Scaredy dog

Today here in the mid-Hudson Valley we had our first really bad thunderstorm of the spring.

I managed to get home during my lunch break just as the skies opened up with rain and wind and lightning — and thunder. Lots of thunder.

Kate met me at the back door with her tail tucked under, and she was quivering. This is typical thunderstorm behavior for her. When we lived in the concrete of Manhattan, Kate was never bothered by thunderstorms.

It wasn't until we moved to Shekomeko and lived in a 19th-century wood frame cottage that Kate became scared of bad weather. (I wasn't too wild about it either.)

Even without Accuweather.com, I knew when a storm was approaching because the pooch would start shaking and panting. Until the storm had passed completely out of the area, she was inconsolable. At first I tried to comfort her, but it never made any difference. Remember, you can't reason with pets.

Then I read that making a fuss when they are scared, billing and cooing over them, can only serve to reinforce the shaking and panting behavior. They are thinking that our paying attention to them is a good thing. So today, it was business as usual.

As soon as the storm passed — there was horizontal rain at one point — I got the leash. Hooked up Kate. Went outside. Kate, sensing another approaching storm, pulled me back into the house. OK, that was a really short and unproductive walk.

Yes, there are medications for pets who are severely affected by thunderstorms. But I don't think Kate reaches that level. Plus, who wants to keep your dog drugged up during the entire spring? And experts say that you can desensitize the dog by playing thunder sounds at increasing levels. Really, who has time for that?

I'm still trying to work brushing Kate's fur and teeth into my schedule on a regular basis.