Thunderstorm in Connecticut — going to the dogs

[ravkesef]

In the middle of a superhot, supermuggy day, the sky just turned black. Sounds of rolling thunder in the distance. My Jack Russell became very apprehensive, so I took out the new ThunderShirt I just bought for him. Put it on him, and he became visibly relaxed and calm. Then there was this flash of lightning, and a loud crack of thunder, and I instantly had a Jack Russell in my lap, vigorously washing my nose. Just sharing the events of the day with you.

 

[woodsroad]

Eric, that storm ran almost the entire north half of the East Coast. We needed the rain. And you needed some dog attention!

 

[tnfan]

Too funny!

 

[pandapiper]

Currently sitting out the last few mins at work, watching the rain pour down and asking myself why I didn't think to check the forecast this morning. Looks like it's going to be a wet trip home Also pondering if I should finish the P.S navy flake, or reach for an English blend.

 

[mso489]

Sometimes animals teach us things about nature that we don't learn easily. There's a current public service announcement that reminds people that if they can hear thunder they are close enough to get hit by lightening. Dogs and often cats already know that and react accordingly. I like the ads for Thundershirts, and I think they do many dogs and cats good. My late wife's family had a big part shepherd mix who, when thunder boomed, would dive through the screen out the second story of their summer cottage. Our several cats hunker a little closer to us, but when we reassure them, they seem to somewhat relax. However getting a nice facial from your terrier is probably a good thing.

 

[davet]

Lots of thunder & lightening up here in Atlantic Canada as well

 

[bnichols23]

I love thunderstorms. Really do. The cats OTOH aren't big fans.

 

[npod]

My older dog puts up with thunder, but my new female puppy, alpha as they come, barks at it and tries to chase the noise.

 

[woodsroad]

My dogs are unfazed by thunder, lightning, gunfire and Spike Jones. Big fireworks and rap music upset them, though.

 

[bnichols23]

Spike Jones. Dey'll never bomb dis place! I knew I liked you.

 

[ssjones]

My daughter and 1.5 yr old granddaughter were scheduled to fly out of Baltimore this evening. Her original flight was delayed from 7:55 Pm to 1:55 AM, a definite no-go with a baby. I tried to reach Southwest to grab a 3:30 flight, but their CSR lines had 90 minute wait times. At noon, we finally decided we better buy her the ticket and deal with the exchange later. We race to BWI (about a 2 hour drive) and get here there in time, just as a giant storm dumps 4" of rain in an hour. And, yep, that flight is delayed. She's still at the airport and now doesn't take off until 7 PM. I'm on the phone with Southwest now (on hold for 45 minutes, currently), trying to get my $500 ticket we bought refunded..... Thanks a lot summer storms!

 

[bigpond]

Eric, I’m In CT too but we haven’t had much thunder...bit of lightning though. Our St Bernard can’t abide thunder so I think we are fortunate at the moment.

 

[spartan99]

A friend had a Lab that was terrified of fireworks. Independence Day was hard on them both.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/4th_of_july_dog

 

[woodsroad]

Major Suckitude, Al.

 

[brian64]

so I took out the new ThunderShirt I just bought for him.

I've been thinking of trying one of those:
http://dilbert.com/strip/2017-08-13

 

[bnichols23]

Ouch. Sorry about that, Al. One person's peaceful & placid is another's hyperstress.

 

[mso489]

ssjones, I spent the first half of my adulthood flying across the world regularly if not continuously. In later years, for business, I ran into the steep decline in airline amenities and the raw canceling of flights when everyone was at the airport, etc. Or walking all the passengers on the subsequent flight past you while you waited for the next day for your earlier scheduled flight. Dirty tricks. I think all the abuse is catching up with me and I now feel averse to flying. I'd drive if possible, or take a train if possible, and suffer the humiliation of air travel only when necessary. I overlooked anything and everything for too long. Bistro Boxes indeed. They're really pushed the limit. If I weren't constitutionally skinny of build, I would never fly under any circumstances, the airline seats being designed now for anorexic people only. I can wedge my skinny self into a seat, but how middle weights manage, forget anyone who is heavy, I have no idea.

 

[ssjones]

Update:

Her flight was further delayed till 8 PM. They started boarding, the pilot stopped the boarding for 30 minutes, then let everyone board. He closes up the plane and then tells everyone there are brake issues. They sit in a sweltering plane for 1:45, my daughter holding her 18 month old, with one bottle of water. All complaints for AC and drinks were not responded to. Finally, at 10 AM, the offboard and are told to wait in line for a transfer. After an hour in line, they are told there will be no transfers and they should have a plane shortly. At 11 PM, they are told the new plane is on the other pier and to get there in 15 minutes, as it won't wait for them. So my daughter runs from B to C pier at BWI, and that plane departs at midnight (so there was no reason to run). She lands at 2:45 EST, than has an hour drive home. Thunderstorms aren't Southwests issue, but plane issues and rude treatment are. Her mom works with the Attorney Generals office in Maryland, so I've unleashed that hell hound. Scorched earth to follow.

 

[magicalgibbon]

Airlines can be massively frustrating - they’ve got you over a barrell.
I love thunderstorms, on the other hand, and the dog doesn’t mind them either (she’ll sit on my lap whether there’s a storm on not - more of a cat in dog form - which would be a problem if she was a mastiff but fortunately OK as she’s a pug). We could do with a good storm here in London. We’re a couple of months into a record-breaking hot and dry spell and the air quality is pretty awful.
I took the funeral of a man recently who lived to a pretty ripe old age despite being hit by lightning twice - on different occassions and both whilst picking cockles on the beach.

 

[bnichols23]

"Bistro boxes" -- Plus you had to grab those damn things on the fly through the gate. -growl-
Al, if that wasn't hell on Earth for her I don't know what would've been. Inexcusable, simply inexcusable. }}