Storms

     With the 100+ plus heat that we've had this weekend, we've also had some pretty awesome storms.  As I write this, it's midnight, and I'm sitting on the couch with Annie and Paul and they're both panting from the thunder, lightning, rain, and wind outside.  Paul's OK on the couch as long as I'm petting him, he's not pacing, slobbering, or freaking out.  As a matter of fact, he's almost asleep as long as I keep petting him.  Annie is a different story all together.  She's panting like crazy, she'll shift from her right side, to her left side and back again.  She stands up and spins in a circle on the couch and then sits part way back down and needs at least 2 or 3 minutes of pets before she lays down again.  After an hour on the couch with her, I just heard her take a "deep breath" as I'm still watching a great lightning storm outside.
     Annie and Paul weren't always like this, they used to be OK in storms.  But over time, they've developed nervous habits when there's a storm coming through.  Paul usually just follows us around the house (not much difference than a normal day).  Annie, however, runs from room to room trying to find a "safe place" where the storm doesn't exist.  If we're sitting somewhere, she may or may not come and hang out with us.  It's anyones guess.  Tonight she decided to chill on the couch (where she was when I came out to the living room) and just shake and pant.  

      Normally in these situations, I'd wrap their thundershirts on them.  But with it being over 100 today, that's not really an option.  The thundershirts work on the idea of over all compression.  Not so tight that they can't breath, but tight enough that they feel protected.  It's the same idea I've seen on some of my kids at school who have anxiety problems.  
     The picture of Annie on the left was taken back in the spring.  I thought if I wrapped her in the thundershirt, maybe I can get her to keep the flower headband on for longer.  It worked, for a total of 5 minutes.

   
 
     The picture of Paul (left) was taken back in May.  I'm still not sure what spooked him that evening, but I wrapped him into his thundershirt, and curled up next to him on the dog bed and took a nap.  He fell fast asleep on my arm and I was there the whole night.
     Incidentally, what we call the dog bed in our house is actually a full size mattress and box spring that I took off of the bed frame.  So falling asleep on the dog bed next to Paul or Annie isn't as uncomfortable as it sounds.