about your labrador

[steph]

My puppy has bad seperation anxiety. I have been suggested to get a thundershirt which apparantly helps. I was just wondering if anyone had used one before and could tell me if its worth buying and if it actually works.

[Tanya]

I am not 100% convinced this is seperation anxiety (it may be...but...).

What is the longest you have let him bark? Does anyone ever let him out as soon as he barks just to make him quiet? ( by this I mean has he learned that barking means he gets his way)?

Is he ok when you are in the house and crate him (or others in the house) or does he also bark when everyone leaves the house?

Are there signs of stress OTHER than the barking? Generally a dog with high anxiety will show others signs of stress (drool, chewing, etc.)

Puppy Separation Anxiety

[Mark_J]

How on earth does putting on a 'shirt' stop anxiety?

My wife and I saw one of those things in the store and couldn't stop laughing about it. File those things next to iRenew...

[Spike's Mom]

How on earth does putting on a 'shirt' stop anxiety?

My wife and I saw one of those things in the store and couldn't stop laughing about it. File those things next to iRenew...

I looked it up - I think it stops anxiety because the dog couldn't move. On the video , on the chair, he kept leaning until he fell over. It looks so tight, looks like it hurts...

[lisa]

We had a lab/great dane mix at the shelter I volunteer at....the first night we tried it on him, he ate it. Yup, chewed into itty bitty pieces by the next morning:/

But for the record....I have heard they work wonders for some dog.

[BigBrownDog]

Yes it does work for some dogs who react to sounds like thunder or fireworks. Much like how wrapping a baby provides comfort.

[Mark_J]

I looked it up - I think it stops anxiety because the dog couldn't move. On the video , on the chair, he kept leaning until he fell over. It looks so tight, looks like it hurts...

So it's not really a shirt it's a straight jacket?

The part about the dog chewing it up? Now that I believe!

No offense to anyone here, but it's things like this that really make me shake my head in wonder. Next thing you know someone will be marketing a rubber hand on a stand that can pat your dog and say 'Good Boy' and call it a personal trainer. Sad thing is that someone, somewhere will buy one and swear that it works..

[BigBrownDog]

So it's not really a shirt it's a straight jacket?

The part about the dog chewing it up? Now that I believe!

No offense to anyone here, but it's things like this that really make me shake my head in wonder. Next thing you know someone will be marketing a rubber hand on a stand that can pat your dog and say 'Good Boy' and call it a personal trainer. Sad thing is that someone, somewhere will buy one and swear that it works..

I guess if you ever had a noise fearful dog (like I did) you might be happy to find some tactics that help.

[kaytris]

Thundershirts do not restrict movement, they aren't painfully tight, they are simply snug. Some dogs do benefit from the shirt (or the DIY version, using ace bandages; others don't - if you have a dog with true SA, or true fullblown thunder-phobia, products such as this are certainly worth trying. (And the thundershirt company has an excellent return policy, if you find the prodcut ineffective. I wouldn't leave one on a dog unintended, however, esp. in a crate.

(Incidentally and interestingly, Temple Grandin created her own therapeutic "squeeze box" which helps her relax and deal with her autism.

[Spike's Mom]

So it's not really a shirt it's a straight jacket?

The part about the dog chewing it up? Now that I believe!

No offense to anyone here, but it's things like this that really make me shake my head in wonder. Next thing you know someone will be marketing a rubber hand on a stand that can pat your dog and say 'Good Boy' and call it a personal trainer. Sad thing is that someone, somewhere will buy one and swear that it works..

Um Mark - someone did. LOL - I think it was on Shark Tank