I hope you don’t mind another dog story about our dog Chia. A few years back I wrote that she is getting a little more neurotic with each passing year. Chia will be turning 9 this summer. Last night around 1:30 Chia was up and scratching on the door. Sometimes it is just that she heard a cat outside the door and she goes back to sleep.
I knew she had gone out as usual before bed, but after she scratched a few times, I felt compelled to get up and take her out. She is not a big fan of the dark and patiently waited for me to turn on the flashlight so we could walk out to her “spot”. But it was soon apparent nature wasn’t calling her. Chia happily complied  when I suggested we go back to the house. Then I heard the reason for her restlessness, thunder. I hadn’t heard it before but now I understood her anxiety. We headed up the stairs to our bedroom but she stopped halfway up and wouldn’t budge, more thunder. I decided to see if she would settle down if we stayed downstairs.  But as I tried to get comfortable, I watched her pace as the storm grew closer, getting louder with lightening filling up the room.  I decided to go to bed and see what happens. By this time Dean was awake and I could tell Chia “no” when she scratched on the door a few more times. Finally she decided to sleep by the door until 3:30 when the storm finally passed over.
So spring is here and so are thunderstorms. We seem to get a lot of them here. I have learned a few things over the years that distracts her from her fears. Â During the day I can play fetch with her; but in the middle of the night, not so much. I will have to remember to keep my Rescue Remedy in the bedroom this time of year.