Thundershirt for dogs: a review

[anonyme]

Several months ago there was a posting related to anxious dogs, and the Thundershirt was mentioned. This was the first I’d heard about this product and I indicated my intention to purchase one. Several folks asked for a review, so here it is:

The shirt is relatively easy to get on and off, although it takes some adjusting to get the fit just right. This is especially true on my greyhound; they are notoriously difficult to fit despite claims by manufacturers who claim “fits all”. It seems to me that the belly piece is not wide enough to provide the feeling of ‘containment’ alleged to alleviate anxiety. It also hits too far back on my dog, across the belly rather than the chest. The neck pieces have stretched out considerably making closure difficult with the velcro tabs.

In my experience, the Thundershirt has done little to nothing to reduce my dog’s separation anxiety. It may be partly due to the fact that greyhounds are used to wearing overgarments due to their very thin coats, so that the Thundershirt does not provide either a novel or reassuring experience.

When I asked a Thundershirt rep how the shirt could be used in very warm temperatures, I was told that it didn’t matter as dogs cool themselves by panting. IMO this was an insufficient answer, as panting also causes dehydration. Nor has panting ever prevented a dog locked in a car from suffering heatstroke.

I probably won’t return the Thundershirt as it’s a reasonably attractive and functional shirt. However, I’d say save your money. A snug T-shirt would achieve the same result, if any.

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[service dog academy]

I just used a thundershirt on thursday with positive results. You have to realize that you cant rely on just one solution when dealing with anxiety. Its a complicated multifactorial disease. Its like trying to remove a blackberry bush by cutting off its branches. Unless you deal with the root of the problem its just going to keep coming back. Separation anxiety is SO hard to cure I wont work with any client unless they are completely committed to ANY and ALL training AND medication.

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[anonyme]

As you pointed out, this is a very difficult condition to treat, especially for a dog owner with limited resources and/or training. I’ve done a lot of research on the problem, and tried most, or all of the techniques (desensitization, etc.) Medication made it worse. My dog crates well, as long as I perform the proper rituals beforehand. I never expected the Thundershirt to be a quick cure-all, although the advertising for the product does lean that way somewhat. I was simply hoping to be able to get rid of the crate at some point, but that doesn’t appear likely.

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