My husband and I are into our second thunderstorm season with a “fraidy cat”…uh make that dog. Rocky, as rough and tough as he can come across, is terrified of thunderstorms, shaking violently, pacing and drooling as soon as he can sense one in the air.

Knowing just a little about his history, we think Rocky’s fear has something to do with the fact that his prior owner had used a taser on him, a painful and cruel form of punishment. I have read that dogs can feel the electricity in the air when thunderstorms are near and it just seems to make sense that our “Rocket Dog” relates the feeling he gets when a thunderstorm is near with the terrible shocking feeling he experienced in his past life.

Thankfully though, this thunderstorm season seems to bother Rocky just a little less so. Sure, he crawled into bed with us the other night and curled up into a little ball between us when a loud and long lasting thunder boomer was overhead. But last year that same dog would have paced the entire house during a storm like that; not relaxing for an hour or so after the storm had passed.

In researching what to do when a dog fears thunderstorms, I have learned a few things that I think may be making a difference in Rocky’s life. Though it is a natural reaction to comfort a dog with thunderstorm phobias, almost everything I have read on the matter indicates that when an owner comforts a dog during this stressful time, it is in fact a positive reinforcement of an undesirable behavior.

Likewise, remaining upbeat during thunderstorms seems to make Rocky a little less tense. I find that playing with my other dog, Trina, who fears nothing by the way (though I sometimes wish she would, like porcupines), indirectly provides a comforting and normal atmosphere for Rocky. He rarely wants to join us during play time (thunderstorms or not), but seeing Trina and I play seems to assure him that everything is fine and provides normalcy for him at a time when fear is trying to take over his mind.

It has never been something Rocky wants to do during a thunderstorm, but many dogs try to find a place to hide and “ride out the storm.” If your dog does this, do not interfere or keep him from going to his hiding spot. This area may be just what he needs to feel safe, and believe me, last year’s thunderstorm season would have been a lot easier on all of us if Rocky was a hider. His pacing was the hardest thing to witness, especially when storms hit after we had gone to bed. Just be sure that your dog gravitates to a safe hiding spot, such as a dark closet, over someplace he could get stuck or be harmed.

Every dog is different when it comes to thunderstorm phobias. Some just need a little adjustment to their surroundings, while others may need the help of a veterinarian. If your dog’s fear of thunderstorms is becoming a hazard to himself or others, your veterinarian should be contacted. He or she may know just the remedy for a more relaxed and happy dog.

The extended weather report for the upcoming week says that thunderstorms could be a part of each of the next nine days. Last year this would have caused me to want to flee the area, Rocky in tow. However, I think we are all going to be fine. We not only know what to do and what not to do when a storm is in the air, but it is also evident that Rocky knows that he is safe, as every dog should be.