Tips for Taming Storm Anxiety for Your Pet

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If you’ve spent any time hanging around here, you know that I have a pretty spoiled and pretty special pup named Delilah. She’s a 7 year old lab mix who came to my husband and I as a 6 week old rescue puppy and quickly worked her way into our hearts. She has the best personality! Delilah is one of those dogs that loves to go on an adventure with you no matter what it involves, but she also loves to just lie around on a lazy day. Her favorite things are going for car rides, chasing her frisbee, and staring out my office window. It has the perfect spot for her to rest her head and people watch.

After we moved from Tennessee to Texas, my husband and I started to notice little changes in Delilah’s behavior. It was mostly when there were loud noises like fireworks, or thunderstorms. Something that had never bothered her in the past, was suddenly turning her little puppy dog world upside down. It started with her clinging to us during storms, but has since gradually become full on storm anxiety. During a storm she will pant heavily, pace and shake. She also does a lot of nervous licking and swallowing, and if she isn’t on top of us she will hide in a dark space. Her favorite places to hide during storms are under my desk, our master closet or in our dark basement. It can be a little difficult to get work done, or get some sleep during storms.

Now that we have moved back to the Midwest (and tornado alley), the storms are much more frequent. Here are some things I’ve tried and learned for dealing with storm anxiety. Just adding that I am NOT an animal behaviorist or expert, these are just my tips and some of my experience from having my own anxious dog and working in Veterinary Medicine for the past 10 years.

Tips for Taming Storm Anxiety

Try to ignore the unwanted behavior by carrying on normal activity. If you are constantly trying calm down your dog with petting and reassurance, they will see their behavior as good and warranted. Instead, try to ignore the bad behavior and keep your activities normal. Never scold or punish your pet for being scared, and if you notice them calming down and relaxing, reward that behavior!
Benadryl can help! The dosing for dogs is 1mg per pound of body weight. Always start with a lower dose though to see how your pup does with Benadryl. Just like with people, it may have different effects on different pups. Some will get sleepy (and in turn not care much about the storms) and other’s may have no effect. Delilah is almost 70 pounds, but I only give her 2 tablets (50mg) and it has the desired effect on her. ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR VET BEFORE GIVING ANY MEDICATIONS! I am not a doctor!
ThunderShirts actually work for a lot of pets! The snug jacket acts similarly to swaddling a baby and can be very calming for your dog. They aren’t just for storm anxiety either and can help calm anxious pets in general.
Make sure your pet has a hiding place where they feel safe that is just for them and accessible. For Delilah that is in our master closet, or in our basement where it is dark.
NOW® Pets Pet Relaxant which is an all natural supplement that comes in a flavored chewable tablet. Not only does she think she is getting a tasty treat, it also helps her stay relaxed and content during storms (and in general!)

I was asked to try out the NOW® Pets Supplements line, and the Pet Relaxant in particular. It really does help alleviate the stress and anxiety that can accompany things like storms, separation and travel. Plus, the supplements come from a well known, family owned company. NOW® Foods has been a leader in the natural health products and supplements industry for years and their new NOW® Pets line comes with the same quality and integrity. Knowing the all natural supplements are produced at the same high standards as the human line helps me rest easy giving them to my furry family member.

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The NOW® Pets line can be used for both dogs and cats, and has convenient dosing instructions based on weight right on the bottle. Since Delilah is almost 70lbs she gets 2 tablets twice daily of the Pet Relaxant supplement. She thinks it’s a delicious treat! I’ve also been using the Joint Support and Omega-3 Support in her daily routine to help with her mobility. I’m pretty excited to try the Urinary Support on both of my cats as well, to help promote a healthier urinary pH.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of NOW Pets. The opinions and text are all mine.