to the storm arriving he seems to have no problem with it the thunder/fireworks. We also use it for the other dog when he rides in the car as he always had issue's in the car and it helps a lot there also. I know they have different sizes. I was skeptical when she got it but it seems to work well for us.

[redhooks]

She's fine with fireworks and gunfire and yeah i think we'll try a thundershirt next. as for the bounce sheets I was told it's static that freaks them out so we just pet her with it get rid of static, she doesn't get a chance to eat/chew it but either way it didn't really work. I think that's why she might hide in the bathtub as well,= less static?