Lightening. Then the Thunder.

Then the shaking…and the panting…and the swallowing…and the yawning…

In the past few months, as the corona virus skulks around the world, a lot of humans probably think they have cornered the market on anxiety. But it only takes one big BOOM of thunder, or a neighborhood kid shooting off fireworks, to remind owners that we dogs can have a lot of anxiety of our own. And noise phobias are high on a dog’s list of anxieties. My sister, Ellie, is the perfect example.

“Whoa! Was that thunder? I didn’t know it was going to storm. C’mon Ellie, let’s go down in the basement away from all the noise. Good girl!”

I’ve heard my mom talk about noise phobia hundreds of times. She says that almost 50% of dogs have some degree of noise phobia to fireworks and/or thunderstorms, so neighbors and friends are always asking her about it. The anxiety might start with a normal startle reaction to a loud noise, which a dog could interpret as something dangerous is about to happen (like a tree falling on their head). But over time, as in Ellie’s case, even the lowest rumble of thunder will shift her from relaxed to a Chicken-Little-On-Steroids intensity in a manner of minutes.

Hey! What was that noise? Was it thunder? Oh no! The sky is falling! The sky is falling! More than the sky - maybe the house will cave in! I can tell because the wind is blowing and now the leaves are rustling! Can you hear it? RUSTLING!! And there’s the thunder again! DO NOT TRY TO CALM ME! Shhh. LISTEN! There it is again! WE ARE DOOMED!!”

My sister is so freaked out by thunder (and fireworks) that she usually gets a treat with a little pill hidden in the middle. Mom gives me a treat at the same time, but she tells me mine is ‘unadulterated.’ I think that means that my treat is a little better than Ellie’s, which makes sense because I am not as high-maintenance as my sister and that fact should be rewarded.

Ellie exhibits all the classic signs of fear and anxiety during a thunderstorm. She licks her lips and yawns in an effort to self-calm herself (my mom says dogs in her exam room often yawn because they are nervous also). Ellie paces and pants, and does some exaggerated swallowing. She tucks her tail, stares straight ahead (acting “hypervigilant”), and waits for the BAD THING to happen.

And she does all of this even though a tree has never, ever fallen on her head.

It makes no sense to me. Perhaps I could understand it all better if a thunderstorm resulted in not getting fed supper, or if firecrackers meant no tummy rubs. But my mom says it’s hard to fully appreciate anxiety if you don’t have it yourself.

“There’s a reason the kids call you ‘Soph-a-Loaf’, you know,” she reminds me.

My cousin dogs, Hoot and Boomer, also have a strong noise aversion. They both shake and quiver, try to crawl under the covers, and seek out their owners for attention. My mom tells the kids to not overly comfort them. She says you can’t console, or explain away, an unreasonable fear, and some behaviorists feel that giving scared dogs TOO much attention might reinforce that sort of behavior even at the slightest noise or hint of a storm. Instead, Mom gives them other ways to try and help.

“Bring them in an inner room, away from windows where they can see flashes of light, and turn on some white noise. Give them high-value treats in a happy, ‘I’m not sure what’s worrying you but let’s have some fun!’ kind of way.”

Some dogs are helped with a snug-fitting outfit like a Thunder Shirt, but none of the dogs in my family seemed to be calmed by that. I wondered if they would ever try to put those fancy outfits on me, but Mom told me not to worry because if I got any calmer during a storm she would have to check to see if I still had a pulse.

Having a mom who is also a veterinarian helps a lot when you have a sister like Ellie. Mom tries to help Ellie develop some self-coping skills, and uses medication as needed. I, as her sister and also a certified therapy dog, do my best to help, as well.

I remain relaxed when the winds begin to blow.

I am unflappable as the leaves begin to rustle.

And I will remain by her side as we encounter the various thunderstorms and firecrackers of life. Because friends don’t let friends shake and shiver alone.