Coping with Storm Anxiety
 By Honor Tarpenning, NextDayPets.com Staff

Does your dog panic in the hours before and during a thunderstorm? Storm anxiety can be displayed with relatively minor symptoms like trembling, panting, and drooling; more intense symptoms like hiding, whining, and inappropriate elimination; or even extreme symptoms like destructive behavior, and self injury. It is estimated that one third of dogs exhibit some form of storm anxiety.

It is not known exactly what part of a thunderstorm triggers dogs with storm anxiety; whether it’s the wind, rain, thunder, lightening, ionization, drop in barometric pressure, or the low-frequency rumbles that precede a storm. It has, however, been established that certain dogs are more susceptible to this form of anxiety. Many experts believe that herding breeds, hound breeds, and working breeds are more likely to develop this form of anxiety. It is believed that these dogs, as a result of breeding, react quickly to outside stimuli, but suppress certain undesirable responses. They suppress their aggressive response to the storm, and this manifests in anxiety. It is also widely accepted that rescued dogs are more susceptible to this and other forms of anxiety due to abuse, lack of socialization, and other unpleasant experiences endured prior to adoption.

Some dogs have relatively minor reactions to storm anxiety, but even owners of these dogs should pursue relief of symptoms because it has been found that limited reactions this storm season can lead to escalated reactions next season and eventually, even more generalized fears, like the fear of loud noises over time.


How Can I Help?

As with any other behavior or health issue with your dog, it is best to start with a trip to the vet. Your vet will help you ascertain that storm anxiety is the only anxiety disorder present in your dog. If your pooch is suffering from separation anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder, the treatment and possible medications your vet will suggest will be different. It won’t do any good to just treat your dog for storm anxiety if the problem is actually rooted in another, more general type of anxiety all together.

Your vet may recommend one of several kinds of medications. Prophylactic medications help keep the anxiety response from happening at all, these include anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. Your vet may also recommend a sedative to use on an as-needed basis, to be taken in the hours before a storm comes to relax your dog. There are also many homeopathic, holistic, and herbal remedies that can help relax your dog. Some of these medications include HomeoPet Anxiety and Sleepy Time Calming Tonic.

Although all these forms of medication can be extremely beneficial, experts maintain that a multimodal approach is best. This means that you can’t just medicate your dog and hope the problem will go away; you also have to focus on behavioral therapy to truly take care of the problem.

Desensitization therapy is one widely recognized method of controlling storm anxiety. This consists of playing a CD of storm noises on low volume, and teaching your dog to associate these sounds with positive feelings. The dog is praised and rewarded for calm, relaxed behavior and as he grows more and more comfortable with the sounds, the volume is increased. This is continued until even very loud claps of thunder cease to phase your dog. There are mixed feelings in the training community about this kind of behavior therapy. First of all, this must be done under the direction of a vet or dog behavior expert. Those who do not have a complete understanding of the fear response in dogs can inadvertently make the dog’s storm phobia worse. Also, some believe that since a CD only mimics the sound of a storm, and does not address the whole sensory experience, it is not as beneficial as one would hope. Despite this incredulity, however, most believe that even if desensitization therapy does not completely stop a dog’s storm anxiety, it does teach the dog to associate the sounds of a storm with positive feelings of comfort, safety, and reward, which is at the very least a step in the right direction.

Another way to help your anxious dog is to minimize the sensory factors of a storm. One can turn up the radio or tv, and shut the blinds. You can also teach your dog to find comfort in a “safe zone” like a closet or kennel covered with blankets with a den-like feel which dogs instinctively seek for safety.

It is also helpful to distract your dog when storms are imminent. Provide stuffable toys, like Kongs filled with your dog’s favorite snacks, plugged with peanut butter, and then frozen. Furthermore, you can leash your dog and lead him around the house, requiring him to perform tasks like going through a homemade obstacle course, and rewarding him for their completion. It is important that you not reward your dog for frightened, anxious behavior, so giving him tasks and rewarding good behavior is a great way to distract him and reinforce calm behavior. A storm is a great time for an easy, laid back training session, which will distract your dog. Try working on commands your dog knows well like sit and down.

During storms, use your playtime voice; be high pitched and excited. When you try to coddle your dog, snuggling him and speaking to him in gentle, reassuring tones, you are, in fact, rewarding his fearful behavior. When you allow yourself to be overly concerned for your frightened dog, holding him like a baby and telling him he’s going to be ok, you are effectively justifying his fear. However, if you act fun and playful, as if everything is completely normal, he will pick up on this care-free demeanor and see that there is nothing to be scared of.

Never crate a frightened dog or lock him in a room. A dog in panic mode can seriously injure himself trying to escape a frightening situation. There have been dogs who have destroyed “indestructible” crates, and plowed through plate glass windows to escape confinement when in a panic. Restricting the dog to a particular room or garage during storms will also teach the dog to associate that room with fear and relegation. It is also important that you NEVER punish a dog for fear reactions, even if they eliminate in the house or rip down your drapes; they are not acting out or misbehaving on purpose.

Storm anxiety is not necessarily a life-long disorder. Some dogs don’t develop storm anxiety until later in life. If your dog or puppy is not frightened of storms, reinforce this behavior every chance you get. Whenever storms come, make a habit of storm time being play time. Break out the same super-fun toy every time the dark clouds start to close in and your pup will learn to associate storms with extra-special play time.

Just as with any other training-related issue, you won’t see results over night as you try to help your dog through storm anxiety. As long as you remember to be patient, consistent, and understanding, and follow the advice of your veterinarian, your dog will learn to accept storms as a part of life, and learn to relax and go with the flow.

©2012, Next Day Pets, L.L.C.

Knowing your dog is so very important, but many people go through life without fully knowing or understanding them. Yesterday when I was at the park a man walked by us with his two cute little munchkins and gave us a heads up. "There is a guy with a black dog around corner that went after my dog," he told me. I asked if the dog had been on a leash? He said "yes, they were just saying hi and it attacked my dog." I thanked him and we went on our way. Needless to say I kept my eye open for the black dog but he seemed to have left.

This got me to thinking that many people really do not know their own dog. Had this guy known his black dog he would have passed on the greeting. Of course I didn't see what happened but it's a good guess. I used to tell people from far away that Jessie was not friendly, it just wasn't worth all the bluster from her and shock from other people. She was the ultimate "alpha bitch," and went through life wanting everyone to know that fact.

Another park encounter of ours was averted because I know my dogs. We were walking down the path and saw a young looking, very friendly lab. He had a spring in his step and was growing increasing ly excited when he saw my guys. I knew in an instant that Luke would not like this dog, he's not a big lab fan. I told Luke and Elsa "this way," and we veered into the field a bit just as Luke mustered up a gruff sounding exhale. He'd been watching the dog and had his warning already when I made him change course.

At the moment Elsa likes everyone, she is still young and social. In fact she will be 10 months old tomorrow and I love how social and dog savvy she is. She has had so much socializing with a wide range of dogs that her skills have been becoming more and more fine tuned. So far there is nothing that I have to steer away for due to her likes and dislikes. Although if I do see trouble coming or stirring I will remove us. One bad altercation can be enough to start a problem that was not there in the first place. She has now met some grumpy dogs and we quickly find a nice one afterwards; a sort of back on the horse thing so there is no lasting impression, just a life lesson.

But knowing your dogs ins and outs takes time; it takes a great deal of watching and paying attention. How many times have I heard people say to me "I don't know why he does that sometimes?" I say all of the time "Luke's not going to like this or that." I know my boy and he is an extremely complicated yet simple guy. Watching is so very important, not only watching but taking in and learning. Why is your dog reacting the way they are? Almost everything in a dogs life is caused by association whether it be positive or negative. Our job is to make it mostly positive and help them through our human world.

When you go out with your dog, watch. Don't be talking on the phone or in your own world. Watch how they are dealing in your world. Get to know them on every different level. Learning how they see the world will help you to know how they feel about situations that you can then avoid if needed. It's all about knowing your dog, do you?

~Sherri Regalbuto

By Honor Tarpenning, NextDayPets.com Staff

The loss of a pet is a truly tragic, heartbreaking, and unparalleled experience. We look to our pets for support, comfort, camaraderie, affection, and love that knows no bounds. So what do you do when it is time to let your best furry friend go? The number one thing you must understand is that you are not alone in your grief. Even if those around you do not understand why you are so upset because its “just a dog,” don’t forget that there are people like you all over the world who love their pets with all their hearts and grieve their loss just like the loss of any other loved one.

First, with an aging or critically ill dog, you must decide when it is time to euthanize. After the passing of your beloved pet, you must understand how to handle your grief, how to help your family through this difficult time, and what you can do to make it all a little easier.


How Do I Know When Its Time?

Euthanasia is the act of ending your dog’s life with a quick and painless injection given by your vet. This is, of course, not an easy decision. It is not to be taken lightly and it is best you discuss your choice at length with your vet before making a final decision.

The best way to gauge if it is time to say goodbye to your dog is if his quality of life has declined to the point where the bad days outnumber the good. At this point, keeping your dog alive is only forcing him to live in pain.

If your dog still enjoys the company of his companions, if he still gets excited about his favorite toys and tasty snacks, if he can move about without pain, and still readily participates in play, euthanasia is probably not the right choice. However, if your dog has to endure difficult and stressful treatments on a regular basis, has trouble moving about, is generally uninterested in life, is unaware of his surroundings, does not want to be petted or played with, or if he soils himself regularly, it might be time to make the choice of euthanasia. It is important that you be honest and unselfish with yourself and your family when making this choice. Deciding to let your suffering pet linger may feel like the easier option because you do not yet have to say goodbye, but really it is just a means continuing the agony of your pet and your family.


Grieving

Whether you’ve chosen to euthanize your dog or you’ve lost your dog to a sudden accident or illness, you must be prepared to go through several of the completely normal stages of grief.

A common, early stage of grief is denial. You might not want to admit your dog is gone. You might wake up in the morning expecting Rover to be wagging his tail at the foot of your bed. Allowing yourself to grieve is the best way to get through this stage. Don’t try to just shove your feelings away; this will hurt far more than it will help in the long run.

You might also experience anger. This might be directed at your pet for getting sick, at the vet for not being able to make him better, at your loved ones for not doing more to help. Your anger can also be directed towards yourself in the form of guilt. You might be upset with yourself for not having done more, not spending as much time with your dog as you think you could have, or not taking him for that long daily walk he would have liked so much. The best thing you can do is let go of these feelings. Whenever you feel angry, try to think of something your pet did that made you smile or something you two liked to do together, and how it made you feel. Remember that although your dog is gone, no one can ever take those happy memories away from you. Instead of holding on to anger, hold on to those good feelings.

Often following denial and anger, you might find yourself in a period of depression. You might lose interest in day to day activities, have trouble sleeping, and feel generally lethargic; you might even experience headaches, shortness of breath, and other symptoms of extreme stress. This is ok, but you must not let it snowball out of control. If your depression gets to the point where it interferes with work or caring for your family, you should seek professional help. There is absolutely no shame in seeking help in this situation; strong, intelligent people do so every day. Sometimes the strongest choice is asking for help.

Eventually, you will find yourself in the acceptance phase of your grief. You will understand that your pup is gone and not coming back; that he is safe and no longer in pain; and that this is for the best. This phase might feel exceptionally far-off if you have just lost your dear friend, but just like any other heartbreak or sadness, it will fade, and the sun will shine again.


How to Deal

You must understand that you are not over-sensitive, silly, or crazy for being miserable because your dog is gone. These feelings are completely normal. A good way to work through your feelings is to talk to a friend or close family member. However, many of us do not have friends or family who understand the unassailable bond of a dog and owner. If this is the case, seek the guidance of your vet, local humane society, or the club that represents the breed of your late pooch. There you will find supportive, kind individuals who appreciate how you feel, many of whom have been through the same experience. You can also visit our forums which have a specific category for stories and conversations In Memory of beloved pets.

You can also try moving things around in your home. Especially if Rover had a certain corner where he liked to curl up, and it breaks your heart every time you look in that direction and he’s not there—redecorate your living room and stick an end table or a lamp in that corner. You’ll be surprised how simple changes can help with the grieving process.


Helping Yourself and Your Kids Through

When it comes to children, you absolutely must be honest. Telling your kids that Rover went to a farm may seem like the gentle way to help them through the loss, but it is counterproductive. Not only does it do nothing to help them understand the natural processes of life, about which they will have to learn eventually, but when they do find out the truth, it will breed in them a mistrust and anger that may be difficult to counteract.

When you explain the situation to your children, avoid euphemisms like “put to sleep” or “passed on.” These expressions are confusing and misleading, especially to young children, and can even be frightening. If you tell a young child that Rover has been “put to sleep” without explaining exactly what that means, he or she may themselves be afraid to go to sleep for fear that they might not come back. Speak to your children gently, but frankly. Delicately explain that living had become painful and difficult for Rover in the end and that saying goodbye was the kindest thing you could do for him, even though it is so hard.

Do not feel as if you need to “be strong” for your children. Crying in front of or with them over the loss of your dog will show them that it is ok to feel sad about the loss and that it is ok to cry. But try to bring conversation back to a positive angle by finding ways to smile through your tears. Reminisce with your family with funny stories about your dog, or silly things he used to do. Encourage your children to draw pictures or write stories about the good times with your dog.

The lack of control in the situation of losing a pet is difficult for a child, especially if he or she was not involved in the choice to euthanize. Help him or her gain a sense of control by letting them plan a memorial service, or decorate an urn or burial marker. This will give children an important sense of closure, and will help you with your grief as well.

If this is your children’s first experience with death, they will probably have quite a few questions. Do your best to be extremely patient and forthcoming. The more information they seek and find, the more comfortable they will be with what has happened, and the more ready they will be when they inevitably face death again later in life. Think of it as a learning experience that they will look back on with appreciation as they grow up.

Absolutely do not try to replace the pet who has passed. It is more than ok to get another dog eventually, in fact it is recommended, but this new dog is NOT a replacement. Avoid getting another dog of the same breed or naming him the same thing. This will be confusing to children and can breed resentment towards the new dog. Dogs are individuals, just like people, and it is not fair to expect a new dog to take the place of a beloved, deceased friend.

If your children are having an exceptionally difficult time handling the death of your dog, take this as a sign that you have raised compassionate individuals with huge hearts. After all, those with the biggest hearts have the greatest capacity for heartbreak. There is no shame in seeking clergy, support groups, or grief counselors to help you and your family through this difficult time. Just remember that, as Edna St. Vincent Millay said, “sadness flies away on the wings of time.”

What is Micro Chipping and How Does it Work?
By Shay Quincy

We've all seen posters in our local area put up by people desperately trying to find their lost pet. You may have even been unlucky enough to have suffered this problem yourself – and there can be few things more frustrating or upsetting for an animal lover than losing your pet.

However, while in the past all you could do was hit the streets, hand out flyers and then sit tight and hope for the best, these days there's much more you can do to protect your four legged friends in the event that they get lost.

Micro Chipping is an affordable way to increase the chances of finding your lost pet. It involves putting a small chip under the skin of the animal, which contains a unique code. These digits are stored on a national database of names and addresses, and a scan of the  chip brings them up. This means that should the pet be found and handed in to vets, they will be able to find out the details of the owner and reunite them with their animal. Local newspapers are littered with happy success stories where this approach has come up trumps, with animals found hundreds of miles away from home reunited with their owners.

Who can Micro Chip my pet? 

If you want to get your pet micro chipped, your first question should be: where is my nearest vet?. Although micro chipping is a relatively simple procedure, it should only be carried out by a fully qualified animal medical professional. Along with vets, local authorities and trained members of animal welfare groups can also carry out the task. The procedure is no more painful than an injection and the pet will not even be aware of the  micro chip being under its skin once it's been successfully inserted. 

How much does micro chipping cost?

Generally, you should expect to pay between $30 and $50 for micro chipping, although this can vary between practices. Considering that it's so affordable, as mentioned it should  only ever be carried out by a trained professional – it's not worth the risk or hassle of  trying to carry it out yourself. 

Where can I find out more?

As mentioned, Vets' Surgeries should usually be your first port of call, although animal welfare groups and charities are also useful reference points and often publish guides on topics such as when to feed your pet
 and how to avoid infection and illness.   

NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free) Training

By Honor Tarpenning, NextDayPets.com Staff

Nothing in Life Is Free is a training method based on the principle that all attention and rewards received by your dog should only be offered on the owner’s terms. NILIF means that the dog must work to receive affection, play, sustenance, and treats. This safe and non-confrontational manner of training teaches your dog that the owner is the alpha dog in the home and all good things in life come through the alpha. With the use of the NILIF technique, dogs become secure and comfortable in their place in the pack, and are thus more calm, balanced, submissive companions.

Does your dog jump up on the furniture at will? Does he paw, nose, and nudge you looking for pets and snuggles? Does he jump on you seeking attention? Does he beg when people are eating or even try to steal food? Does your dog refuse to come when he’s called, and generally ignore your commands? If any of these examples sound familiar, your dog is a perfect candidate for NILIF.

The greatest thing about NILIF is that there’s no specific process to follow or steps to memorize; you just have to change your perspective regarding the way you reward your dog, and act accordingly. You are the pack leader; the alpha dog. You control everything your dog does and receives. One of the simplest examples of this principle regards the dog who demands attention.

Imagine you’re sitting on the couch, relaxing. Your gaze is fixed on the tv and your hand rests lazily at your side. All of a sudden there is a dog next to you on the couch and a cold, wet nose nudging your hand. You automatically lift your hand and begin tenderly stroking the dog’s head. Your dog has just told you that it is time to give affection, and you have accepted this command. The power structure here is completely off kilter.

With the NILIF method, you ignore your dog’s imploring for affection. This doesn’t mean you can’t be affectionate with your dog, it just means you have to do so on your terms. First of all, your dog has taken it upon himself to jump on the couch without being invited. Dogs relate height with status, so he has literally given himself permission to join you at a higher status point. If you want to allow your dog on the furniture, you must make it clear to him that he is only allowed up when invited. Secondly, he has demanded pets and you immediately relented. You can pet him, but he must first work for that attention. So, next time he jumps up on the couch and noses your hand, pretend he’s not even there. Do not push him away or tell him “no”; this still constitutes attention. The metaphor I use is that one should, when one’s dog is making demands, “be a tree.” Trees don’t acknowledge, they don’t speak or move; trees are completely stoic. So, when your dog demands your attention, it’s time to be a tree until he understands that demanding attention yields no response.

It will take some time for your dog to understand what’s going on. He has probably grown accustomed to asking for attention and immediately receiving it for his entire life. He will most likely implore you with more nudges, maybe even to the point of pawing at your arm or climbing on you. Just be a tree. If your dog begins to act particularly obnoxious and you give in, you have lost the battle. If he jumps in your lap and starts licking your face, so you fold and pet him to calm him down, he has just learned that all he has to do is try harder and you will give up. Instead, when he starts to act up, get up and walk away as if he isn’t even there. You can then wait a few minutes, call him to you, make him sit, and shower him with all the love and affection you want. This is ok because it is on your terms, you have commanded him to come to you, he has worked by answering to that command and then sitting when told, and you rewarded that behavior with much desired snuggles.

As time goes by, as long as you are consistent and never give in to your dog’s demands, he will get the point that no matter how hard he tries, he won’t get anywhere unless it is on your terms. Before this occurs, however, you will probably have to face an extinction burst. “Extinction burst” is the term innovated to describe the point at which your dog goes completely over-the-top to seek your attention (or whatever he desires and is not receiving). He might scratch at your arms, he might whine and cry, he might bark at you incessantly, or even howl because he is used to getting the attention he wants when he asks for it. As long as you do not relent, this wild behavior will mark the point at which your dog figures out that he is getting nowhere with his demands.  This is an extremely important moment, because if you can’t be strong and be a tree; if you pet him just to get the craziness to stop, he will have learned that this is the level of intensity now required to get what he wants.

Another example to help you acclimate to the NILIF way of thinking occurs at doggy dinner time. You should feed your dog at the same time twice a day. A consistent schedule will help your dog be more balanced in general, and will also regulate when he needs to be walked. At each meal time, pick up your dog’s bowl and fill it with food. Then ask your dog to sit and wait, and place the bowl on the ground. If he goes for the bowl before you release him with an “ok” or “go ahead,” pick the bowl up and ask him to sit and wait again. Put the bowl down again. If he again lunges toward the food, pick up the bowl again. Continue this until your dog will sit still and wait for your command to eat. In the wild, the alpha dog eats first and decides when it is ok for the other dogs to eat. This goes a long way toward showing your dog who is the pack leader.

Eventually, your dog will anticipate that you want him to sit before he gets to eat. If he sits on his own before you ask him to, he is not really working for his meal. Ask him to lie down and wait, or shake hands, or perform any other small, simple trick, then he can eat. All that matters is that he answers to your commands before he is allowed to have his food.

Pick up your dog’s bowl after 15 minutes, whether he is finished or not. If your dog wanders off in the middle of eating, pick up the bowl and do not give it back until the next meal time. This is another way to express that you control when it is time to eat. Even if your dog just takes two bites and wanders off, take away that bowl. Don’t worry, this isn’t cruel or unsafe for your dog. Unless he has a particular health condition, your dog can miss a meal, or even not eat for a day and still be perfectly healthy. If he does wander from his bowl after eating very little, at his next meal he will be hungrier; therefore the motivation to behave properly and eat on your terms will be even stronger.

This method is fantastic for dogs who are aggressive or overly dominant, and it is also perfect for fearful, overly submissive dogs. Excessively dominant dogs will be quite happy to let go of the assumed responsibilities of pack leader when they understand that the position is not open; it means a more relaxing life for them. Especially submissive dogs will be comforted by the existence of a strong and confident leader; it will help them be less afraid and more confident in their place in life.

NILIF is also wonderful for children. Because of their size, dogs often see children as playmates rather than superiors. If you teach your children the principles of NILIF, and supervise their training interactions with your dog, both parties will be more confident, and your dog will develop a much more thorough respect for your children.

It is important to understand that NILIF is not the denial of attention, affection, food, or play. In fact, since your dog is only allowed to receive these things when you so choose, you have to be quite diligent, and make sure you approach your dog as often as possible to positively reinforce good behavior. You can (and should) give your dog as much cuddly, snuggly affection as you possibly can when it is on your terms; it will only further cement the NILIF principles.

Good luck, and remember—Don’t give in, because Nothing in Life Is Free.