Tried & True: Thundershirt Review

The latest summer fashion trend for dogs here in the South is called the Thundershirt, have you heard of it? Because thunderstorms in the South--or really anywhere else in the country for that matter, during the summertime can pop up at a moment's notice and be quite severe, many pups with anxiety caused from these storms might benefit from a Thundershirt. A friend of mine from college, Kathryn, has a Weimaraner named Sawyer. He is such a handsome doggie-dude; even more so in his Thundershirt. Because I knew Kathryn had tried this product on Sawyer, I was hoping she would be so lovely to write up a review and possibly help out another anxiety-stricken pup. Thankfully, she willingly agreed! Here is what Kathryn and Sawyer had to say:

**This review is not sponsored in any way, shape, or form. It is also NOT an advertisement. :-)

Last summer our Weimaraner, Sawyer (now 4), suddenly became afraid of thunderstorms.  Living in the south, it’s not unusual to get several afternoon storms a week during the summertime.  Out of nowhere, poor Sawyer began panting and shivering at the first crack of thunder he heard!  He’d follow me around, try to sit in my lap (did I mention he’s 100lbs?), shake uncontrollably, or even hide under blankets and pillows during a storm or God forbid…fireworks.  We had to do something to help him deal with his anxiety.

We spoke with the helpful folks at our local holistic pet store, and recommended the Thundershirt.  Essentially, it is a jersey knit, wrap-around style t-shirt for dogs.  Because Thundershirt offers a 45 day 100% money back guarantee, we felt we had nothing to lose by trying it out.

It didn’t take long before we had an opportunity to give it a shot...  Using the sewn in Velcro strips, we were able to adjust the amount of pressure the shirt offered our pup.  This pressure made him feel secure during times that he’d otherwise feel anxious.  At first, Sawyer was very interested when we got him “dressed” but it served as a good distraction from the storm.  Since that first trial session, he’s paid less and less attention to the Thundershirt when wearing it.  Also, it’s become even more effective over time.  He still does like to follow closely behind me when there’s a storm or fireworks, but he no longer pants like crazy, shakes uncontrollably, or tries to hide under the covers in bed.  We are so thankful to have found a product that works so well for him!

The great thing about Thundershirt is that it’s not just for noise anxiety; it can be used to treat other types of behavior, such as: separation and travel anxieties, barking,  fear of crating, and more.  The creators of Thundershirt have put a lot of research into this.  They offer a great product and also a lot of training tips on their website to use in conjunction with the shirt.  If your dog has any of these issues, Sawyer proudly recommends trying a Thundershirt!

                                   Sawyer calmly “enjoying” 4^th of July fireworks thanks to his Thundershirt.

Thank you, Kathryn and Sawyer! 

As with any medical issue concerning your pet, be sure to speak with your veterinarian about your dog's anxiety issues. Some vets may prescribe a sedative but before you dose your doggy with a Xanax, you might want to try a Thundershirt. Have you seen or read Marley & Me? Both the book and movie had me bawling like a baby. That poor dog had awful thunderstorm anxiety and separation anxiety. 

Like Kathryn said, this can be a great training tool for those pups with separation anxiety. My parent's Weim, Jake, might have benefitted from a Thundershirt. That poor dog would bark from the very second you told him to "kennel up!" until the moment you got back home. Oh, Thundershirt creators, where you were you 15 years ago?

I am thankful that Heidi does not have anxiety caused by storms. We live near a military installation and many days and nights they conduct artillery training exercises resulting in LOUD booms and our house shaking. Poor Sawyer would be wearing his Thundershirt endlessly. Heidi doesn't bat an eye, bark, or even seem to notice when it happens. Thankfully, Logan doesn't either! 

Does your dog have anxiety? Anyone else out there try a Thundershirt yet?

Thanks for stopping by! 

Rest in Peace, Sweet Kaiser

**WARNING!! Grab your tissues, this one will be a tear jerker!

Yesterday, the Wiggle Butt Weim family lost a beloved furry-butt brother, Grayangel Kaiser von Bakhaus. He is the last of the original three Michigan Weimaraners our family had the pleasure of owning. When I find a picture of all three, I'll update this post.


Here is a little background on why I am calling him one of the three "Michigan Weimaraners". Around 1993, my parents bought their first Weimaraner, Hogan Baker's Ace. Soon after, they rescued Jake. For many years, it was just the two of them. In 1999, they bought Stewart - our family had a thing for naming our dogs after famous golfers. Stewart was named after the one and only, Payne Stewart, who had tragically died in an airplane accident that same year. After Stewart started showing signs of pneumonia, my parents took him to the vet to see what was going on. They found a tumor between the heart lining and muscle causing him to go into congestive heart failure at just a few months old. My parents made the decision to put him to rest and end his suffering. When our Stewart passed away, that put an end to naming our dogs after famous golfers. Stewart was such a smart, gentle, old soul. It was hard to imagine getting another Weim after he passed. However, the breeder from which my parents got Hogan and Stewart offered them a pup from their next litter. Hogan and Stewart had great bloodlines but this litter came from a championship bloodline; it was a tough offer to turn down. Thankfully, they accepted and brought home Kaiser in 2000. Fast-forward to the summer of 2001. My mom had been offered a fantastic position in Phoenix. The timing could not have been more perfect. My dad had just graduated with his teaching degree and I had graduated from high school. So, my parents up and relocated the nest and my 3 furry-butt brothers from  Michigan to Phoenix.

No tears yet?

Just wait!


Fast-forward to this week. My parents and sister were in Kauai for two weeks enjoying all the glory and splendor the island has to offer. My sister flew home very late Monday night, arriving into Phoenix very early on Tuesday. Kaiser, Tasha (little, bitty Wiggle Butt), and Duke (my sister's border collie mix) were being doggy-sat in my parent's home by one of the old vet techs from their vet's office. When Melissa got home very early, it appeared that the dogs had not yet been fed, so she fed them. For as long as my parents have owned Weims, they have always fed them with their bowls raised off the ground and their food mixed with a bit of water to help prevent bloat. My sister fed them in this same way. All of the dogs were very excited to see one of their people was home, butts were a-wigglin'. But even in their excitement, they all ate their breakfast, some quicker than others.

Soon after Kaiser ate, my sister noticed that he was acting a little funny. In my sister's words, "He wasn't sure if he wanted to poop or puke". Then, he started foaming at the mouth. She noticed that his neck was just covered in drool. So, she called my dad, who was enjoying his last day on the island, to let him know she was taking Kaiser to the vet.

Turns out that he had a case of bloat and his stomach had gotten so twisted up that the vet felt it was very unlikely that Kaiser would survive the surgery. Kaiser is my dad's "boy" and my sister knew that there was no way that Kaiser or my dad could rest peacefully without being given the chance to say goodbye. So, my sister called my dad back and put the phone up to Kaiser's ear so that he could hear my dad say goodbye.

In many ways, Kaiser was your typical Weimaraner. My sister described him so eloquently,
"Kaiser was such a lively force of nature in our family. He was the typical weimaraner, especially as a pup; just full of energy, life, and willing to do anything to make his owners happy. Even in his old age it took a lot to slow him down (especially if you had a ball in hand to play fetch with or a towel to signify a swim in the pool)."

Kaiser with his favorite pool toy.

You couldn't walk past Kaiser without him giving you a big, goofy grin. And how could we NOT give him a big, goofy grin back followed with lots of love. He drooled BUCKETS, even for an ice cube. He loved hunting birds and going for hikes. My mom couldn't lace up her hiking boots without his teeth chattering, low grumbles, and whining, all the while dancing around her so she wouldn't forget to take him along. When being petted, he would lean all 90 lbs or so right into you, while stepping on your foot to make sure you didn't go anywhere until he got a good rub out of you first. 

That's his signature goofy, grin.

There were many things that I loved about Kaiser-butt. Yes, my family also has a thing for adding "butt" to the end of most names as a suffix..it's just what we do. The thing that I loved most about Kaiser was his ability to love my son as if he had grown up beside him all along. Kaiser met Logan for the first time last June. Logan was just beginning to crawl and was very interested in his new surroundings. Kaiser let Logan be. On our trip to Phoenix this past January, Kaiser protected Logan as if he were an older brother. Here is where I talked more about that. I absolutely LOVED the fact that Kaiser had NEVER been around infants or toddlers in all of his 12 years and he didn't bat an eye when Logan pulled his ears, or tried to poke him in the eyes, or tried to sit on him. He never left Logan's side when he was around the pool--neither did I, but that's to be expected. Kaiser just had the most gentle and easy-going spirit. It's very difficult to find all of those fantastic characteristics in one dog, let alone in a crazy, high-energy Weimaraner.

This is getting lengthy, I apologize. I know that our sweet Kaiser-butt is frolicking somewhere over the Rainbow Bridge. In my mind's eye, he has met up with Hogan and Jake at the ce-ment pond where there is an abundance of tennis balls, kong toys, and treats. Oh, and someone to dispense an endless amount of ice cubes. There will never be another Weimaraner like him. Our family will always hold a very dear place in our hearts for this special dog. The Phoenix nest will never be the same without you, dear Kaiser. We LOVE you!


*Thank you Mom and Dad for allowing us to grow up with these fantastic furry-butt brothers!

Energy Burner

I LOVE it when Heidi is exhausted! The saying, "A tired dog is a good dog" is oh, so very true in our household. When Heidi has expended all of her energy she is an angel.

Most evenings after dinner our little family takes a walk. A walk up and down our street three times does not burn more than an ounce of Heidi's energy. Honestly, I wish I had the amount of energy she does. Oh the things I could accomplish! I was also starting to get a little bored with the routine and lack of interesting scenery. So last week, I bought a bike, had it delivered and my fantastic neighbor and his buddy put it together for me. They even installed Logan's child seat. I think I owe them a  six pack or two. Up until today, I was a little bit worried about taking Heidi on our rides. The following scenario played out in my head...Heidi sees a bird, squirrel, lizard, leaf. Heidi darts across the road directly into my bike's path. Jenny and Logan crash into a mailbox, parked car, or street sign. Not a pretty sight! After Logan went to bed tonight, I decide to do a trial run. That way if said scenario actually happened, my little man wouldn't get hurt...just me, no big deal.

Before getting on my bike, I decided to put the e-collar on Heidi...just in case she lost her marbles and attempted to make said scenario reality, then off we went! At first, she didn't really know what to do. She leisurely strolled a little ahead and to the left of me, looking back constantly. So I picked up my speed and told her, "Run, Run, Run!" It was amazing! She did such a great job, I was a proud Momma. Not once did she dart in front of me or get too close to the side of me. We have to cross a somewhat busy road in order to make our walks/rides a little longer. When we do that, we always tell Heidi to "Wait" so that we can look both ways before crossing the road. As we were approaching that road she slowed down and got closer to my side, but not too close where I was afraid of running her feet over, until I gave her the "Okay!" to release her. She seemed so happy to be running, I loved it! Her tongue was flopping out of the side of her mouth and slobber was flying everywhere...it was great!

Because I didn't really know how this event would pan out and I wasn't sure I could handle a camera at the same time, I don't have any pictures. Just imagine how that scenario would have played out! YIKES! I'm not incredibly graceful as it is. However, tomorrow evening I'm going to work on getting a video. It will probably be with my phone and incredibly shaky but if it's any good, I'll definitely post it for you to check out. If nothing else, you can at least have a good laugh watching me crash and burn! ;-)

I think after I get bored with this routine I'll move on to ROLLERBLADES!!

In other news...I was checking out my audience today! Thank you all for reading about my crazy wiggle butt. I'd like to give a special shout-out to my readers in RUSSIA!! Здравствуйте! If that's wrong, you can blame Google. :-)

GIVEAWAY Winner Announcement!

I'm so excited to announce the winner of Wiggle Butt Weim's first ever GIVEAWAY! Before the winner is announced, I would first like to thank you all for reading, commenting, and sharing this little blog. This giveaway would not have happened without the support of my great far-away friend, Pam at Bark and Giggle Boutique! Thanks Pam!

So I will let the photos speak for themselves!

It's hard to tell from the photo but there were approximately 30 entries in that bowl!

"This isn't FOOD!"

Giving the entries a good shake to make sure they are mixed up well.

Picking out a name! Ohh, the suspense!

Who could it be?

Dusti Mitchell is our WINNER!!! I will be contacting you very soon. :-) Dusti's family recently adopted a female Weimaraner, Sapphire! She is a 3 month old beauty and will be very well loved in the Mitchell family. Congrats again, Dusti!

Because we didn't make it to our favorite dog park yesterday, we went this morning! Heidi was so very excited to be there and honestly, so was Logan and I. It's one of the few places we can go and forget about all of the other things going on in our life. For an hour and a half, all I thought about, talked about, and laughed about were dogs! I take part of that back, a few people did ask about the 18 month little boy strapped to my back.

 

 

Did you see the pattern? The smile never left Heidi's face. :-)
 

Heidi met some Dobies. These dogs were 2 years old and were ready to play!

More friends coming to play!

In this spot, there were about 11 dogs all playing and chasing each other in the water.

Congrats again to our winner, Dusti! Thank you all again for your support. Now, it's nap time for Logan and Heidi, while I tend to business. This week I will be dog-sitting THREE pups, I'm sure they'll give me something fun to write about! 

Woe is Heidi, Tasha Update, & Our First Giveaway Reminder!

The past few days, I have felt so guilty for the lack of attention I've given to Heidi. It's not because I don't love her ( I do, most days), or that I don't like her (because I really do much of the time), or that at least once a day she makes me want to hit my head against the wall, it was because of the big, bad, stomach flu! On Friday night, Logan woke up around 9pm because the poor baby vomited in his bed, twice. By midnight, he had thrown up another three times. By 6:30am, he woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed, as if vomiting five times during the night was a perfectly normal thing to do. The rest of the day Saturday he was a little fussier than normal and didn't nap as well as he should have, so I was coddling him more than I usually do because I figured he wasn't really feeling like himself. Unfortunately for Heidi that meant we were not going to make it to the dog park or the lake. Sunday was a wash. It rained all day long. Then, somewhere between 9pm Friday night and 10pm Sunday, that awful stomach virus invaded me. I heard Heidi knocking at the knob to go out twice and yelled at her to go back to bed because I couldn't fathom getting up. When she started at it a third time, I figured I had better let her out before I had another mess to clean up. Thankfully, she was quick to do her business and come back in. Monday was AWFUL! When I wasn't getting Logan meals or changing his diapers or getting Heidi meals or letting her outside, I was camped out on the couch. Thank goodness for Sesame Street and Toy Story. Jeff was so sweet to have sent his sympathy via email. Even though I know he was secretly thanking his lucky stars that he didn't have to clean up baby vomit or hold his wife's hair back. Hmm, I hope he would have held my hair back. But I honestly can't remember the last time I actually had the stomach flu. You know, the actual stomach flu like this, not the kind I claimed to have had a few times in college after a night out. Me? Hungover? Absolutely not! It MUST be the stomach flu that's going around! You know what I'm talking about, don't judge me. :-) I did happen to get a photo or two of poor, sad, attention-deprived Heidi. 

Don't you feel sorry for her? 

I do have to say that both Heidi and Logan were very well-behaved when I was under the weather. Logan would come up on the couch to snuggle with me and look at me with concerned eyes. Heidi would only pester me to go outside and remind me when it was time to eat. She even gave up her part of the couch for me! I was shocked. This dog can literally stretch herself out to take up the entire couch if she wants to. But, thankfully for me on Monday, she opted for Jeff's "King of the Castle" chair. 

Well, now Logan and I are feeling better. However, to Heidi's dismay we won't be able to get to the dog park until Friday. Throwing the frisbee around the backyard is great for burning about an ounce of her energy. This dog needs to get out and run until her legs are about to fall off. Hopefully, if the weather cooperates we'll be able to do that on Friday.

Now for some great news about my parent's Weim, Tasha. In case you missed her introduction, you can find it here. Tasha had a biopsy on her front right leg last week and the results are in! All of her cultures came back negative for bacteria and there was not any evidence of a fungal infection. Thankfully, the test results did not show any malignancy or tumor in her leg either, which means Tasha will not be a tri-pod!! There was a little bit of inflammation but the vet said that could have been caused from an old infection. So, hopefully her meds will take care of that. 

Please don't forget about our generous GIVEAWAY hosted by the fantastic Pam at Bark and Giggle Boutique. Side note, check out Pam's blog by clicking the B&GB link. She did a very sweet post on Weimaraners!! You have until Friday at midnight to enter the giveaway. Bright and early Saturday morning, I'm guessing around 6:30am, Logan will draw a name out of Heidi's bowl and we'll announce the winner during nap time! 

Wiggle On,

Jenny :-)

My Four-Legged Brother and Sister and our GIVEAWAY!

When I heard that Juice Plus+ was conducting their Spring Conference in Phoenix, AZ I was stoked! Not only could I attend the conference, visit my family, meet some incredibly inspiring people but I could also write the entire trip off when we do our taxes next year! Cha-Ching! That was so 1989 of me. Who says, "Cha-Ching!"? Before I get to my four-legged brother and sister, I would like to give a shout out to The Grommom way over in Oahu and to the SuperShegan out in Washington. These two women inspire me to live a healthier lifestyle everyday; it was such a pleasure to have FINALLY met them.

Meet my four-legged brother, Kaiser!

Such a handsome puppy!

He is probably the sweetest dog on this planet. I know what you are thinking, "You haven't met my dog", "Who is she to say her dog is the sweetest?", "I bet he's not as sweet as my Fido! Oh no, he's not." Well, it's my blog and he's my four-legged brother, so there! ;-) Kaiser may be getting old, roughly 11 years old, but if you are at all familiar with Weimaraners, you know he still has a lot of puppy left in him. His back end is starting to droop a little bit and it's becoming harder for him to get up from a sitting or lying position but the second his pool toys come out, it's as if a switch has been flipped and he's a two year old puppy again. Kaiser-butt had never been around babies or young children until last June when we flew out to Phoenix before going on to Kauai. At the time, Logan was about 8 months old and crawling. It was as if Kaiser had a sixth sense-he was so careful, calm, and gentle around Logan. What's even more surprising is how protective he is of Logan. My parents, like any smart person living in The Valley of the Sun, have a pool. When Logan is near the pool deck, it is a rule that he must be holding someone's hand. On this last trip out, when Logan was on the pool deck, holding someone's hand, of course, Kaiser would flank the other side. If Kaiser could have, I'm betting he probably would have held Logan's other hand. When Logan was sitting on the pool deck dipping his feet in the water, Kaiser would stand behind Logan with his head just over the little guy, I'm sure he was ready to grab him if the need arose. We all believe that if, God forbid, Logan had fallen into the pool, Kaiser would have gone in after him. This dog just has the sweetest heart, kind and gentle spirit, and happy-go-lucky attitude. It's hard to see him getting old but when he looks at us with his wide, open mouthed grin, we know there is plenty of life left in him.

This is Tasha!

The shadow from the umbrella is annoying but she's a pretty girl!

She is the newest member of my parent's pack. Tasha is about 5 years old and she is teeny-tiny by Weim standards, she only weighs 42 lbs.! Her build resembles more of a Vizsla. My parents adopted Tasha almost a year ago; she was very timid and meek. Now, she has definitely come out of her shell and will jump on you just to get a hug, she's so sweet. But, there is one thing Tasha HATES! Cats. My parents happen to have three cats that torture her endlessly. Tasha-girl is constantly on guard just in case a cat gets too close or tries to sneak past her. When she is stalking one of the cats, her eyes get really big, she moves very quietly and is sure to tread ever-so lightly on her dainty little paws. This little pup is also really great with Logan. She came from a home with small children so she had some training in that regard. However, Logan definitely gave her a refresher course in the joys of toddler-hood. He climbed on top of her as if she were a horse, a mini-horse I suppose. He yanked on her ears and poked her in the eyes and gave her hugs. She just sat there are took it like a champ. We recently learned of  the possibility that Tasha has a tumor in her front, right leg that would require amputation. But, in true Weimaraner fashion, she hasn't slowed down a bit. That's the thing about these Weimaraners, they are so stubborn. Reminds me of a certain human I know. :-) I will be sure to keep you updated on Tasha's prognosis.

Upside-down Tasha!

Weimaraners are called Velcro-dogs because they love to be as close to their humans as humanly possible. Well, Kaiser and Tasha are no different. Tasha loves to snuggle in bed under the blankets. Kaiser on the other hand will just plop his 90 lb. rear-end in your lap. Then, he'll give you his puppy dog eyes as if to say, "Please don't make me get up!". My parents have been very fortunate to own four fantastic Weimaraners, two of which have unfortunately crossed over the Rainbow Bridge but they both had long lives filled with love. Hogan was the calamity...he always had a cone on his head. And Jake was just happy to have a warm bed, food in his tummy, and someone to give him a gentle belly rub. I will have to dig up some pictures of them, they deserve their own separate post.

Velcro-dog Kaiser

Tasha stalking a cat.

Okay, now that I am on the verge of weeping over my keyboard...have you entered our GIVEAWAY yet?  

Wiggle on,

Jenny :-)

Our First GIVEAWAY!!

I don't know where to begin, there is just so much I want to share with you! My brain is telling me to start in one direction and my heart is pulling me in another and my fingers are going somewhere else entirely. Can we all just work together?! I had intended to do one post with all sorts of fantastic things to share but I have a new Real Housewives of Orange County episode waiting to be downloaded to my Apple t.v. Don't judge, I know you're judging. :-)

So now that I have physically, written out notes, in hopes of my thoughts coming across somewhat organized, we can get started. But wait, other Bloggers out there in the blogosphere, please tell me I am not the only one who literally had to write out notes before typing. I am such an amateur. Anyway, that little rant brings me to my first topic. My great friend Pam, from Bark and Giggle Boutique is a Pro-Blogger, unlike myself, and an amazing small business owner; there truly is no end to her creativity. She has agreed to do a guest post for Wiggle Butt Weim and a GIVEAWAY!! I can hardly contain my excitement, hence my need for jotting notes. I absolutely LOVE the adorable fabric options (seen here) and wide range of products (here) offered at BAGB, not to mention that the products are all hand-made by Pam herself, allowing for endless opportunities to customize your product. Heidi has a few Bark and Giggle Products, the "Miko" Front-Pull Harness, a few "Lucy" Classic Collars, and the absolutely amazing "Sake" Chain Martingale. A martingale collar is great for dogs that pull when walking on leash or for a dog that is able to slip out of their collar while on leash. In Heidi's case, she is terrible at walking nicely on the leash, however, she is very well-behaved when walking off leash. She needs the martingale because otherwise she would rip my arm out of its socket. There is also the fact that Heidi has pulled so hard on the leash, that the plastic buckle on her collar broke. This particular collar was NOT a Bark and Giggle product, the craftsmanship of this particular collar was nowhere near the caliber of Bark and Giggle's. While you are visiting Bark and Giggle Boutique, don't forget to check out the Giggle side for the adorable, two-legged baby in your life.

Heidi modeling the "Miko" Front Pull Harness and one of her "Lucy" Classic Collars.

Here, Heidi is wearing the "Sake" Chain Martingale.

Here are the details for our first ever GIVEAWAY!! You have until Friday April 27th to submit your entries to win a "Sake" Chain Martingale from Bark and Giggle Boutique. Remember, this collar can be customized to fit your dog and the fabric choice is yours! Bright and early Saturday April 28th, Logan will chose a name randomly out of Heidi's food bowl. Here is how to enter:

• Leave a Comment = 1 Entry 

• Subscribe to Wiggle Butt Weim = 2 Entries

• Already wiggling with us as a subscriber? 3 Entries!

• Send a friend over to wiggle! They must leave a comment letting me know you sent them, you will receive = 2 additional entries or 3 additional entries if they subscribe! 

Are you ready for your four-legged friend to sport a new, super-stylish collar? Good luck!

Check back tomorrow for an introduction to my Weimy brother and sister. Here's a sneak peek!

 

Tasha on the left and Kaiser on the right.

Have you entered yet??