Our girl Astrid has had a hard week. 
We’ve had our Finnish Lapphund for about two months now. She is super sweet and super smart, but also very skittish with a strong startle response. Her fears include the sound of rain on the roof and the sound of wind on the windows (but not being out in the rain and wind, which she thinks is just great.) As she’s gotten to know us better, she’s gotten light years more comfortable; it also helps her that she and the cat have come to an accord, and she does genuinely like to hang out with him. We established some safe spaces for her where she can retreat if she’s alarmed, including her bed and her crate. She also adopted the cat’s safe place, which is the closet. She is not usually anxious when alone in the house.
This week we have had rain, we have had wind, we have had my fiance come home with a broken foot and a walking cast (which alarmed her immensely.) We have also had apartment maintenance come to the house while we weren’t there to fix an emergency leak. They were supposed to come when one of us was there, but I digress. Between all of this, she’s been anxious in the house. She has taken to retreating to the closet and spending much of her day there, and going off her food (which is not unusual for her- she’s a picky eater with a sensitive stomach, and the vet isn’t concerned.) When we’re home, her affect is usually normal- hangs out on the couch with me, bright, alert, responsive, has a ball on her walks, plays with her toys, cruises for belly rubs. But when the wind blows, she’s off the couch and into the closet!
This has come to a head this week, when in addition to her usual anxious behaviors of pacing and hiding, she’s gotten so upset that she threw up twice. Worse, we are out of town this weekend, which is another change for her. My sister, whom she knows and likes, is staying at the house with her. Astrid is spending most of her time out of the closet, padding around the house cheerfully, playing with her toys, and loving her walks, and she’s eating about as much as we expected and drinking well. But her stomach is still evidently upset.
Right now she’s on a probiotic twice a day, and that’s made a huge difference in her digestive well-being. Her exercise routine, including two or three big walks (several miles each) is also key to her emotional health. Ultimately I cannot make rain and wind go away, so I’m looking for other ways to help her feel more comfortable and safe at home. We’re looking at the ThunderShirt, for example, and I also want to come home with Rescue Remedy. Any other non-prescription suggestions? It’s really only gotten bad this week- if she continues to feel anxious into next week, we’ll be talking to the vet.
