The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, October 29, 2007.

I’m not really that into Halloween. Although I enjoyed it as a child, these days trying to facilitate the interface between my six resident dogs and a steady stream of unknown, excited, costumed children is just plain difficult. I could make all my dogs stay behind closed doors in a bedroom, but that just doesn’t seem fair to them, so I usually end up placing a big basket of Peanut Chews on my porch with a sign that says, “Help yourself!” and making myself scarce during trick-or-treat hours.

By the way, if you have dogs, please be extra vigilant that they don’t get their paws on any Halloween candy, especially chocolate. Candy in general is full of sugar (horrible for the immune system, joints, teeth, etc.), but chocolate in particular contains a substance called theobromine, which can be fatal to dogs if they ingest enough of it. (This applies to cocoa mulch as well, so gardeners and dog people, beware.) Other food substances poisonous to dogs include raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, alcohol, coffee, uncooked yeast dough, onions, and onion powder. Garlic and avocado are debatable—there is some evidence that they can be toxic to some dogs, so it might be best to avoid those too. Xylitol, which has become a common additive in foods and toothpaste, is also quite toxic.

If you suspect that your dog has eaten something poisonous, please call the ASPCA’s animal poison hotline at 1-888-426-4435. (Why not post this number next to your phone, just in case?) It’s open 24 hours a day, every day, but you will be charged $60 on your credit card in exchange for advice on how to proceed. Obviously, this service is worth every penny—you’re dealing with the life or death of your beloved canine companion!

Do have a safe and happy Halloween!

Click here for a larger view.

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, November 19, 2007.

Whenever I’m at the dog park, inevitably I’ll hear someone talking about putting their dog in a crate or even exclaiming, “Oh, my dog LOVES his crate!” At that moment, my hackles go up big-time, and I want to say, à la Saturday Night Live’s Church Lady, “Well, isn’t that convenient!” Of course, it’s highly convenient to lock your dog in a box when you’re too busy or stressed out to deal with misbehavior or rambunctiousness.

“Oh,” they’ll say, “dogs are den animals. A crate is exactly like a den and being in it makes them feel secure.” What they always so conveniently gloss over is the fact that a den doesn’t come with a locked door. In a den, you can come and go as you please.

It boggles my mind that people can be so obtuse about something so obvious. Birds hate to be caged, lions in the circus hate being in cages, humans hate being behind bars … why should it be any different with dogs? Oh, wait—there is one big difference: Dogs are the only animals willing to do ANYTHING for someone they love. And that includes tolerating being locked inside a cage. Dogs are stoic and they love unconditionally and they want to please their guardians, which is a perfect recipe for abusive treatment.

People take full advantage of their dogs’ desire to please and then they even twist it around and tell everyone that their dog enjoys being taken advantage of. It would be like a controlling husband saying, “Oh, my wife LOVES to stay home every night,” when in reality, he won’t permit her to go out.

I wish people would think for themselves and stop taking everything that their veterinarian or their dog trainer or the pet store sales clerk says as gospel. Vets and trainers and sales clerks can have ulterior motives or be uninformed or even mean. Common sense is really the bottom line. Does it make sense to say, “My dog LOVES to be locked inside a cage”? You can put a soft bed in there, and you can throw in some toys and treats, and you can “acclimate” your dog to the crate, but you can’t change the basic fact that the dog is locked up with very little space to move around in.

I wish crates had never been invented. I shudder at their current popularity. I’ve taken care of eight dogs, half of whom came to me as puppies and I never made a single one of them stay in a crate. You puppyproof your house and you train your dogs (getting help as needed) and you stop aspiring to Better Homes and Gardens. That’s all. Sure, I’ve still got some shredded books and furniture as mementos of the puppy eras. But who cares? My dogs’ liberty and comfort and well-being mean far more to me than my material possessions.

If you agree and would like to help counteract this pernicious trend, please order some of PETA’s anti-crating posters and leaflets, like the one accompanying this post.

Taylor: “Don’t forget to respect
your elders.”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, May 19, 2008.

With each passing year, I relate better and better to my aging canine friends. I had a cocker spaniel who lived to be 15 and a German shepherd who died at the age of 13, so I’m acquainted with many of the health problems of elderly dogs and holistic ways of addressing them.

“Why use holistic methods?” you might ask. For the past 20+ years, I’ve found holistic methods to be gentler, less invasive, more natural, and more healing than conventional methods. These tend to work with the body in a way that nourishes and heals it, rather than simply masking or suppressing symptoms, which are bound to resurface in a different way. Of course, there is a place for conventional medicine, but many chronic and old-age health problems lend themselves to holistic treatment.

In my view, the most important thing that you can do for your aging pooch is to stop vaccinating. Yearly vaccinations are by no means harmless and can damage the health of susceptible dogs both in the short and long terms. And the side effects of vaccinations can be cumulative from year to year. Only rabies vaccinations are required by law (and skipping the rabies vaccine can lead to extremely dire consequences, such as being forced to choose between months-long isolation of your pup in a kennel or immediate euthanasia, so don’t do that). But none of the other vaccinations is required by law. Generally, one round of vaccinations during puppyhood should cover a dog for a lifetime, but if you feel uncomfortable skipping the yearly vaccinations, get a blood “titer” test done instead. This will indicate how much immunity your dog continues to possess and give you the scientific data you need to make an informed choice about vaccinating.

Dogs can also benefit from nutritional supplements, just as humans can. It’s important not to just give them willy-nilly but to do your research beforehand, as not every supplement can be given to both humans and dogs, although there is a tremendous amount of crossover. When giving dogs herbal supplements formulated for humans, follow the dosage on the label, according to your dog’s weight. If a human should take two capsules twice a day and you have a 65-pound dog, then you can give your dog one capsule twice a day.

For smaller dogs, you can buy empty capsules and use them to divide full capsules in half or into thirds or quarters. Many herbs come in liquid form as well, which makes it easier to administer them to small dogs (just a few drops in their food will do it). Look for liquid herbal products containing glycerin, not alcohol. Always give supplements with food, unless otherwise indicated on the label. Here are a few suggestions for supplements and other holistic treatments for that canine companion “of a certain age”:

•Many older dogs begin to get cataracts or a condition called “nuclear sclerosis,” which also affects their vision, particularly at night. You can see a cloudiness forming in their eyes. But this can be prevented, arrested, and even somewhat reversed by providing your dog with antioxidants (such as beta carotene, vitamins C and E, selenium, and especially lutein) as well as bilberry capsules. (Legend has it that bilberry jam was eaten by World War II pilots to maintain their keen night vision.)

•To stave off hearing impairment, ginkgo and amino acids N-acetyl cysteine and acetyl L-carnitine, which act as antioxidants, are helpful. They are also good for slowing down mental decline, as is curcumin, a substance found in abundance in turmeric, that orange spice used in curry dishes.

•For improved digestion, which is really the foundation of good health, digestive enzymes added to the food will help immensely, as will probiotics like acidophilus, which will repopulate the intestines with healthy flora―particularly important after a round of antibiotics. And speaking of antibiotics, when your dog gets a cut or sore on the skin, there’s no need to rush to the vet for an antibiotic that is going to destroy your dog’s healthy intestinal flora. A little colloidal silver applied topically will keep it from getting infected. Colloidal silver, which contains tiny particles of silver suspended in water, yet looks and tastes the same as plain water, is said to be able to purify sludge!

•Creaky joints and arthritis are the bane of all old folks, whether human or canine. Fortunately, there is an abundance of holistic help available in this area. Veterinary chiropractic can straighten out a misaligned spine, which will improve overall health, as the spinal nerves extend out into the rest of the body, affecting everything. Helpful supplements for arthritis include glucosamine, turmeric, vitamin C, MSM, hyaluronic acid, and cetyl myristoleate. Also, exercise should not be neglected, although older dogs should stick to low-impact exercise, such as walking. As my mom likes to say, “Old ladies need to work hard.” I think those are wise words; use it or lose it.

•To keep the hard-working liver healthy, nothing beats milk thistle, which has been prescribed for human liver problems in Europe for years. Something else that’s good for the liver, as well as for the heart and the gums, is coenzyme Q10, a very powerful antioxidant. The oil-based form is about three times as potent as the water-soluble one, so you can buy it in a lower dosage.

•A multivitamin formulated for dogs is also a good idea―a kind of safety net in case there are any gaps in the dog’s diet or ability to absorb nutrients. Green superfoods, such as spirulina, barley grass juice powder, chlorella, wheatgrass, and alfalfa, can also fill in nutritional gaps and provide enhanced immunity. And many dogs do not get adequate omega-3 fatty acids in their diets, which will eventually catch up with them. Omega-3s are essential for healthy skin, supple joints, heart health, etc., so add them to the diets of all dogs, young and old.

And last but definitely not least in importance, do not obsess about your older dog’s health. Do what you can to support it, but do not replay grim scenarios of your dog’s impending brain tumor, senility, lameness, heart disease, or blindness over and over again in your mind ad nauseam. Your dog will pick right up on these negative thoughts and probably get the disease that you keep worrying about! So cut it out. Positive, healthy, happy thoughts only! Enjoy the time that you have together.

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, September 27, 2007.

I was at a large dog park recently on a hot day, and there was just one puddle in the entire park (from a leaky pipe). Naturally, all the dogs kept gravitating toward the mud as inexorably as a moth to a flame, and this set the dog guardians to screaming, “Max, get away from that!” “Don’t even think about it, Sasha!” I was standing nearby and tried to advocate in behalf of the hot dogs: “But it’s so hot out! You can just let the mud dry and then brush it out of her coat.” I don’t understand why muddy dogs cause such freak-outs. If you’ve got a blanket or a tarp over your back seat, your dog will be dry by the time you get home and will probably have licked most of the dirt off too. But what’s left can easily be brushed or combed out. And for those unfortunate inevitable incidents when Fido merrily rolls in something really fetid, you can just use enzyme wipes (Nature’s Miracle makes nice ones). Try that first before going to all the trouble of lathering up your little Lucifer.

People are always so shocked to find out that I almost never bathe my dogs. Yet, they smell fine. They really do. The truth is that chronic bad doggie odor usually comes from within (from a diet that is not agreeing with the dog), so frequent baths are just masking a serious health issue that requires a dietary change, not shampoo.

Darla: “I just can’t resist―
chewing gum is so tempting!”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, May 14, 2008.

I used to say that my dog Dexter couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time, because whenever we were out on a walk and I gave him a treat, he would stop walking in order to chew. He’s gotten quite a bit better at this, but I hope he never really gets to try out his gum-chewing skills because many gums today are extremely toxic to dogs. Sugar-free gum very often contains a sugar substitute called xylitol.

A blog post by an editor with the Los Angeles Times Sports Section, Steve Clow, detailed the ordeal that can follow when dogs get their paws on xylitol-containing gum or other xylitol-containing products. Clow’s dachshund, Hershey, wolfed down 15 mini-sticks of sugarless gum and had to be rushed to the emergency room.

Xylitol is the sweetest of the sugar substitutes sold in bulk, and it has really taken off in the food and dental hygiene industries. Not only can you find it in chewing gum, it’s also added to toothpaste, mints, mouthwash, candy, and many foods as a sugar substitute (you’ll see it on the label). It’s great for humans―it inhibits the bacteria that cause tooth decay and can cut calories from sugar―but it does a number on dogs. When dogs ingest it, their blood sugar plummets to dangerous levels and they need medical attention right away.

If you catch Fido eating a xylitol-containing product, try to induce vomiting by giving him a tablespoonful or two of hydrogen peroxide. Then rush him to the vet, but on the way, try to get him to eat something sweet and rich, like soy ice cream. This can help to prop up his blood sugar while you’re en route. Without veterinary treatment, Fido can start to experience vomiting, lack of coordination, and weakness within a half-hour and proceed quickly to seizures, coma, and, finally, liver failure. This is serious!

So keep that sugar-free gum, toothpaste, and any other xylitol-containing products out of your chowhound’s reach. Don’t keep gum in your coat pocket, either.

Cooper: “Remember, I love you.”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, May 16, 2008.

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be very painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me―it’s crucial to my well-being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long, and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment. I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’ve been out in the sun too long or my heart may be getting old.

9. Take care of me when I get old. You, too, will grow old.

10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say, “I can’t bear to watch it” or “Let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember, I love you.

―Author unknown

Rogan, Druzhok, and Koro chow down
(circa ~1989).

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, February 25, 2008.

What are you having for dinner tonight? Spinach-mushroom lasagne with garlic bread? Pesto sauce served over angel hair pasta? Grilled Cajun portobellos with avocado crème? Japanese eggplant skewers with red curry coconut sauce? Mmmm! Or maybe you’re going out to eat at the Olive Garden or PF Chang’s or TGI Friday’s. Yum! … And what about Fido? What’s he having for dinner? Oh … dry kibble. The same kind he had yesterday? Hmmm. I bet he’s thrilled with that.

I’m not really enamoured of kibble―I can tell you that much. I haven’t fed my dogs kibble in more than 15 years. With regard to the nutritional value of kibble, it’s denatured, overly processed, often full of fillers, and just plain dry. Plus, as soon as you open that bag, any oils in the food start to go rancid, so about 48 hours later, you’ve got important fats that are turning against Fido instead of benefiting him. But there’s another reason to ditch the dry food: It’s just so excruciatingly boring, night after night, day after day―the same old same old. Don’t believe it when so-called “experts” tell you that you have to be cautious about varying your dog’s diet. It’s just the opposite. Dogs who eat the same thing year after year often develop an allergy to the protein in the food or some kind of deficiency. Variety is the spice of your dog’s life just as it is yours. You can give Fido something different at each meal. I’ve been doing this with my dogs for the past five years, and I can vouch for the fact that not a one of them has suffered any dire consequences―not even gas.

You can accomplish this either by buying dog food in cans, which allows you to select a wide variety to have on hand, or by making your own dog food (there are oodles of recipes online as well as entire dogfood cookbooks).

I know, some people are feeding their dogs a “special” diet. But that special diet was formulated as a single product for the mass market―that doesn’t mean that there can’t be other versions of it. Do your homework. Go online and find out what’s in it and why it’s “special” and how you could replicate it using other types of food. Be sure to check with your vet to make sure you’re on the right track.

At the very least, you could spice things up by offering your dog some fun, delicious, and nutritious side dishes or “desserts.” Here are a few suggestions just off the top of my head:

•Veggies sautéed in olive oil

•Chunks of baked yam

•Mashed bananas with a little flaxseed oil and spirulina mixed in

•Raw veggies processed in a food processor with a little water and nutritional yeast

•Steamed green beans mixed with shredded coconut

•Some whole wheat pasta mixed with a little tomato sauce

•A bowl of salt-free vegetable broth with peas floating in it

•Steamed veggies drizzled with coconut oil

•A small bowl of brown rice and chick peas sprinkled with ground-up peanuts

•A bowl of steamed broccoli or cauliflower

•A whole carrot (or a baby carrot for the tiny dogs)

Your dog will be delighted!

(Do stay away from onions, avocados, chocolate, grapes, and raisins, though, which are all harmful to dogs. And please leave out the junk―sugar, salt, hydrogenated oils, white flour―the same things that are junk for you.)

“This chained dog was aptly named “Torture”;
his poor excuse for a doghouse is full of water.
A dog like this would be an excellent candidate
for your ongoing attention.”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, December 31, 2007.

In case there is a spot remaining on your list of New Year’s resolutions, I have a good one for you. This one will warm your heart and the heart of a grateful dog. Here it is:

First, scour your neighborhood on foot or by bike to locate at least one neglected dog. Chained and penned dogs are obviously neglected, but dogs that have the run of the entire yard can be neglected too. Any dog who is left outside 24/7 is neglected.

Next, evaluate the dog’s living conditions. What kind of shelter does the dog have? How clean or filthy is the area in which the dog is living? Does the dog have water? Is it frozen or covered with algae? Zero in on Fido’s health. Does he have runny eyes? Diarrhea? Scaly or red patches of skin with no fur? A cough?

Once you’ve taken stock of the situation, take a deep breath and go see if you can make friends with the owners. Depending on your temperament, you may need to give an Oscar-worthy performance, but keep in mind whose life is at stake. If the owners have some pretty flowers in the yard, rave about them. If they have a car, mention how cool you think that model is. Anything to curry favor with the owners and win their trust.

Gradually, incrementally over time, work Fido into the conversation. Mention that you’ve been meaning to start getting more exercise and would they let you walk their dog for them? Bring along a chew toy and tell them that your own dog doesn’t want it and would their dog like to have it? Stop by with a bale of straw and say that you got it for free from a friend of yours—would Fido like to have it in his doghouse or scattered on top of the mud? Offer to put it there yourself (because they probably won’t bother). Mention that you noticed that Fido has diarrhea and you have to take your own dog to the vet anyway, so would they like you to take Fido along, too, just to check for worms? Perhaps Fido could even come to your house to play with your dogs?

Ideally, you would eventually become a trusted friend, permitted to come and take Fido to your house to play with your dogs at any time. Once you’re in that position, you can be sure that he gets everything he needs and more. And you will definitely be the person the owners turn to if they ever decide to give Fido up. But it takes patience to get there.

If you meet with nothing but negativity or even outright hostility, don’t give up. Search for ways to ingratiate yourself with the owners. If all else fails, at the very least you can stop by once a day and give Fido a treat or a dog biscuit, scratch him under the chin, and check on his water. He will deeply appreciate anything you can do to alleviate his woes. And if things are just abominable to the point of being illegal and you can’t get anywhere with the owners, call the authorities. Notify the local animal control department, the nearest SPCA, the newspapers, or even PETA. Just do something. You are that dog’s only hope.

“Good girl, little Babushka!”

Recently, two of my coworkers attended a leadership training session and mentioned to me that they had learned that one of the qualities of a good leader at work is to remember to praise staff members when they are doing things right, not just to criticize them when they’re doing things wrong. This sounded an awful lot like one of the qualities of being a good pack leader to your dog.

Many people make the mistake of providing feedback to their dogs only when their dogs are misbehaving, and then they wonder why Fido is taking so long to learn how to behave nicely. Corrections let Fido know what we don’t want him to do, but how is he supposed to know what we do want him to do? Dogs aren’t born knowing these things. The trick is to get into the habit of praising him whenever he is doing anything that we appreciate, especially being mellow and calm. So if you walk into a room and Fido is relaxing on the bed and gazing out the window, it’s “Good boy!” Or if you’re outside and he’s lazily basking in the sunshine, tell him, “What a nice puppy!” You always want to praise and reward calmness and mellowness, never excitability, which can quickly spin out of control and turn into something much less pleasant, such as nipping or barking or knocking down small children.

Whenever I see any of my dogs playing nicely together or snuggling together or just being relaxed together, I throw up my hands and exclaim warmly, “Look how nice!” (”Nice” is our all-purpose praise word.) Praise for harmonious coexistence in the present will encourage and help to ensure future harmony.

Here’s another example of this concept in action from my household: When I feed my dogs, they all scarf down their food as quickly as possible—all, that is, except for Rowdy. Rowdy might take five minutes trying to decide whether to eat at all and then another 20 minutes actually eating. I always put up a doggie gate to separate him from the other dogs so that he can eat in peace. The other dogs, with their full bellies, line up along the gate to watch him eat. Now, what I want from them at this point is quiet, because if one of them begins to make a fuss, whining or barking, then there is a good chance that Rowdy won’t eat at all.

So as soon as they line up, before anyone has had a chance to start whining, I praise them in a falsetto voice that always gets their attention, “Good puppies! Mommy’s happy!” I don’t know if they’re familiar with the old adage that when mommy’s not happy, nobody’s happy, but they seem to get the underlying concept, because just a few repetitions of “Mommy’s happy!” at intervals keeps them calm and polite and allows Rowdy to finish his meal. You can choose alternate wording to praise your dogs that doesn’t sound as silly as mine, but the point is to dole it out liberally whenever you see your dogs doing good things, even if they’re just relaxing.

Soon it will become second nature, and you’ll notice that your dogs’ behavior is improving. That’s because you’ve become a better pack leader, showing them not only what type of behavior is against the rules but also what type of behavior is desirable.

Good pack leader!

Koro taking refuge from a storm
under the kitchen sink—she developed
thunderstorm anxiety in her twilight years.

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, July 2007.

View tips for comforting your noise-phobic dog.

As a pacifist, I’m not really into explosive sounds that remind me of gunfire or bombs going off, so fireworks don’t do much for me. But this isn’t about me. This is about our canine friends. This past Sunday, a nearby neighbor started setting off fireworks (in anticipation of Independence Day, I assume), and little foster Chihuahua Sophia got a stricken look on her face. She’s not into loud noises, either, whether from fireworks or thunder. In fact, they terrify her. She was so scared that she followed me from room to room even while I was vacuuming, which is normally another sound that scares her.

I understand that people want to engage in festive activities and that fireworks are exciting and thrilling, but really, they are just a form of entertainment―nothing more. Whereas to wild animals and to our canine friends, they sound like the end of the world. Dogs have been known to run away, breaking through screen doors and even glass windows in the process. Some dogs end up running into the road and getting hit by cars, or they just go missing forever. Animal shelters report an increase in the number of lost animal companions after fireworks events.

I was very pleased to hear California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger discouraging Californians from buying fireworks. PETA sent him a letter praising him and suggesting that he go even further by promoting laser and light shows as a humane but equally impressive alternative to fireworks displays. Of course, his main concerns are public safety and the fire hazard of fireworks. But it would be lovely to see fireworks phased out of American culture altogether. I think the worst ones, from the point of view of dogs, are the ones that neighbors persist in setting off, because they’re SO close by. There’re only a few feet separating your dogs from that ear-splitting noise pollution. So it goes without saying that you should never, ever attempt to take a dog or any animal to a fireworks display―just the opposite: Try to shield them from the sound as best you can.

A close cousin to fireworks anxiety is thunderstorm phobia, and many of the same safety principles apply: Make sure Fido is wearing a collar or is micro-chipped just in case he should somehow get out and run off, and never leave him outside. Let him go outside to do his business before the start of the fireworks or the storm, if possible, so that he won’t have to go out during all the scary racket.

There is a great deal that you can do to comfort your noise-phobic dog.

•Some veterinarians will prescribe heavy-duty medications, such as Valium, Xanax, Buspirone, or Anafranil, but there is a natural supplement (available at any health-food store) called “melatonin” that can be equally effective. Melatonin is a synthetically produced hormone used by humans with insomnia to help them sleep. But in dogs, it can really take the fright out of thunderstorms and calm them right down. The dosage is 6 mg for 100+-lb. dogs; 3 mg for 50-lb. dogs; 1.5 mg for 30-lb. dogs; and 0.5 mg for 10-lb. dogs. A very small percentage of dogs might have the opposite reaction (excitement) when given melatonin, so test it out when there is no sign of a thunderstorm in sight. Another option is the flower essence Rescue Remedy for dogs who have a mild case of anxiety (also available at the health-food store).

•Behaviorally, the most important thing that you can do for Fluffy is to avoid “enabling” her, i.e., don’t validate Fluffy’s fears. Contrary to the way we primates operate, if you comfort Fluffy in a sympathetic fashion when she’s fearful, then she’ll feel that she’s right to be scared, and her fears will just get worse and worse with each new thunderstorm or fireworks event. Instead, you should go about your business normally and interact with her in an upbeat and confident manner so that she can see that there’s nothing to be afraid of. You might even give her a new toy beforehand to distract her with. If you can get her to show the slightest sign of calmness, such as wagging her tail, instantly give her a luscious treat to reinforce that behavior.

A few years ago on the Fourth of July, right after I had adopted Sunny and Dexter, I could see that both of them had the potential to become freaked out by noises, so we spent that warm summer evening outside on the deck and I clapped my hands and exclaimed, “Yay!!!” every time we heard an explosion. I am not kidding you. I’m sure my neighbors thought I was insane, but it worked and neither of them has fireworks or thunderstorm phobia to this day.

•As for the dog’s immediate environment, muffling the sound of the fireworks or thunder is very helpful. You can close all the windows and either turn on some white noise, such as a fan, or put on some canine-soothing music, such as the specially formulated music discussed in and produced by the authors of Through a Dog’s Ear. With regard to the lightning often accompanying a thunderstorm, some dogs do well if you turn all the lights on to mask it, while other dogs prefer to have their eyes covered. There is even a product called the “Calm Night Pet Hood” that is purported to calm dogs down via sensory deprivation. And many dogs seek out small rooms with no windows to hide in.

•And how about this? In response to a question about thunderstorm anxiety, in his June 24, 2008, column, well-known veterinarian Michael Fox suggests, “Wrapping a dog quite tightly in a thin towel or small blanket can do miracles, giving anxious dogs a feeling of security. Cut an old cotton sheet and get your dog used to being wrapped around the torso like a mummy. This action can help many dogs cope with thunderstorms and fireworks.”

•Dr. Nicholas Dodman, veterinarian and professor at Tufts University and author of the books Dogs Behaving Badly and The Dog Who Loved Too Much, has postulated that dogs are really freaked out by thunderstorms because of a buildup of static electricity in their coats that gives them periodic shocks. He says that this is why you will find that many dogs take shelter in bathrooms with tile floors during storms. He suggests several anti-static measures, including rubbing dogs down with anti-static laundry strips, making sure dogs stay on tile or linoleum, or just putting them in the car. All of these measures will keep the static electricity from building up and shocking them.

Sometimes you just have to try different approaches and combinations of approaches until you find out what works for your particular dog. I noticed that Sophia does much better if I turn the lights on (when a thunderstorm occurs in the middle of the night) and gets some comfort from soothing music and massage, but melatonin didn’t seem to have the desired effect on her. Recently, I was thrilled to receive this message from a friend who has been battling thunderstorm anxiety in her dog for a long time:

[We] have made it through two nights of thunderstorms without a glitch! I can’t freaking believe it, but I pieced together this part that worked a little and that part that worked a little, and we’ve gotten it down I hate to jinx it, but those were the calmest two nights of storms in almost four years. And one of them shook the house. … As soon as [my dog] wakes me up, which is typically before I hear thunder (I can tell what’s wrong by her state of panic), I praise her for waking me up (just as if she were waking me to go out or for an intruder), I turn on the overhead light to make it so bright in the bedroom that she can’t see the lightning (and sleep with it on), I calmly tell her we’re going to get her pill, she walks to the kitchen, I give her 1.5 mg of melatonin, I put her in bed with me (she typically refuses to sleep with me), I cuddle her close on one side and push a pillow up to her close on the other side, I cover her eyes with a dark T-shirt/towel and I pet/massage her and talk to her calmly until the melatonin kicks in. She’ll peek out a couple of times, and I let her and just tell her it’s OK. Then we both get to go back to sleep and she doesn’t move until the storm is over! WOW! Amazing. I was seriously at a loss for giving her any comfort at all.

And some dogs are fine with thunderstorms and fireworks all their lives and don’t have a single problem with them until they hit old age, when something changes along with their hearing. This is what happened to my sweet Koro. When she reached the age of 12, she suddenly developed geriatric thunderstorm anxiety and would hide underneath the kitchen sink when they approached.

As mere mortals who want to shield our beloved dogs from terror, there’s not a lot we can do to prevent acts of God, such as thunderstorms. Fireworks, on the other hand, are completely human creations and could be stopped tomorrow. What a wonderful thought!