Our sensitive/skittish mutt gets his Thundershirt delivered today. Anyone have success with these? He hates thunder but sometimes he just shivers like he's afraid of something...he was a rescue, so you never know...
Thundershirt
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timo2
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Yes, one of our dogs (the one in my photo) gets benefit from their thundershirt. We put it on her when it starts the offending noises, like thunder, but take it off later on. From my reading, the shirt is based upon research done by Temple Grandin. When asked about it, Ms Grandin said that that sort of comfort shirt is only for short term effect. So leaving it on a long time shouldn't be beneficial like short term use is. However, I feel my dog has something of the Placibo effect going, in that because it made her feel better short term, just having it on longer makes her less stressed.
photoguy
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Good luck with the Thundershirt. It didn't work for us but I guess every dog is different. We also tried one was designed like a neck warmer with no success.
Our dog was scared of the usual thunder, fireworks, loud strange noises and we tried everything including low dosages of medication. The only thing that worked for us was to put her in the most sound proof room in the house and generate white noise. Usually this was the bathroom with the fan running or the laundry room with the dryer operating.
Our dog was scared of the usual thunder, fireworks, loud strange noises and we tried everything including low dosages of medication. The only thing that worked for us was to put her in the most sound proof room in the house and generate white noise. Usually this was the bathroom with the fan running or the laundry room with the dryer operating.
Chris7
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We use a calming treat/supplement that is has melatonin, tryptophan, etc. For some reason, our basset freaks out when the bug guy comes every other month. This has helped. cd :O)
timo2
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We switched from rescue remedy to melatonin with the thundershirt. On our greyhound it works better.
It worked for my 2 year old schnauzer. "Gus". In May, I was down at the beach and we were out on the deck. Had no idea the cottage a couple down was going to shoot fireworks. It was just one or two but they were loud. I found Gus on the other side of the deck shivering under a table. Then he would do the same thing with thunder and storms when he never had before. He would shiver uncontrollably and go to the windowless powder room.
I bought the thundershirt. It helped calm him so that he would stay in the room with me and would not shiver so uncontrollably. Recently, and this did not happen overnight, he hardly shivers at all. It took about 2 months so don't give up if it doesnt help right away! He still likes to be beside me with thunder but it is more than manageable with this thundershirt on.
I think the Thundershirt helped him to be better able to calm himself to a certain extent. And he really likes it when I put it on him. I didn't use anything else with it. No melatonin or benadryl...etc.
I'm a fan!
p.s. I don't leave it on him after the thunder has passed.
I bought the thundershirt. It helped calm him so that he would stay in the room with me and would not shiver so uncontrollably. Recently, and this did not happen overnight, he hardly shivers at all. It took about 2 months so don't give up if it doesnt help right away! He still likes to be beside me with thunder but it is more than manageable with this thundershirt on.
I think the Thundershirt helped him to be better able to calm himself to a certain extent. And he really likes it when I put it on him. I didn't use anything else with it. No melatonin or benadryl...etc.
I'm a fan!
p.s. I don't leave it on him after the thunder has passed.
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Huston55
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Thundershirt works great on our Corgi (see pics of our FurChild in my profile) for thunder, fireworks, etc. It also worked well on our first Corgi.
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ExFlyBoy5
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Doesn't work for our crazy cattle dog. My vet told me that he has had good success with this product:
New Medication Aimed at Curbing Dogs' Anxiety Over Loud Noises | NBC New York
We haven't tried it yet, but we do have it on stand-by for the next time the weather gets noisy!
New Medication Aimed at Curbing Dogs' Anxiety Over Loud Noises | NBC New York
We haven't tried it yet, but we do have it on stand-by for the next time the weather gets noisy!
LOL!
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I didn't realize this was a problem until I had seen that NYTimes article.
My family dog as a child never had a problem. Our rescue dog barks once or twice excitedly and gets up with the first big clap, but does not cower nor shiver nor run around and subsequent thunder over the next 30 minutes or so is ignored.
We've even taken to telling the dog "Here it comes!" when lightning strikes nearby because we know the thunder is only seconds away. I think that has a habituating effect.
I'm not sure what the dog would do if we were not around though.
My family dog as a child never had a problem. Our rescue dog barks once or twice excitedly and gets up with the first big clap, but does not cower nor shiver nor run around and subsequent thunder over the next 30 minutes or so is ignored.
We've even taken to telling the dog "Here it comes!" when lightning strikes nearby because we know the thunder is only seconds away. I think that has a habituating effect.
I'm not sure what the dog would do if we were not around though.
38Chevy454
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Funny but true: we have a cattle dog mix (from the rescue, not exactly sure on total lineage) and when it thunders, he runs *outside* and barks at the thunder. Craziest thing you have seen, when most dogs are shaking and scared, he runs to the thunder. By the time a storm has passed, he has run all over and comes in soaking wet. Never have had a dog react like he does. Past and current dogs are either ambivalent or scared by the thunder. Except the cattle dog mix, it fires him up. Not sure what goes through his thought process, but he sure tries to tell the thunder something!
It helped our rat terrier a little, until he chewed it up. He gets so upset if you leave him alone in a room, but we have to sometimes when strangers like the pest control comes. After a couple of times, he chewed it off. We ended up getting another little dog and he is ok if she's with him in the room.
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COcheesehead
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It didn't work for us, so we switched to a tryptophan based supplement we got from I think Whole Foods. That seemed to work best and made her want to sleep.
Edit: it's called ProQuiet.
Edit: it's called ProQuiet.
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dixonge
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Down in Mexico a lot of the expats use them. Not so much for actual thunder, but for the rather constant fireworks. Cohetes are basically commercial-sized bottle rockets. In the states, these are legal for licensed shows only. Down there every church and parade has a box of 'em. The expats swear by their thundershirts for their poor, neurotic little doggies. 
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