How to help your dog during storms, without a prescription

Here are practical things that reliably help a lot of dogs, plus a plan you can reuse for the next storm. For timing your routine, Dog Thunder gives you a simple evening heads-up if thunder, lightning, or heavy rain are likely overnight, so you can prepare.

The approach: stack small wins

No single tool fixes storm anxiety. The win comes from combining several low-effort interventions: a safe space, sound masking, maybe a wrap or pheromone diffuser, and--over time--training that changes your dog's emotional response to storm cues.

Think of it as layers. Each one takes a little edge off. Together, they can make the difference between panic and "not great, but manageable."

Your storm-night setup

Even great training needs a management plan for real storms. The goal: reduce sensory impact, give the body something else to do, and keep arousal from spiking.

• Pick a room. Interior room or closet; add a bed, water, and a food puzzle or lick mat. Close the blinds to cut flashes.
• Mask the sound. White noise machine, box fan, or air purifier. Storms are multi-sensory--pressure, wind, rain, light--so blocking multiple cues helps.
• Start early. If Dog Thunder says tonight looks rough, set the room up and start your routine before the first rumble. Once fear spikes, everything works worse. (PubMed)
• Comfort is allowed. Sitting with your dog is fine. You're not "rewarding fear"--you're being a secure base while the plan runs.

My dog, Juniper, likes a small bathroom on our first floor. Yours might prefer a closet, a crate, or wedged behind the couch. Let them pick.

Training: the long-term fix

If you can only do one "non-prescription" thing, make it desensitization and counter-conditioning (DS/CC). You gradually expose your dog to storm sounds at a level where they're not scared, and pair those sounds with great things--food, play, calm massage. Over weeks, you inch up the intensity while keeping your dog below threshold.

A starter protocol

1. Pick your sounds. Thunder/firework tracks from Dogs Trust's free Sounds Scary program work well and include a how-to booklet. (Dogs Trust)
2. Set the floor. Play at a volume where your dog is bored. Feed high-value treats during the sound; stop treats when the sound stops. Sessions should last 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Creep, don't leap. If your dog stays calm for a few sessions, nudge the volume up a little. If they start scanning or freezing, you went too fast--drop back.
4. Generalize. After a week or two in one room, repeat in other rooms so the new "sounds = good stuff" association sticks everywhere.

Pressure wraps & vests

Gentle, constant pressure (ThunderShirt-style) helps some dogs. Studies show benefits for certain measures like heart rate or owner-reported calm, but results are mixed and bias is a risk. Treat wraps as a useful adjunct, not a cure.

How to use: Put the vest on before the storm, pair with treats/play for a few minutes, then let your dog settle in their safe room. If they seem bothered by the garment, skip it. Fit and acclimation on calm days matter.

Pheromones (Adaptil/DAP)

Dog-appeasing pheromone products--diffusers, collars, sprays--have controlled trials showing reduced fear behaviors during simulated thunder for some dogs; other studies are neutral. Worth a try as part of a bundle with training and management.

How to use: Start a diffuser in the safe room a few hours ahead of the noise, or use a pheromone collar. Low risk, low cost--easy to add to your stack.

Supplements

Supplements aren't magic, but a few have enough data or clinical experience to be reasonable adjuncts. Always run new supplements past your vet, especially if your dog is on other meds.

Melatonin

Commonly used off-label for situational anxiety and sleep. Veterinary guidance notes onset in ~1–2 hours, which is perfect for a "storm tonight" plan. Evidence specific to thunder isn't robust, but it's inexpensive and generally well tolerated. Time it so it peaks before the storm. Avoid in pregnant dogs; check for interactions. (VCA)

L-theanine (Anxitane, Composure)

An open-label prospective study found improved storm sensitivity scores after daily L-theanine. Limitations include small size and lack of blinding. Fair take: safe, may help, worth a try in a bundle. (SkeptVet)

A simple timing template

Plug in your tools. On forecasted heavy-risk nights (from Dog Thunder):

Common pitfalls (and easy fixes)

• Playing storm sounds too loud during training. If your dog stiffens, you're flooding, not desensitizing. Go back to "this is boring" volume and rebuild slowly.
• Only trying one thing. The win is from stacking small, low-effort tools: safe room + white noise + wrap + pheromone + training. (PubMed)
• Waiting until panic hits. Most tools--wraps, melatonin, even your dog's brain--work best before arousal spikes.

When non-prescription isn't enough

If your dog still shakes, drools, or tries to bolt--or if new storm fear shows up in a senior dog--loop in your veterinarian. There are effective event-based medications that can be used alongside everything above, and they work best when timed in advance.

References & further reading

• Review: Riemer S. "Therapy and Prevention of Noise Fears in Dogs" (PubMed)
• Training program: Dogs Trust Sounds Scary (Dogs Trust)
• Melatonin: VCA Hospitals overview (VCA)