Verrrrrry Interesting ~

We had an unexpected line of storms that just passed by..........no chance to dose O'Riley.........when he approached me at the first clap I jumped up, went to the kitchen and did the 'happy talk' game (I NEVER was able to do that before because he was SO panicked he simply could not 'hear' me) ............." Want a treat, O'Riley?"............. " Let's have some peanut butter, okay?"...well, you get the drift.............he wouldn't take a treat .....BUT..........he was okay.........no pawing...........we went into the bedroom, turned the TV up and I hopped up on the bed and he followed, digging at the pillows and NOT me :) :) :) ............I covered him with a quilt and he buried his head in the pillows...........I praised and praised.............GOOD BOY !!!!!!!!!!! After a while and some nice cracks of thunder ( and LOTS of 'you are the BEST BOY pats') I got up and came out here to the computer..........he is still on the bed, the sun is out and all is well.............Oh, Happy Day :)

Truly, if someone had told me a few months ago that I would be writing the above I simply would not have believed them !!!!!!

We were tested today !

We had two rounds of heavy storms and high winds today. We got off to a shaky start as I was walking him on the canal when I realized the skies were turning black sooner than I had thought. ( I had given him 2 mg Clon at 1 PM before we left) We rushed home and I was racing around shutting windows etc. when we heard the first loud clap ........the winds came up and it poured buckets............all of that unnerved O'R and he was clawing and panicky.........I tried to redirect him........told him to sit, but he was too upset to listen.........I went out on the deck and he pawed for a bit and then settled down inside.

We had a respite for a few hours and then the next round came...........they predicted even stronger thunder/winds gusting to 60 mph !!!!!!!!!! So I gave him another 2 mg dose..........I sensed he needed more so an hour later I gave him 1 1/2 mg......................well, he settled right down and was literally unreactive for the rest of the evening...and the thunder was LOUD !!!!!!!....he's sleeping next to me ......as long as he is near me when he's sedated he seems fine..............

All I can think of is what it would have been like w/o his meds !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Storm? What Storm?

Well, now I'm really a believer..........Yesterday afternoon and evening we had one hum dinger of a storm.........lightening, high winds, thunder, heavy rain, tornado watches in surrounding counties................and O'R sailed right through..........I gave him 2 Clon's at 5 pm and that held him till it was all over around 8:30.........he focuses intensely on his rawhide bones..........and he isn't trembling and shaking all over like he used to.......and he leaves me alone !!!!!!!!

Ahhhh, no more walking in the pouring rain.........no more driving the streets with O'R's wet head sticking out the window ..............Ahhhhhhhhh, Bliss :)

Learning Fom Every Rumble !

For the past 2 hours we have had a moderately hefty storm.......no lightening flashes but constant rolling/rumbling thunder and some pretty gusty winds and rain.......I was on the couch reading and O'R heard the first rumble ( I didn't) He started to cry and paw/claw at me.........I jumped off the couch and yelled NO !! ( I do this because my skin is so thin from all the years of Prednisone that it tears easily, so I tend to panic in an effort to get away) My yelling NO ! simply raises him to the next level of anxiousness :( This time I grabbed 2 Clon and cheese and went outside on the deck...........he started to claw at the door but stopped and just whined........I opened the door and gave him the pills without looking at him, closed the door and went back to the deck, ignoring him completely........... he sat at the door and whined, but not loudly and soon he was lying down on the floor by the door...........this all happened before the Clon could possibly have taken effect..............he remained calm throughout the 2 hours...........I came in a few times and rewarded him with treats.....Good Boy !! I'm not really sure he needed the Clon, but am not going to push my luck just yet !

I feel that this change is a combination of the daily Clomicalm, ignoring his attention seeking behavior AND removing myself from him........when I do this I am not stressed and, therefore, neither is he !

I can hardly believe this and I feel like jumping in my car and racing over to give Dr A a big hug :)

8 days of near Bliss !

All in all, we've been doing great ! But, of course, we've had .24" of rain the whole month of May, so not much thunder !

A few days ago, late morning, I was at the computer.............high pressure; not a cloud in the sky.......O'R suddenly snapped his head up and, before I could even react he was at my side and clawed me, breaking the skin.............he was NOT to be calmed, so after I bandaged my arm, I came outside, leaving him in and ignored his clawing and crying at the door ...........he stopped after a short while and lay down by the door to the deck where I was and it was over.

The last two nights 'chance' of thunderstorms have been predicted.............I am so against medicating him unless absolutely necessary that I have become expert at reading satellite/radar maps and have about 4 websites that I visit to predict storms.............both nights I have decided that the storm threat is too minimal to medicate him and I have been right so far......YAY !!!!!!!!!

O'R got his summer puppy cut yesterday.......he looks SO cute ! When he lies on his side he looks like a little fawn with his white underbelly..........when I brought him in the groomer's he was all happy and tail waggy..........the moment the groomer started to lead him to the back he played 'dead'......went limp, slithered to the floor and rolled over...........and, I was told he barked excitedly at everyone one who entered the groomer's shop.........:(

My sweet anxious boy....

Storms predicted throughout the weekend...........hoping we'll do great and that I can start leaving him in the upstairs bedroom when I need a break or have to leave.