We got a dud...

[draggar]

Yep, we have one big dud.

We were given Gallon (his breeder is good friends with my wife). He has his SchH I (Schutzhund 1 - first level certification / title for tracking, obedience, and protection.

He's a big boy, very powerful and doesn't shy away from handlers when we take him to schutzhund training - he's even knocked a few helpers on their rears.

Last night we had a thunderstorm. From the minute it started until we could no longer hear thunder he was on our bed, shivering.

Yeah, I know it's not uncommon for dogs to be afraid of thunderstorms but it was a little funny to see him like this (and we didn't kick him off the bed either). It was funny to see our big, bad, strong, and confident protection dog like this.

[AdminAssistant]

Maybe he'd had a particularly bad experience with one?

One of our dogs (3/4 Aussie blue heeler and very tough) was in the backyard when lighting struck our house. After that, he was always terrified of storms. He'd usually go in Mom and Dad's room and try to get under the bed, but he couldn't fit, so he'd just stick his head under the bed.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Aw, poory baby! Just picturing that makes me giggle.

I grew up with a mini Schnauzer, and she was terrified of thunderstorms; she was my mom's dog, my mom was her person (mom was the only one who could pick her up; she'd try to bite anyone else). If there was a storm she'd cower in my mom's lap (or her bed, where she slept, anyway). If mom wasn't home, my brother was her second choice. The only time I remember her sleeping in my bed was when there was a storm and I was the only one there.

She was also terrified of balloons. Not sure why. Must have had one pop near her when she was young (we got her as a baby but no one remembers any incidents involving balloons...).

[Fire_on_High]

We've got one cat out of four who's terrified of storms. I don't think the other 3 notice at all, but the first sound of thunder and our big calico is hiding behind the hall door with a look of utter terror.

[McGoddess09]

My grandparents have a Border Collie who hides under the computer desk during a thunderstorm. He used to have a cage as a puppy, but he became too big and obedient for the cage, so they got rid of it. The next safest place is the computer desk because it's in the living room with people in it.

[BookstoreEscapee]

My cats don't seem to be too bothered. Pablo was pretty much unflappable.

[Sarlon]

We had a dog that if there was a HINT of a storm in the area, she'd glue herself to whoever would let her and shake....this is a pitbull boxer mix too.

We went out to dinner and left her alone...middle of dinner this HUGE thunderstorm rips through town....waterfalls of rain, thunder, lightening, wind you name it.

We get home just after it dies down and our furchild is so happy to see us she nearly knocks mom down...we get inside and we see muddy paw prints in the bathtub...the bathroom is the inner most room of the house. no windows, and only 2 doors connecting it between the bedroom and the living room.

I miss her

[sportsmom]

Draggar, I can't remember, are all your dogs Malinois?

I just can't picture some big tough dog shivering like a Chihuahua at a thunderstorm.

Poor baby boy.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I just can't picture some big tough dog shivering like a Chihuahua at a thunderstorm.

Pablo didn't shiver at thunderstorms..
(He just shivered. )

[edible_hat]

Maybe he'd had a particularly bad experience with one?

My aunt and uncle has a dog who is scared of coathangers and walking sticks. When my aunt had a hip replacement, the dog would stay as far away from her as possible until she didn't need to walk with a stick anymore. (He came from a shelter, we think he was taken away from somebody who abused him)

[thegiraffe]

We have a rescued lab who, although he's almost 4, is very calm and mellow. He's fine with thunderstorms - they don't phase him.

Fireworks, however, are a different story. He doesn't run and hide from them though - he runs toward them! We have to make sure and keep him inside on the 4th of July and New Years. We don't let him roam free outside, but when we take him out to pee in the backyard, we don't leash him because he doesn't need it. He's gotten better about following verbal commands when he really wants to chase something.

I've never met a dog who runs TOWARD loud noises though....

[McGoddess09]

My grandparents have train tracks in their backyard, so the train comes once in a while.

Their dog goes nuts. When he hears the train, he wants to go outside and watch it. When he was a puppy, my grandpa took him outside to see the train and the conductor waved at the cutie pie. Now, Sam thinks that trains are his bffs.

[pssorens]

We had a Great Pyrenees who's height at the shoulder was just a little taller than my inseam. at the first sign of lightning, Bear would be up the stairs on to the deck and trying to hide between my legs or begging to come inside the house.

as for crazy dogs, my Blue Heeler J.R. had to be tied out over the fourth of july, because he would try to fetch firecrackers. we tried locking him in the machine shop but he chewed through the fiberglass garage door.

[ShinyGreenApple]

My Border Collie, Murray was afraid of thunderstorms. As he was an outside dog, a storm would usually mean that he'd scale the walls of his enclosure and dig a huge hole underneath a car or truck, or in the shed, which didn't have a floor in it yet. I'd always find out about it because Dad would go in a few days later and I'd hear him yell "MURRAY?!" All his tools and work surfaces would be covered with dirt This dog was probably around 65 pounds most of the time and a complete baby. I'd always get weird looks at the vet's office because he'd insist on climbing into my lap and I'd let him. Man, now I'm missing him again



We have a Shih Tzu now that's also terrified of storms; we can tell one is coming before we hear it just going on how Annie acts. She'll latch onto someone's heels, usually me or Dad, and stick with them literally wherever they go, even the bathroom, and if you hold her or not, she'll lay there and shiver uncontrollably.

[wolfie]

We have a rescued lab who, although he's almost 4, is very calm and mellow. He's fine with thunderstorms - they don't phase him.

Fireworks, however, are a different story. He doesn't run and hide from them though - he runs toward them!

... deleted stuff ...

I've never met a dog who runs TOWARD loud noises though....

How old was he when you got him? His previous owner might have been a hunter ("Lab" is short for Labrador Retriever), and he might be associating fireworks with gunshots "Gotta find the bird and bring it back".