My dog just freaked me out--she's been watching too much Hitchcock!

[hlthe2b]

So we have the usual afternoon thunderstorm which drives my 60 pound Aussie/Lab mix into a terrified frenzy. She always starts under my feet, panting, dilated pupils and inconsolable. Eventually, she gets hot and runs towards the innermost door in my smallish condo, away from all windows. Today, though, it was a bit louder and longer lasting than usual and I decided to check on her after not seeing her in over an hour-- she's NOWHERE to be found! Not in kitchen, not in living room, all the closets are shut and her usual hallway spot is vacant. Definitely not in the bedroom, where I'd been working on a computer for several hours.

Calling her repeatedly-- no response. Check everywhere again.

Finally, the shower curtain flutters just a bit and lo and behold, there's my beefy little 60 pound girl in the bathtub-- sitting there wild eyed behind the curtain in the pitch dark--only the reflection of her eyes apparent! I was so startled (a la Psycho memories) I nearly screamed! (ok, I guess you had to be there, but I've never had a dog willingly go into the bathtub!)

[tedoll78]

1. That's so cute!

Where do you live such that it rains almost every afternoon? I wanna move there!

My akita will nudge the bathroom door open and stick his head past the shower curtain if he hears me singing in there. Goofy dog..!

[hlthe2b]

4. oh, we usually just get the thunder/lightening in the summer: Denver

but little if any rain.

[Raven]

2. Never had one go in the tub willingly either!

Well, at least now the poor dog has a place to hide! My 120 pound Newfoundland used to try to get under the bed during thunderstorms. Of course, she couldn't fit but managed to push the bed right across the room. She usually ended up sitting very still in a dark corner!

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. You had a Newfie?

Color me jealous! :loveya:

They're so beautiful! I considered getting one of those before we got Fargo (I LOVE big dogs!!) but I read that Pyrs make good latchkey dogs, so that's part of the reason we got my baby.

We were in Calgary last fall and went into a store in Inglewood- the lady actually had a Newfoundland as her store dog...Mowgli. What a gorgeous boy. Spread across almost a hundred square feet of store space!

What a funny story! Our cat used to get between the levels on my trundle bed when he was scared. But he was much smaller!

[Nay]

3. OMG. That's where our beagle used to hide during Florida

thunderstorms. It was hysterical.

[smirkymonkey]

5. I have heard that if you drape a blanket loosely over their head

and sit with them calmly, it makes them feel better during a thunderstorm. I think the dark, cavelike environment comforts them or something.

In a twisted way, I think it's kind of cute...just like when they get crazy over a vacuum cleaner. Poor doggies!

[fudge stripe cookays]

7. I've heard that too.

We call our vacuum cleaner "the big green monster."

Does anyone remember the episode of Letterman years ago for stupid pet tricks?

The lady brought on her terrier looking dog, Daffy, and they built him a fake closet with a vacuum cleaner in it. When the lady opened the door, he reached in and attacked the vacuum cleaner. Grabbed the rubbery part and "wrestled it into submission," as Dave said.

Hilarious!

[HamHocks4Kerry]

8. That's a funny story. My dog goes nuts during the rain, too.

It doesn't have to be thunder, just rain.

[Obamarama]

9. I only WISH my dog would run and hide during t-storms.....

My cairn terrier whips herself up into a frenzy and runs from one end of the house to the other growling and barking ferociously like she's angry as hell at the storm.

One time I took a photo indoors and she thought the flash going off was lightning, and even without the thunder present she thought there was a storm and started in with her growl and bark routine.

I've tried to calm her down and soothe her but nothing works. It's actually sort of funny to watch, but sometimes I sort of worry she's going to work herself into a heart attack or stroke out.

[hlthe2b]

10. Poor little baby......

Now she might be one I'd consider sedating..... That sounds pretty hard on her!

[curse10]

11. LoL

animals can be so silly! :-)