Many dogs are afraid of thunderstorms. They may try to hide, pace, pant, urinate, defecate, chew and exhibit other destructive behaviors. Sometimes causing damage to your home and even injury to themselves. These dogs are having a panic attack and the result can be very dramatic.

Through genetics, a dog can be predisposed to fear. Some breeds are more sensitive to sounds.

A traumatic experience such as having firecrackers tossed at them, a nearby vehicle backfiring, the whoosh of a hot-air balloon, being chained outside during a storm, could cause a dog to associate all storms with a scary event. They may begin to fear the wind, rain and loud noises in general. They can sense the barometric pressure change and see the lightening and even feel the static charges when lightening strikes. They will hide in bathtubs, closets and tight spaces, possibly trying to reduce the intermittent charges.

If your dog shows signs of stress during a thunderstorm, never punish him for his behavior. I know it is maddening when you find he has chewed woodwork or destroyed items, but adding punishment along with storms will only make his fear and resulting damage, worse.

How you behave when your dog is afraid can dramatically effect how he will act during the next storm. Many owners, with the best of intentions, attempt to comfort their dog. The dog may misinterpret the owners meaning and find that their behavior is being rewarded and will continue to react fearfully in order to gain the added attention.

If your dog suffers from thunder phobia, check with your veterinarian for any possible health issues that might ay add to their anxiety. Thyroid problems, seizures, weight, diet, pain and other health issues will add stress and compound your dog's anxiety. Discuss with your veterinarian options and possibly medications that might help your dog. Anti-anxiety medications such as Prozac, valium and others are now being used to treat fearful dogs as an alternative to simply sedating the dog.

You can try counter-conditioning, which can be successful if the dog is not so stressed that he will stop eating. As a storm approaches, really good things happen for you dog. He gets extra tasty treats. You play fun games and keep the atmosphere of your home light and happy. When the weather is good, play a thunderstorm CD at a low level while your dog eats and plays. Slowly increase the volume as long as your dog remains calm.

The Anxiety WrapTM uses maintained pressure to help reduce anxiety and stress and can help your dog remain calm. It is similar to swaddling a baby. The Anxiety WrapTM uses the body's receptors to effectively raise the threshold so more stimuli are required are required before those receptors fire. The Anxiety Wrap not only helps with thunderstorm phobia but many stress related behavior problems like barking, car rides, destructive chewing and more.

Getting your dog to overcome his fear of storms will not happen overnight and, depending on the severity of your dogs fear, he might require using more than one means to help him. Consult with your veterinarian and a behaviorist or dog trainer familiar with counter conditioning techniques to find out what combination of training, medications and other tools that might help your dog during the upcoming thunderstorm season.

Tip of the week: Check out the Original Anxiety Wrap at www.anxietywrap.com.

Bark questions to: Canine Companion, 11652 North - 825 West, Huntington, IN 46750 or email info@caninecompanion.us.

Canine Companion conducts dog training classes in Fort Wayne, Huntington and surrounding communities and behavior consulting nationwide. Along with their combined 30 years experience and endorsement by national organizations, the lead trainers are graduates of Purdue University's DOGS! Program and have earned the title of Certified Pet Dog Trainer through the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.