Anxiety Shirt for Dogs

The new anxiety shirt for dogs, called the "ThunderShirt", is a great canine anxiety treatment to help calm a dog with thunder phobia or other issues that raise a dogs anxiety level.

The concept is very simple, for dogs with thunder phobia (and other anxiety related issues) the Thundershirt’s patent-pending design is a firm pressure wrap that applies a gentle, constant pressure on a dog’s torso, helping to relieve canine anxiety.

According to some experts such as Dr. Temple Grandin, pressure applied to large areas of the body has a calming effect on the nervous system. Therapists who work with autistic children have found that pressure applied to the child's body has a calming effect.

Using gentle pressure to relieve anxiety has been a common practice for years.

For example:

* TTouch (see description below) dog trainers use pressure wraps to address noise anxiety and a variety of other anxieties.

* Veterinarians use pressure to relax cattle when they are administering vaccinations.

* Some autistic people use pressure to relieve their persistent anxiety

* People who work at taming wild horses have been using a "wheat pressure box" for calming fearful horses.(Described below)

* Similar research with positive results have been done with aggressive dogs using a "Grain Box". (see below)

I purchased the Thundershirts to use as a test with my own two dogs, Hope & Shannon, who both have a fear of Thunder. Prior to trying the Thundershirts, I had been using a combination TTouch wraps, along with TTouches with success.

I found the Thundershirts very easy to apply and covered more area than the wrap, which is essentiality an Ace bandage. You could also use a combination of the Ace bandage w/ a T-shirt, along with TTouches and still achieve positive results for your pet.

The Thundershirt allowed me to get a snug fit around their torso's. It has been storming the last few days (Thanks to Hurricane Bill in the Atlantic) and has been the perfect opportunity to test out the product.

The first time I tried it, both Hope and Shannon seemed reasonably calm during the storm, but the storm was not a particularly loud one. Later that night, I awoke to louder booms with Shannon pacing frantically and Hope looking for a corner to hide in.

I put their Thundershirts on and did a few TTouches on them till they started to calm down. Within a few moments, both had settled down and were no longer panting frantically. They were both still concerned about the storm, but were able to remain calm and we all went back to sleep.

The above illustration shows the simple steps for putting it on. No pulling anything over the head like a T-shirt or threading there legs through leg holes! The Thundershirt Anxiety shirt is made of soft fleece, with velcro closures.

According to the manufacturer, for most dogs, some improvement is achieved with the very first usage. For others, three or four usages are needed before the desired results are achieved.

Based on my own experience using the TTouch wraps, I did see a slight improvement after the first use and have seen a steady improvement with each use. The Thundershirt anxiety shirt for dogs seemed to really help them settle down.

Sizing

I would also recommend getting a book on TTouch to help your dog with anxiety, as well as a host of other behaviors, by using touches along with the Thundershirt. Even if your dog does not have any major issues, it will help strengthen the bond between you & your dog.

Thundershirt's Guarantee

Thundershirt is so confident in their product, they guarantee it! If for any reason Thundershirt isn’t the right solution for your dog, return it within 45 days for a full refund of your purchase price.

Research References

Wheat Pressure Box

A wheat pressure box is a stall in which the horse stands and his body is covered with wheat. The box provides a calming effect on horses of a fearful disposition and is used as part of their training. The pressure of the wheat produces the calming effect, which then allows the trainer to handle the horse while it is not fearful.

- Temple Grandin's "Animals in Translation" speaks in the clear voice of a woman who emerged from the other side of autism, bringing with her an extraordinary message about how animals think and feel.

Grain Box for dog aggression

Similar research has been done on dogs with aggression issues. Once the dog was in the "grain box", the body was covered with a lightweight material (grain product) to effect restraint and tactile pressure, which was followed by a repeat exposure to the stimulus animal that would normally elicit an aggressive response from the dog.

Results indicated decreased heart rate and an increased heart period variability (HRV) during the intervention as compared to the baseline. They concluded that tactile pressure and restraint may be an important tool for behavioral modification in both humans and animals.

- Williams NG, Borchelt PL, et al. 2003. Ambulatory monitoring of cardiovascular responses during behavioral modification of an aggressive dog. Biomed Sci Instrum.(39):214-9. )

TTouch

Developed by internationally known animal expert, Linda Tellington-Jones, TTouch is based on cooperation and understanding rather than dominance. These revolutionary techniques promote optimal performance and health without fear or force.

TTouch ™ - the Tellington-Touch - is a method based on circular movements of the fingers and hands all over the body. The intent of the TTouch is to activate the function of the cells and awaken cellular intelligence - a little like "turning on the electric lights of the body." The TTouch is done on the entire body, and each circular TTouch is complete within itself. Therefore it is not necessary to understand anatomy to be successful in speeding up the healing of injuries or ailments, or changing undesirable habits or behavior.