'That's Her Emotional Support Appliance': Pittie Seeks Safety From Storm In A Questionable Place

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No loving pet parent wants their dog to be stressed. But sometimes, dog stress is inevitable, like when our fur babies get scared during thunderstorms. So it's no wonder one pit bull took matters into her own hands in a pretty surprising place. Seriously, you'll have to see the viral Instagram video to believe it.

Like many dogs, Roo is terrified of thunderstorms. She even wears a ThunderShirt, which is basically an anxiety vest for dogs. Perhaps that's why this "itty bitty pittie" sought out an especially safe spot for herself, in her family dryer! The clip shows Roo sitting on a blanket in the dryer as she looks up at her mom with fearful little puppy dog eyes. Even when the dryer door is closed, the Instagrammer notes that Roo lies down on the mat right beside it. One viewer quipped, "That's her emotional support appliance."

Many viewers sounded the alarm on Roo's unconventional hiding spot. While many empathized with how scary thunderstorms can be, wishing they could "give her lots of snuggles" to help, the general consensus was that the dryer is not the safest place to hide, due to dangers such as electrocution or injury. One commenter asked why Roo's parents allow her in the dryer. "That's so dangerous," they said. Others offered other hiding options, saying, "Our pittie would hide in the bathtub."

When it comes to thunderstorm fear, little Roo is not alone. A 2023 study in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal found that over 40% of dogs fear thunder. Thunderstorm anxiety or phobia in dogs is a significant fear of storms or stimuli related to storms, like thunder. But what exactly can we as pup parents do to help our dogs overcome this fear?

Some signs of storm phobia can include your dog hiding, trembling, barking a lot, or even accidentally peeing. Some dog breeds more sensitive to loud noises, like herding breeds bred for alertness, may be predisposed to thunderstorm fears. However, any dog who has not been properly socialized to loud noises, or who experiences an especially traumatic experience with storms, may develop storm anxiety. Leading your dog to an especially quiet space during storms (where the thunder is muted), along with giving them calming aids like a ThunderShirt you can find on Amazon, can be useful ways to ease fear.

Perhaps one of the best ways to help your dog get used to storms is with counterconditioning and desensitization. This training involves slowly exposing your dog to thunderstorm sounds (desensitization) while teaching them to have more positive feelings about them at the same time (counterconditioning). However, if after a while you don't notice much change in your pup, it may be time to see a vet. Veterinarians may recommend certain anti-anxiety drugs to calm down a hyper or anxious dog to give them some relief.