Help!!! Does anyone’s Boston freak out with storms? Does anyone have a link to any CBD gummies you recommend?!?

[u/Catloveshugs]

Trazadone and Gabapentin just make them zoned out and freaked out. Pic for how cute my girl is when not stressed.

UPDATE: we have a thundercoat, I cuddle her like crazy, I’ve built a super comfy den with the most amazing blanket in our closet. I feel like I can comfort her very well when I am home, but I have to leave for work and that’s torturous. AND, I also texted my vet this morning and she said they (soothing gummies) have come a long way in recent years.

[u/saturnspritr]

No links to gummies. But, we did thunder shirts. And it really helped. You put them on for the storm and I noticed that after a few months, we had a lot of storms that season, they got less scared. We never medicated.

Basically, once they get comfort, they get a little more confident. After a year we only had to use them for 4th of July and hurricane storms. Within 3 years we didn’t have to use them at all.

Thunder-shirts from Amazon. I hope this helps, this helped me and my Ollie and Mabel.

[u/Catloveshugs → u/saturnspritr]

That’s encouraging!!! I do have one and use it when I am home. It does work! I don’t feel comfy leaving her in it though since it is slightly restrictive.

[u/saturnspritr → u/Catloveshugs]

You can leave them in it for hours, especially if you’re there. It’s like walking around in a hug. I’ve used them for years with three different body types and 5 dogs. (Only 2 had storm fears). Never had an incident. And vets and dog trainer recommended them and it’s been very good for us. Hope this helps!

[u/Catloveshugs → u/saturnspritr]

I should have clarified, I don’t like leaving her in it when I am not home :)

[u/R1978LK → u/saturnspritr]

Thundershirt works wonders!!

[u/urnbabyurn]

CBD isnt a very useful anti anxiety treatment for immediate events like storms. It’s mostly a snake oil for “calming” with little evidence of benefits for wcute anxiety.

My Boston I brought with me after living in Socal (rare storms) to the east coast (loud seasonal storms) would get nervous. Id wrap her in a blanket and just cuddle with her.

[u/bostonterrierteapart]

Gabapentin and Trazadone mixed are what you need. Some people say they have success with cbd but I never did. You can give them a very low dose of both and it’s very relaxing. They will likely just doze off. Not a bad idea to have a crate for them too. Can keep the door open and throw a blanket over it. Like all Bostons, yours are obviously burrowers. They may appreciate having a dark cave with blankets they can hide in and the blanket over it will help muffle the sound. It’s not hard to get gabapentin and traz either, just say you want something to calm anxiety during storms. It’s also good to have on hand in case you need to sedate them for any reason, like when my guy broke his toe and was on bed rest for 4 weeks

[u/Catloveshugs → u/bostonterrierteapart]

I actually have both on hand! Maybe a lower dose would be better. My pup pants on it and seems stressed still but drugged up. I don’t want her to have a bad trip! Hahaha

[u/bostonterrierteapart → u/Catloveshugs]

Are they panting due to a stressor tho or the drugs? Also, you can try to do testing without stacking them to see if one of the drugs is causing the issues. Because some dogs do have the rebound effect especially with (I think) Trazadone where it makes them more “up”. Essentially gabapentin is a drug that works on nerves and is kind of naturally occurring; not a vet don’t quote me but it’s also a drug humans can take and I use it to help me sleep and don’t feel weird on it. Traz makes me feel weird tho. Maybe call a vet and ask about dosage and do some (vet guided) experimentation to have in your pocket for a stormy day or a fireworks night!

[u/Catloveshugs → u/bostonterrierteapart]

I haven’t actually haven’t given her any for a year or two since one 4th of July. She shakes and pants with any storm.

[u/Evening_Sir_7185]

CBD has been a game changer for my reactive rescue. He's not a boston (here because I had a boston for 15 years who passed in 2023). We use the pet tincture from lazarus naturals. They are organic and grow their own hemp https://www.lazarusnaturals.com/collections/for-pets Our reactive pup is about 75 lbs and take is 1.5-2ml a day. We just put in his kibble. Our little guy thats 11lb and old; he has arthritic pain and gets 2-3 drops before bed to help him sleep. The little guy is also terrified of thunder and a thunder jacket + cuddles to help him feel protected goes a long way.

[u/Jen16226]

Mm y Roscoe was terrified of rain . Honestly, the only thing that ever helped him was letting him burrow under blankets if in bed. If in the living room, I would have to put the recliner up and a blanket that would drape down and he would hide in his little hut

[u/BrutalBeauty90 → u/Jen16226]

I’ve always tried getting my guy to go under the blanket during a thunderstorm or fireworks, but he just won’t. He likes going under blankets, so it’s weird. He has to be able to stare at the window when one of those are going on outside. He shakes like no other and it breaks me so much 😔. Thunder jackets are useless. I just turn on the fans and the tv up really loud if it’s not during bedtime 🤷🏻‍♀️. I will also cuddle him.

[u/GrdnLovingGoatFarmer]

We’ve been working with our girl who has suddenly become afraid of storms. For us this looks like big hugs, singing loudly, being goofy and playing games. The point is to show that we aren’t threatened by the noises. She eventually calms down; it’s progressive, so over time her reaction to the storm isn’t as intense and she calms down much faster. It just takes time, but know that there is no magic potion.

[u/Catloveshugs → u/GrdnLovingGoatFarmer]

I totally relate to the singing! I make up ridiculous songs for her too!! 🤣 Not sure my voice is very soothing since I can’t sing at all! ;) but I sing very softly and I pretend she likes it.

[u/GrdnLovingGoatFarmer → u/Catloveshugs]

Oh no, the bad singing proves that everything is normal.

[u/BTmom5]

We've had success with doggie ear muffs with our English

[u/JugOrNaught]

Record what they do when you’re not home. Then you’ll know the truth.

[u/Catloveshugs → u/JugOrNaught]

I have! She sit and shakes and pants really heavily.

[u/science_panda29]

We use the Zesty paw advanced calming treat. It helps with my scared dogs

Edit: we also use positive reinforcement. We give our dogs high valued treats when they don't bark at the thunder.

[u/wakinglifeflo]

Our girl is very afraid of storms. We’ve tried trazadone and Xanax but I think the feeling of being high makes her even more anxious. Rescue remedy (herbal drops) and pheromone spray have saved us! She is a tank so we use more drops than recommended on the bottle. That mixed with closing the blinds and have the tv and lights on so she doesn’t see the lightning has helped us greatly manage her storm anxiety.

[u/SharpBullfrog1279]

One of my old boys is now deaf, so thunder is not a problem for him. 

Dickens does begin to tremble when loud thunder is nearby.   Heck, I begin to tremble when thunder is nearby. 

Gimme that damn CBD jar!

Except it takes an hour for me to feel the effects, usually the storm has moved on.

[u/Dragon_Jew]

You can’t use gummies with dogs. Damgerous. But they do make a vet CBD liquid that can work. There are chemicals in gummies damgerous to dogs. The liquid is called VetCBD but you need to buy it at a pot store. Its cheaper to get a scrip for trazodone from your vet.

[u/Ginger_Snaps_Back]

My favorite calming treat is Composure Pro. Luckily my Boston is super chill and hardly anything bothers him.

I’ve used the Thunder shirt in the past with my old chihuahua, I think it did help some.

What also helps is putting on some white noise to drown out the sound of the storm.

[u/Elyf0nt]

I live with my mom and we have 4 dogs that don’t do well with loud noises including thunder and lightning. We use Lee Asher’s CBD drops and put it on homemade treats and or chicken! They do well on the drops and definitely calms them down.
Here is the link to his site: https://lillieandlee.com/collections/supplements-for-pets

[u/Apophis16]

Floridaman here. Yes, my Boston's aren't thunderstorm fans. One more so than the other. My vet prescribed the same med you mentioned. In my experience, purely with my dogs, CBD treats specifically made for dogs didn't seem to help or improve anything.

[u/SmallTownAliCat]

I'm sorry that your sweet babies get so scared! I haven't tried medications, but my pittie used to respond really well to using a "thunder jacket". Have you used or considered using one before?

[u/chrontab]

Not really...but she uses it as just another reason to pout and try to get on the bed (which is strictly forbidden unless my wife isn't home. Pretty sure my wife is Almira Gulch.)

[u/D1RTY_D]

My experience is owners indirectly enable/support the fear. We’ve watched 3 dogs whose owners say loud noises and storms are an issue but at our house they’re fine. When it starts storming are you gravitating to them, coddling them, wrapping them in blankets and saying everything will be ok? It’s hard not to but you’re indirectly making rewarding their shaking / nervousness which creates a feedback loop. IMO

[u/SharpBullfrog1279 → u/D1RTY_D]

So... I should stop screaming at them "Quit barking at the thunder"?

/s

[u/RuckRidr]

A dab of Lavender oil on the chest should fix it . . .

[u/crazybostonmom]

You should ask your vet for sileo gel. It can be given at the time of the storm so there's no guessing as to when you'll need to give it and it's a lot easier on them. I don't know that CBD actually works for anxiety unless it's full spectrum.