Polish Lowland Sheepdog - pons - pon the dog

 

 

 

DraqueBien Kennel, Finland

 

 

PONS and Thunderstorms/fireworks

 

Some PON owners have reported negative reactions to thunderstorms and fireworks and urgently need practical ways of dealing with PONS who suffer panic attacks or exhibit nervous behavior. Become your own PON "whisper" and quietly talk to your PON as you stroke his/her ears. Avoid shouting or becoming impatient as this will escalate the situation.

 

These tips offer a practical approach to calming down your PON and should be considered by all PON owners.

*  Bananas have a calming effect on PONS and should be offered during thunder storms and fireworks.Bananas can act as mood enhancers or mild sedatives: Bananas contain tryptophan (although it’s not one of the major sources, a medium still contains about 10.6 mg of tryptophan). Tryptophan is one of the 20 amino acids which are building blocks of proteins (btw, an incredible number of articles on the internet call tryptophan as a “mood-enhancing protein” and that is technically not correct). Tryptophan helps the body to produce serotonin - which has a calming effect on the brain (creates a stable mood) and acts as a mild sedative. It should be noted that the only way our our body gets it’s dose of tryptophan is through our diet - it does not produce tryptophan naturally; bananas is one of the easiest ways to get it (references: Nutritiondata.com, Chemistry Daily, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, NIH MedLinePlus).

*  Try and keep normal household activities calming during stressful times.

*   Avoid walking your PON during  fireworks.

*   Keep your PON indoors. Close your curtains and play Mozart or turn on the television to drown out offending noise.

*  Be careful about enforcing your PON's nervous state by giving attention to its nervous behavior and gently allow your PON  to settle where it finds a secure place. This can be under your bed or in your bathtub.

*  Appeasing Pheromone. This is a synthetic version of a chemical produced by the mother shortly after she has given birth. The pheromone reassures newborn puppies and naturally calms them down. Scientists have discovered it also helps calm older dogs as well for a wide range of anxiety related behavior. Look for such products online.

 

*  A herbal remedy known as Scullcap & Valerian can also aid calming your PON, as can Bach’s Rescue Remedy.

 

* Consider supplementing with vitamin B complex.

 

*  Make sure your PON is micro-chipped and has identity tags in the event it panics and escapes.

 

*  If your PON is particularly prone to becoming very distressed, discuss tranquillizers with your vet, but do attempt the above first, as it is a drugless approach aimed at removing the root of the problem.