With summertime come thunderstorms that can be a source of anxiety and fear in your dog. Although no one knows exactly why some dogs are afraid of loud noises like thunder, it is speculated that the fear could result from a single unpleasant episode during puppy-hood or a genetic predisposition that includes a heightened sensitivity to noise. Whatever the reason, a dog’s fear behavior is very hard for owners to watch. Not to mention, that some fearful dogs can harm themselves or your property while trying to escape from the source of the noise.

Mild fear responses include panting and pacing or retreating to a safe location and perhaps some shaking or tremors.  An extremely fearful dog may try to dig into your bed or couch to hide or break through a screen door or worse a glass door as they run in fear. In trying to help your pet cope, you should offer a safe-haven in a small room in the house like a bathroom or for small dogs a protected bed or carrier. When there is no stimulus that is causing the dog’s fears, that is, it is a nice calm day, you can practice systemic desensitization by playing recorded storm sounds at low volume while reassuring your pet and offering a treat. You can gradually raise the volume as your pet adjusts and his comfort level increases. 

For more extreme cases, you can get assistance from dog behavior therapists or  your vet may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication (tranquilizers) for dogs such as Valium or Aceprom.  Additional information on these medications is available at Mar Vista Animal Medical Center including precautions, drug interactions, and breed specific responses.

Posted by Barbara.

In the small town where I grew up, the 4th of July celebration was a big deal. Of course, we considered a supermarket opening a big deal. In the morning, everyone would go to Main Street and find a good place to sit. The earlier you got there, the more likely you were to find shade; so it was worth getting up at 6:00 in the morning. Most of the town turned out including lots of kids and many senior citizens. And, some times we brought our dogs.

America celebrates July 4 as our Independence Day because it was on July 4, 1776, that members of the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. In the next year on July 4, Philadelphians remembered and bells were rung, guns fired, candles lighted, and firecrackers set off. Now it is a tradition you should enjoy, too.

To add to your fun during your 4th celebration, how about dressing Spot up to show that dogs are patriotic, too? You can get a real Yankee-doodle dog costume from Tails By The Lake. The red, white, and blue outfit includes tuxedo tails, a bow-tie collar, a top hat, and a blue body covering with stars. The outfits come in several sizes from extra small to double-extra large.

Posted by Barbara.

In 1976, Kong came out with its first durable dog toys including the famous and useful stuff-it toy in which you could hide hard to reach treats that kept your dog entertained while you were away or busy with other non-dog things. Now they have a new all-purpose toy with bells and whistles for your dog’s favorite playtime activities.

The Q-Tease Duck Plush toy for dogs combines a plush toy, a tennis ball, a rope and a squeaker into one great toy. The plush critters have squeakers in their heads and squeaker tennis balls in their body. There is a tough rope tail that can be used for tugging games or toss and fetch. It is double stitched to survive rough puppy play and the tennis ball can also be easily removed and replaced if the dog’s enthusiasm damages it. The toy is about seven inches high and made with non-toxic materials.

Posted by Barbara.