# Anyone ever use a Thundershirt?



## cshepherd9

Anyone ever use one or know of anyone who has used a thundershirt? Do you have any comments good or bad? Do they work?

I have met with a new trainer to work with Willow and me and she said that Willow was "sensitive, very alert and slightly anxious". I have three sessions of work with this new trainer and I really like her. She gave me homework  of reading several books and one of them was Control Unleashed (which I just finished) and she said she wanted to try the Thundershirt on Willow. I think I am going to try it, money back if it doesn't work so I figured I would give it a shot. I had never heard of it before so I was just wanting to solicit opinions.

Thanks!


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## Rerun

Educate me - what is a thundershirt?


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## valb

I've never known anyone to use that particular one, but I 
do know of people who have gotten pretty good results
with just t-shirt wraps...


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## cshepherd9

It is kind of like a pressure wrap....same principle as swaddling a baby. Supposed to make them relax a bit, relieve anxiety. Here is the website. www.thundershirt.com


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## beaderdog

I haven't yet, but one of the clerks at our local Pet Valu has used it with her newest rescue & said it worked pretty well. I may try one for one of my beagles, who has some issues left over from her life before she came to me.


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## valreegrl

I have heard people having success with it as well. 

What I use with my reactive male GSD is a dog backpack. I have found that he is concentrating on "his job" rather than what is happening around him.


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## BlackPuppy

I have a friend you uses one with her Malinois. It works for them.


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## cshepherd9

Thanks for all the replies! It appears that you only have positive things to say so I am going to try it.


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## dogfaeries

I've never used a thundershirt, but I've wrapped my crazy old Italian Greyhound with an Ace bandage when it's stormed. With storm season coming up, i'm thinking of getting one for her. 

Let us know if it works!


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## JustMeLeslie

cshepherd9 said:


> Anyone ever use one or know of anyone who has used a thundershirt? Do you have any comments good or bad? Do they work?
> 
> I have met with a new trainer to work with Willow and me and she said that Willow was "sensitive, very alert and slightly anxious". I have three sessions of work with this new trainer and I really like her. She gave me homework  of reading several books and one of them was Control Unleashed (which I just finished) and she said she wanted to try the Thundershirt on Willow. I think I am going to try it, money back if it doesn't work so I figured I would give it a shot. I had never heard of it before so I was just wanting to solicit opinions.
> 
> Thanks!


I definately think you should give it a try. It does have the money back guarantee. It did not work my boy. He was extremely people aggressive and his was genetic. I tried this shirt out of desperation because he was becoming more and more aggression as time progressed. I could see where the shirt would work just not in Victor's particular case. The shirt did calm him when I had guests over, but he still did try to lunge after people. I think for aggression that this shirt may not work, but since you didn't mention anything about aggression. I would say you have a great chance of success with the shirt. It is suppose to work great for anxiety which is what you said your girl has. So once again give it a try and let us all know if it works for her. The great thing about the shirt is it is the same price for all sizes and it ships fast. I ordered mine through Amazon though. It doesn't matter if you order it from thier site it is all the same. I just like Amazon and have all my info there so it was easier for me to just go though them. Good luck to you and Willow.


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## FG167

There is a Rhodesian in my agility class that used one and the owner said she could really tell the difference!


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## debbiebrown

i was thinking about getting one for my young male who is fearish/nervous .....

i think it can help, the objective is the shirt acts like a therapy wrap a calming thing making them feel protected.........like anything i think there has to be a combo of that and conditioning training.....i do know its best to introduce the t-shirt to the dog when its in a calm state the first few times so they associate the shirt with being calm and relaxed.......i think to be real successful using a combo of the conditioning training, the t-shirt and some flower remedies i know alot of people that have done well with these combos........


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## GeorgiaJason

I have the thunder shirt and love it it calms my female very well. I have and will recomend the product to all dog owners even if your dog does not have problems because it just seems to make the dog feel more at ease and safe. exactly like wrapping a baby


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## cshepherd9

Well, it seems that everyone has positives to say, I am definitely going to try it. To answer a few responses: Willow has shown absolutely no aggression, just a bit anxious when she is outside. We are definitely working with a trainer as we will be trying this. We are working on the "look at that" game (from Control Unleashed) at this point. I meet back up with her for our second session on Saturday if the weather permits.
Thanks again for all the replies. It has been very helpful!


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## cshepherd9

So to update, I think the shirt works. We had a session with the trainer on Wednesday and she brought along another client and their dog (another GSD). Willow wore her Thundershirt and didn't appear nearly as anxious as she would have in the past. As I said earlier we have been working on the "Look at That" game and she is doing fairly well. We were able to walk parallel and even pass the other handler/dog at a distance with no reaction from Willow. When we moved at them straight ahead we got to a closer distance that even the trainer thought we would get before we got some whining out of Willow and moved back. She didn't bark once! I was very proud of the progress we have made in just a few weeks. In our case it is a combination of the shirt and the new training.
On a side note, the trainer also had a 5 month old Golden Retriever puppy that she is boarding/training and she brought her along. When we were done I got to play with her. She was the softest, wiggliest little fuzzball. I thought she was going to squeeze her way into my pocket when she found out I had CHICKEN!


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## debbiebrown

thats great news about the T-shirt...........congrats! keep us posted on the progress....


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## Atlas'Mama

*Thundershirt---so far, so good*

Bought Samson a Thundershirt as a last resort for his crazy separation anxiety. He jumps, chews destructively, paces, yelps, and is generally an anxious mess normally. Right away, although he tried to shake the shirt off, Samson was less reactive, and less vocal. He only 'spoke" a few times, and was not pacing when my husband left the house. Now, instead of running from room to room to search for my husband, he's calmly laying in his spot on the couch. Not saying the TS is a miracle, but it most definitely has made an improvement in my Samson in a short while. He was even easier on the leash when I took him out to do his business! Cannot wait to see the long-term benefits this has.:toasting:


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## Baillif

I always wondered about these. I drive by their headquarters near the Durham freeway almost everyday but have never tried the product.


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## MrsFergione

We use one on one of our chiweenies. She's a bit high strung, stands on my husbands chest instead of sitting or laying down, kind of anxious. She's very calm since using it. I honestly didn't think it would work at all but it definitely does.


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## VTGirlT

My trainer suggested i keep it on Zelda at all times (she has anxiety, SA, and fear aggression to strangers), i didn't see a difference really. And when i put her in her crate with it on, she ripped part of it. And the second time she wen't in with it, after i tried my best to "fix" it, she ripped the rest.

However, I have seen it help some dogs at the shelter i work at.

So its always worth a try, like with everything.


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## Crocky

I used one with one of my dachshunds with no luck at all. . I had high hopes. BUT that does not mean it won't work for other dogs. There are a lot of good reviews on it, just did not work with my guy.


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## trcy

I have one for my oldest dog. He does not like fireworks. It helps him, but he is still anxious...just not crazy running around the house trying to hide. Her can sit next to me, but he is still panting and looking unsure. ..so it does help, but is not a cure all.


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## mssandslinger

I have used mine on zero, it helps him when he's stressed out


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## nikola

cshepherd9 said:


> Anyone ever uses one or know of anyone who has used a thundershirt? Do you have any comments good or bad? Do they work?
> 
> I have met with a new trainer to work with Willow and me and she said that Willow was "sensitive, very alert and slightly anxious". I have three sessions of work with this new trainer and I really like her. She gave me homework  of reading several books and one of them was Control Unleashed (which I just finished) and she said she wanted to try the Thundershirt on Willow. I think I am going to try it, money back if it doesn't work so I figured I would give it a shot. I had never heard of it before so I was just wanting to solicit opinions.
> 
> Thanks!


* hi 
I have used the thunder short on my Jack Russell and my Germany Shepard bitch dog to calm her down and I am so pleased with it and finally found something that works with my GSD and I tried everything but no treatment or pills that she had to eat never worked on her.
until I put that short on her it was an instant change in the room and I think every dog is different but for my gsd, it's the fiscal feeling of the shirt on was just what she needed and what harm can it do I highly recommend it to everyone and all

but up to u I just had to share with you my experience 
thank you*


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## John T24

We use one on our female during thunder storms... It does help somewhat... but not completely..... 
She mainly wears it because it makes her feel sexy. 
it's worth a shot....


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