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! 

Crate Training

Crate training a pup is one of those issues that many people are whole heartedly for or against. In my not-so-professional opinion, crate training is fantastic when done correctly and used for the right reasons. A crate is very useful for potty training, transporting, feeding times, and to keep the pet safe while the owner isn't home. The crate should not be used for punishment and the poor pup should not be left in there for EXTENDED periods of time. When I say an EXTENDED period of time, I mean for 3/4 of the day. In my opinion, that is not fair to the dog. Think of it this way, how would you like to be confined to a tight spot while holding your bladder for 16+ hours a day?! Not fair! Also, the crate should NOT be used as punishment for your children. Have you seen the news lately? Seriously, there are people who have been using their dog crates to punish their children. I'm not making this up! It's awful! So remember, dog crates are for dogs...not people. ;-)

There are a few things to think about when purchasing a crate for your dog: 1) Size. The dog should be able to stand-up, turn around, and lay down comfortably in the crate. Think about how large the dog will be once it is full grown. Buy a crate to accommodate that size. Heidi's crate is HUGE and it takes up quite a bit of space. This is the same crate we have used with her since the day we brought her home at 8 weeks old. We didn't find it necessary to buy one for her puppy size because like weeds...and kids, puppies grow so quickly. 2) Wire versus plastic versus decorative. There are quite a few styles to choose from. Most pet stores only carry the wire and plastic crates. The nice decorative ones can be found online, for a pretty penny. One of the things I like about Heidi's wire crate is that we can fold it up to transport or to store. You can't do that with a plastic one. It also has a removable plastic tray which makes clean up very easy.  The plastic ones, on the other hand are great to use if you need to fly with your dog.

Heidi's large wire crate. 

There is plenty of information out there on how to properly crate train your pup. It's not rocket science, really. Pick a command that is short and easy to remember. For example, my parents have always used, "Kennel up!". Jeff and I tell Heidi to "Go to bed!". Every time you want the pup to go in the crate, give the dog the command and once the dog is in the crate, whether you picked the pup up and placed them in the crate or they walked in on their own, give him/her a treat, praise, and/or pat on the head. My parents dogs always get a treat and so does Heidi. We have used this same command, followed with a treat for over three years. This is one command that I can give Heidi ONE time and she listens. She's very driven by food.

Heidi modeling her crate. She is able to stand and turn around in it.

What else do we put in Heidi's crate? Not much! When she was a little pup, she had a little bed, blanket from the breeder, and a stuffed bunny which also came from the breeder. Now, she only has a wool blanket ($10 from Wal-Mart). Because Heidi HATES anything poly-fiber filled, it wouldn't last an hour in her crate. We'll also put a toy, such as a Kong in the crate with her when we leave.

She even did her "hair" for the photo shoot. One ear back is the style these days!

We only crate Heidi when we leave the house. It's not that we can't trust her, because we have left her numerous times in the house when we have left and she has been great; no accidents and nothing destroyed. However, now that we have an alarm system in our house, I have to crate her so that I can set the alarm. Heidi loves her crate! She will go in there on her own some days, just to get away and have some peace and quiet. Logan likes to pester her while she's napping on the couch, so it's also a place to get away from the toddler that keeps touching her feet and leaning in for wide-open mouth kisses.

Will do anything for a treat!

What are your thoughts on crate training? We love to hear about your dogs!