Thunder rumbles, and your pooch cowers under the kitchen table. How can you help? Pets take their cues from us, says Kathy Diamond Davis, author of Therapy Dogs, who offers these tips:
Keep him safe. Fear of storms may stem from situations in which a pet was left in harm"s way. Never leave him out in a storm.
Start early. When you help puppies react well to storms, they"re less likely to be scared as they grow.
Cuddle her. She may really fear being left alone as it thunders.
Distract him. If he"s having fun, he"s less likely to focus on the storm.
If your pet is so frantic that she tries to escape or is destructive, keep her in a crate or other confined space if that calms her.
Don"t punish a scared pet.
Pump up background noise. Turning on a fan may help soothe a dog.
If all else fails, talk to your vet about medication.
