Butch tries so hard to be a little tough guy, he will really not be too pleased with me telling everyone his biggest fear..Thunder! Not only thunder but loud noises in general. Thunder, fireworks, firecrackers, a car or mower backfiring up the block, really anything that might seem like distant thunder he really freaks out over. He literally starts to shake and I don't mean shiver. I'm talking life threatened, uncontrollable, SHAKING! After five and a half years I can't recall when he started this, nor can I comprehend why he is so afraid, especially when he is usually right next to me when he begins shaking long before I even hear any thunder. It could be those radar dishes on his head that we call ears. I'm quite sure he can hear it a very long way off and then he starts to shiver a bit. At this point usually jumping in my lap, or if it's in the middle of the night, stomping on my head to get in between my pillow and headboard to hide. You would think that after many storms the past few years, and my calm demeanor while he is starting to get scared that he would learn that since I am not afraid he should not be either. It's really kind of cute the way he is glued to my leg as I walk around the house during an approaching storm. Makes me feel like a dad! I used to coddle him a bit when he was younger and say "it's ok nothing to be afraid of" but since learned that this only reinforces his fear. I have since tried to not change my attitude during a storm and will get down on the floor to play ball with him which immediately takes his mind off of it, pausing only for the loudest thunder crashes, then resuming the game. In the middle of the night it's a different story...I'm trying to sleep and he is walking all over me trying to hide from the thunder and lightening. I know he can smell the approaching storm (sooner than I can) and I have heard that dogs can even sense the lowering of barometric pressure signaling rain. He does not have destructive behavior during his fear but more of a run and hide mentality lloking for a snug spot. It is interesting that he can sleep through the war movies and the Military Channel with planes dropping bombs in full surround sound and not even flinch but if he hears a fire cracker down the street his ears go up and the wheels start turning in his little noggin about what he should do! I feel bad for him and I try to think of new things to do to help him overcome this fear but it's not getting better yet. There are many different things to try but it's my feeling that if I try the same thing every time he gets scared it will just signal him that there is a problem. It's my feeling that he has to be distracted from the storm, so I'll be reporting on his progress over the upcoming summer storm season!

I was emailing with Dr. Kim Bloomer about this and she asked me when his last rabies shot was. It's been almost 3 years since his last shot. Coming due in August. She mentioned to me that this is one possible cause of his problem with loud noises. We did not get to finish the email chain but I found this most intriguing and I will see if we can discuss this on the next show this Thursday! I'm sure there are many things that can be traced to certain vaccines which is why this is such a controversial issue!