Dog Thunder Jacket
I just started seeing these dog thunder jackets on the internet, and after I checked them out…. I just had to share their great benefits with everyone that I could. These things which are pretty much a dog thunder jacket, or a dog thunder coat, but are officially registered as a “thundershirt.” And not only are they just for dogs… they are for cats as well, but in this post I will mainly be focusing on their benefits for dogs.
The thundershirts get their name for the way that they are designed, which is proven to calm a dog who is fearful and skittish during a thunderstorm.
If you have an anxious dog, these thundershirts can be helpful in more situations than just during a thunderstorm. They are also great for dogs who suffer from separation anxiety, dogs who are afraid of fireworks, and gunshots (or loud bangs in general). travel anxiety, and really in any situation that causes your dog to go into a panic mode.
They work because they are based on the concept of applying pressure to certain areas of the body that relieve anxiety. Kind of like swaddling a baby. When you wrap a baby in a blanket, and keep it rather snug, the baby feels secure and it will calm down. Same has been proven true when you wrap a thundershirt on a dog. It calms them, just like you are holding and cuddling them, which induces a calming effect on their anxiety.
Dog Has Separation Anxiety
That picture right there is a perfect example of a dog that has separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is what happens when your dog freaks out every time you leave it home alone. When left alone, they begin to bark and destroy things….. All kind of things. Shoes, couches, door blinds.
For an owner who’s dog has separation anxiety, they often feel like they are at their whits end trying to stop it, and I’m sure the dog doesn’t enjoy it very much either.
Dog is Afraid of Thunderstorms
What do you do if your dog is afraid of thunderstorms? Watching a dog who has thunderstorm anxiety, while there is a thunderstorm going on, can be scary! Dogs can go into full blown panic and act completely different then they normally do when there is no storm going on.
Owners of dogs who have this problem often try to drown out the sound of the thunder. Something that my family tried one time was to turn on some music and keep the volume up pretty loud to try to drown out the sound of the thunder. It worked a little bit, but the dog still knew there was a storm and still heard and stressed out when the thunder was at its loudest.
Dogs Afraid Fireworks
Look at those beautiful fireworks! What an awesome sight! But not for a dog owner who has a dog afraid of fireworks!
Now for a bunch of us living in the US, the only time we hear fireworks near our homes is on July 4th. But then occasionally you may have a neighbor who decides to set some off at various times of the year when you are least expecting it. Your dog doesn’t expect it either, and wow, can they freak out in a hurry!
Dogs who have a fear of the boom sound of fireworks also seem to have a fear of the sound of gunshots. Although most of us do not have gunshot sounds near our homes on a regular basis, hunting season comes every year, and to an owner who’s dog has a fear of gunshot bangs, the hunting season will seem to drag on and on and on.
Travel Anxiety Dogs
I have never had experience with a dog who had travel anxiety…. thank goodness, but some dogs get terrified when it comes to traveling. Travel anxiety dogs can go into full panic mode when it comes to traveling any length of time, which makes for a really long and difficult ride in the car.
Some dogs with travel anxiety will try to get out of the vehicle, some will pace back and forth, some will bark non stop, and some will try to hide in any place that they can fit into.
Treat Dog Anxiety
For those of you who want to treat dog anxiety without using any kind of medication, the Thundershirt might be for you. It is getting excellent reviews and is expanding across the country and being used in more and more dog kennels and shelters to help treat dog anxiety, and even being recommended by more and more trainers and veterinary offices to the patients with these varying kinds of anxiety.
It is very user friendly because it is drug free, and easy to use.
How To Measure for Thundershirt
When measuring your pet, measure around their chest in the area shown (shown in red) in this picture.
Thundershirt Sizing Chart
Here is a quick sizing chart that you can use to get an idea of what size Thundershirt your pet may need.
As you will see, the Thundershirt is available in 7 sizes! They are:
xxs
xs
s
m
l
xl
xxl
Get Thundershirt
Wondering where you can get your own thundershirt? You can get Thundershirt from a few places, one of which being online through Amazon. The price is pretty much the same for any size, so no matter if you need a small one or a large one, the prices should be the same.
To check them out on Amazon, you can find them there by clicking on the Amazon pic/ link below.