[Tamena]

first off does anyone else's dobes have major issues with thunerstorms?
Tucker drives me INSANE...he's so scared he whimpers and shakes for hours. It breaks my heart

We used ace on him a few times and it didn't seem to be very effective unless we gave him enough to knock his butt out. He got a scrip for valium (yes, my dog gets valium from the local pharmacy...I can't get a stupid sleeping pill but my DOG gets valium) 10mg and it works but it makes him so hung over the next day it's not funny. He is unbelievably lazy and cranky after a night of valium.

I read something about giving dogs melatonin instead and figured it was worth a try
here's one of the articles:
http://www.peoriahs.org/melatonin.html

Any thoughts on this? Anyone try it yet? Help?
we've had a bad summer thunder wise already and now hurricane season is here, it's only going to get worse. My poor pupper is gonna have a heart attack if this keeps up!

 

[TracyJo]

A long time ago I used a product called "rescue remedy" for my corgi/shiba mix. I'm pretty sure its active ingredient was melatonin. We used it for stressful things like visiting the vet and travelling. It worked well and I don't remember him every having any hangovers the next day

 

[Ann]

I've used rescue remedy on a past dobe It worked pretty well but had to give it more as she got more scared. but it is natural. but if i'm not mistaken it's flower essences. The brand I get is Bach Rescue Remedy.

 

[Tamena]

I've tried stuff like that in the past with my beagle mix and it never seemed to work very well for him. Might have been a different product though, one of the destresser things...I don't remember

the melatonin was cheap, like $4 for 60 tabs at 5mg each. That's 60 doses by Tuck's weight!
thanks for the input gang, it's much appreciated. I love my doberlope and worry about him a lot.

 

[doberlover]

I bought Pet-Eze by 21st Century. You can get it at Petsmart for about $7-9. It contains chamomile and hops among other things like liver meal. I bought it for them when we went for a ride in the motor home. They just got so excited at first and needed some calming down. This stuff really worked for me and did not make them groggy, just relaxed.
We don't get many thunderstorms but when the battery in the smoke detector is low and starts beeping they all come running onto our bed and hide.

 

[Tamena]

update here
we had a bunch of storms that were suppose to arrive in the area last night including a tornado watch - highly unusual for central NJ!

I decided to try the Melatonin and see if it worked cause Tucker usually reacts very early on when a storm is on the way.
Not sure if the storm wasn't as bad as expect or what but the Melatonin seemed to work wonders! He even was willing to go outside in the rain to do his business before bed! Usually I have to drag him out and stand there in the rain cause we all know dobes will melt if they get wet :tongue22:

It seems to have worked well, he wasn't punchy like he gets on the valium and no hangover like the ace.
I'll try the stuff one more time and see what happens.

 

[JavasMom]

Good to know that there are safe meds for dogs if they have a panic attack.

I guess we've been lucky so far - Java hasn't paniced during a thunderstorm (yet). If there's a loud clap of thunder (the kind that rattle the windows), she'll head to her crate. When there is strong wind and driving rain, the ears are up and she will pace the inside perimeter of the house, on high alert. I don't react to a storm just to keep her excitement level down - in fact I will bring out her favorite tug toy to distract her.

My last Dobe would either try and hide under the couch - all that would fit would be her head - or she would go to her bed, crawl under her blanket and stay there until the storm passed.

Java does react to motocycles - does not like the noise at all, but not enough to panic her, altough if she were off leash I wouldn't trust her not to run off in the other direction. I know of some dogs that are absolutely terrified of loud motorcycles.

I have heard people actually suggest that you put the dog outside during a storm to make it 'get used to the noise' - can you imagine??? If you wouldn't do it to a small child, why would you do that to a dog??

 

[Tamena]

It's not even really a medication is the best part, it's a supliment you can grab just about anywhere that sells vitamins! and it's cheap!

We don't know anything about Tucker's past so we're not sure why he reacts so badly to the storms. It's only thunder, fireworks and gun shots that send him into panic mode. I feel so bad for him when it happens because you can see the fear in his eyes....how do you explain to a dog that it's going to be OK?

I couldn't just put them out in a storm. How horrible! I do try to take him outside to do his business sometimes and it's like I'm purposely trying to kill him by his reaction LOL He's such a whimp sometimes.
He didn't even bat an eyelash last night though - went right out, did his thing and came back in. I was FLOORED. He usually won't go out in the rain at all...and he went last night without a fight.

I'm just happy we found something that seems to work for him and doesn't seem to have any adverse effects. Hopefully this means the end to Meatball Panic Dobe-O-Doom durning storms!

 

[LindaH]

How old is Tucker? I just posted about this on another board about my older dog. She developed this fear at around 8 or 9 yrs old and is the second dog I have had to do this. Another member told me this could be a hypothyroidsim. Talked to my vet today and have an appointment to have her blood drawn next wednesday.

 

[Murreydobe]

How old is Tucker? I just posted about this on another board about my older dog. She developed this fear at around 8 or 9 yrs old and is the second dog I have had to do this. Another member told me this could be a hypothyroidsim. Talked to my vet today and have an appointment to have her blood drawn next wednesday.

I think when this happens with an older dog, it's frequently hooked in with hearing loss. That's been my experience, at least.

If it's something that's been a problem through the life of the dog, it's a temperament issue. Sound sensitivity is one thing that's always checked in temperament tests and working trials with gun shots.

 

[Tamena]

we're not really sure how old he is cause he was found as a stray in a park.
The shelter thought he was 2-3 when we got him, my other vet said no more than 1 1/2 - 2
his Get Day is the day before Thanksgiving and we're coming up on 3 years of having him manipulate us to no end hehehe

Doberkim has seen him too and would probably be the best person to guess his current age.
He was petrified of big bangs when he came home with us. Not sure why or how but I'm starting to think that he was kept outside a lot as a puppy and was definately not well taken care of either, he's got lots of scars and had some serious issues when we first got him

His thyroid was tested this week and everything was fine with it.
I feel bad for him cause he gets so upset he cries and shivers and paces...and becomes a big red tick as he will not leave my side - to the point that once we had a really big BOOM and I happened to be in the bathroom? The silly dog got so upset that he couldn't get next to me that he backed up and sat in my lap instead.
Trying to go pee with 100lbs of dobe in your lap makes for an interesting experience. My hubby was laughing so hard he was NO help at all :duh_6b:

 

[doberkim]

im glad it worked for the doberlope i wont have to give you any more valium and ace!

and i dont think we need more blood - i think the lab screwed up and sent me a repeat of the old bloodwork, his free T4 is still pending!

 

[Tamena]

Draggyn says that the melatonin didn't work and he thinks we need more valium
*rolls eyes*
he's such a jerk sometimes LOL

Tucker's gonna think you hate him soon if you keep sticking him LOL between the blood work and the nails he's still none too happy to see the leash right now heheeh

and Kim? thank you so very very much!

 

[LindaH]

My vet did recommend benadryll for this. Said it should put them out like a light.

 

[Patches Mom]

Supposedly you can get a CD or tape of storm noises play it very softly and over time play it louder & louder till the dog is use to the noise.Also the have aromatherapy you can plug in suppose to clam the dog then there is always Tellington Touch massage for dogs it will calm a dog they have a video and books just type in Tellington Touch on your search engine.A Health food store may have some ideas also,another idea is to type in Fear of Storms for a Dog in your search engine may come up with all kinds of help.
Patches Mom