Raining cats and dogs

In English when it rains really hard, people say that it rains cats and dogs. I think that's why a lot of dogs don't like rain too much. For example, my dog Max hates storms. He becomes really anxious and nervous, and he barks at the rain, the so called "dogs and cats" falling from the sky. Lightening and thunders scare him.  It is really pouring right now outside my window and Max is miserable. I feel sorry for him. Maybe I should whisper to his ears to calm him down. But on the other hand, I think, he should develop a system to cope with the storms himself. Max's fear for storms is well echoed in Marley, probably the most famous dog in America at this moment. Last summer I read the bestseller "Marley and Me." I laughed and cried reading about the life of Marley, worrying about what will happen to Max sooner or later. I don't treat my dog to the extreme, like most of American do. But thinking Max may get old, sick and die some day is a horrible feeling. I don't want to live through that feeling.