My Pet World: How to deal with off-leash dogs that are aggressive
Dear Cathy,
Like J. Stein from Holtsville, New York, who had a golden retriever afraid of storms, I have had dogs that were terrified of loud noises and thunderstorms. One dog wanted to be in the dark, so I would either cover her with a blanket (and she would fall asleep) or I would leave the closet door partially open so she could hide under the clothes in the dark. My current six-pound dog didn't like the Thundershirt. It seemed to make her more agitated and she didn't like being left alone.
My solution has been ThunderWunders, a calming dog chew at my local pet store. It is made by the same company that makes the Thundershirt. It doesn't put her to sleep; it just calms her down. Maybe one of these will work for dogs that don't like wearing the vests.
- Sandra, Meriden, Connecticut
Dear Sandra,
I love reader tips as there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to helping our dogs weather thunderstorms. The pet market has developed many over-the-counter products that pet parents can try during storms. If that works for your dog, I am thrilled. Maybe it will work for J. Stein, too.
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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)
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