How is Your Dog with Thunderstorms?

Interesting how very different Sophie and Callie are. Even the chance of rain and Sophie begins pacing and trembling. The first clap of thunder and she begins hyperventilating and hides under the desk or spare bathroom if I'm not home.

If I am home she is at my feet for the whole storm and a few hours after. If I go in the shower she is right on the other side of the curtain. As I type this she is on my feet under the desk. But then there's Callie. Thunder, lightning, sirens, nuclear war...no reaction at all.

In fact he often sleeps soundly through storms. Maybe a particularly loud one he might open an eye briefly, then give a loud sigh and goes back to snoozing. Hey can ya turn it down out there? I'm trying to sleep. How is your pooch with bad weather?

Up until June 2013 we had two Newfies, one was virtually fearless and if she felt the pack was in danger she would not hesitate to confront the threat IF SHE COULD SEE IT

But she was like your dog when ever we had storms and thunder, I eventually worked out that it was becasue she couldn't see it and couldn't judge it's size and where it was even 'tho it was a noise that told her there was danger approaching. Same thing with fireworks.

So a huge John Deere tractor or sixteen wheel lorry she would have a go at but fireworks, thunder, and lightening she was a nervous wreck.

My last dog hated it and would bark each time there was thunder. As soon as it rumbled a little bit... he'd begin barking. He had a high pitched bark, so this was extremely annoying. He'd also pace around. Jade is absolutely terrified. She hides under the table and refuses to come out for any reason. Nigredo, being the laid back boy that he is... doesn't seem to notice it at all.

Now see with fireworks Sophie changed over the years. In our area summer brings nights of ash cans going off. In the past it scared her to pieces. Now she does the best she can to confront them. Whichever side of the yard the noise comes from, she lunges the fence barking like a nutjob. "STOP IT STOP IT RIGHT NOW BARKBARK BARKBARK"

None of mine have ever batted an eyelid at thunderstorms or fireworks. With fireworks we stand out the garden and watch them.

I have been lucky none of mine have been afraid of Thunder. One was petrified of fireworks and would hide behind the sofa as soon as it got dark once he had heard one. But one dog when she got to about 11yrs became afraid of thunder. You knew one was coming as she would pant and pace. Once when I was not around (stuck down the kennels looking after those) when I got back to the house she was nowhere to be found. She had jumped the gate across the hall and gone into our bedroom and was under the duvet. OH never thought to see if my dogs were ok.

Dahlia is terrified of them. She hides behind the couch, in the bathroom, anywhere she can go.

Ben? He couldn't care less. He goes to the door and watches.

Sam and Jade both reacted differently. Sam was ok but would not be in an enclosed space - even a room with the door closed - and Jade was a complete nervous wreck.

My 'now' dog, Rosie, doesn't bother at all about either storms or fireworks

Both my current pups are o.k with thunder and lightening....so far, they have only heard one storm and were in their crates at the time, fireworks hmmmm well Kota goes mental at them, she doesn't seem scared will happily walk in them and not bat an eyelid, the youngest dog hasn't witnessed them yet.
my old dog diez was petrified of fireworks, was a trembling wreck and I the only time she had an accident in the house was one bonfire night, we used to have to sedate her, i hated doing it but was the best thing for her, she was fine with thunder though, she didn't mind being out for a walk in a storm at alk

Something I've often wondered about is the time of year pups are born. With Sam (who was fine so long as not confined) he was born in January. Jade (who was terrified) was born in March and Rosie (who couldn't care less) was born in September.

I'm wondering if dogs born within a good socialisation period and outside a fear period fare better than others