Dogs fear of rain

Question
I have a 2 year old Great Pyreneese. We found him on the highway when he was about 6 months old. (Vet was certain of his age because he had just cut his 6 month molars)
It was apparent to us he lived outside because he did not appear to have ever been in a house. He now lives inside with a doggie door to the outside, free to come in and out as he pleases. He was always afraid of thunder and would hide in my closet. Recently he has now become afraid of even the slightest sprinkle of rain and instead of taking shelter inside, he now wants out and will sit next to the back door in the rain but does not want to come inside. When he force him inside and put the doggie door in so he cannot go outside, he becomes very nervous. Do you have any in-site into what is going on and how we can help him.

Thanks so much, Christy Rose

Answer
Storm phobia isn't an unusual problem. I had one dog who started getting anxious when the barometer dropped, several hours before an actual storm. He would also be anxious if it rained, or if he saw flashes of light in the sky. I'd talk to the vet about anti-anxiety meds, or look into some of the holistic alternatives for anxiety. I've had good luck with body wraps (http://www.crvetcenter.com/bodywrap.htm)and a mild sedative (melatonin)or there is a product called a storm defender cape which shields the dog from static electric charges - which may be a large part of what frightens a lot of dogs about storms. Good luck with him. Sandy Case MEd, CPDT  www.positivelycanine.com