September 07, 2009

Storm issues

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I guess it's offical- Dazzle is afraid of thunder.  It's 3 in the morning and I'm wide awake because he's definitely wide awake and trying to get inside my skin.  He started off running between me (in the office) and the sliding glass door near the kitchen barking ferociously every time he heard a thunder rumble.  Then he proceeded to crawl in my lap or try to get under the desk while shaking, panting, drooling, shedding, the works. Oh joy.
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I saw hints of this during the last storm so I have tried hard to gradually and carefully pair loud noises with his favorite things.  Not easy when he doesn't care for food treats which makes it hard to do rapidly repeated rewards.  But I have played and tossed/tugged his favorite tennis ball and even had the bite sleeve out.  At the festival Saturday, he spooked at the whip crack, but then recovered.  He didn't like the distant cannons, but he wasn't anywhere near this freaked out (thankfully!) I don't understand why tonight it's so bad.
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Between the storm cells when it quieted down he was willing to play with the ball and he chewed on a bone for awhile.  But as soon as it's loud again, he's back to trying to get into my skin.
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At least we're near the end of the storm season.  Hopefully by next spring he will have matured out of this.  Probably wishful thinking.  I may get and try some Melatonin for the next storm. Or maybe we'll have to move to TX.  I hear they are having a drought.
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Sleepless but sleepy