I have a four year old Black and White male Border Collie named Rocket. He's been my boy ( mommy's boy) his whole life. The day I left for college and had to leave him at my mom's his behavior /attitude changed. While I was home if the neighbor was target practicing or their was a thunderstorm he slept peaceful on my bed curled up next to me on behind his favorite couch. I went to my mom's a couple weeks ago and she told me that either I take my dog with me or she's getting him tranquilized so he's "more mellow". I spent the night at my mom's because there were tornado watches out and my sister went to go touch Rocket while he was laying at my feet and he nipped her. I scolded him and then left him downstairs ,to go to bed. I got up in the middle of the night to check on him and I did the same thing my sister did. He did nothing but lick my hand........... What's going on with my baby boy?? He's now staying with me and my husband at his grandma's farm and he's back to being an angel. I don't understand why he was acting the way he was. Does anyone have any ideas?
If he's afraid of storms, the worst thing you can do is try to comfort him. Just leave him alone. When you comfort a dog that's afraid, you're just telling them that yes, there is something to be afraid of out there. http://www.dogsonly.org/StormFear.html
I also agree. a crate with a towel or blanket to make it darker and more private will help make him feel more secure. my neighbors had a dog that was the only surviving puppy/dog in a huge show kennel that the building got struck by lighting and burnt to the ground. His momma had kept trying to shove the puppies under her to protect them from the flames and he was the lucky one on the bottom that made it. at the very first sign of a storm he ran and hid in the crate and waited for his slice of cheese with a sedative in it. really nice dog, but any type of thunder storm was torture for him.
Quote:He is crate trained. I try to put him in there and all he does is whine and paw at the door.......I don't really try to comfort him, if I don't make him lay down beside me or something like that he's busting down my baby gates I use to keep the house bunny out of certain rooms and he runs the stairs.
