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[Animelover955]

So I really haven't posted much on here recently, but in the past I know I've talked a lot about Abby's storm/loud noise anxiety. Well sometime last year I invested in a thundershirt, but I never exactly got the chance to use it because the second I got it we had like no bad storms or anything that caused her anxiety/fear issues. However she has worn it on and off though and her behavior during storms has changed a lot... Sometimes she can be perfectly fine without her thundershirt on, but other times she's just awful.

Soooo....

Basically we've had storms the past few days and the first night I didn't put on her thundershirt until a little while into the storm and by then she was already worked up about it, but it did settle her down. And tonight as soon as I heard the slight bit of thunder I immediately put on her T-shirt and now baby dog is resting peacefully in her crate which I finally got back and have set up in my room!

I'm so happy with the results! Over the past few months she's gotten so much better with her storm issues. I mean there are times when I don't even have to bother with her T-shirt and I swear I never thought I'd see the day when she'd tolerate a storm.

Next on the list is to start implementing it into Bo's training plan as far as his fear issues go  

[Ailinea]

Awesome! I'm glad the Thundershirt worked out for you, I've heard a lot of great things about it. I just tried one on my dog earlier this week for his separation anxiety and it didn't seem to change him one bit... he acted like he didn't even have it on. =P I hear the results for curbing less common anxiety (like only during a thunderstorm, etc) are wonderful! Good to know it does the trick, storm phobia can get really bad in some dogs.  

[Animelover955]

She was absolutely awful during storms and events like fireworks going off. She had awful panic attacks and seemed on the verge of having a heart attack more than half the time. So it really is a huge relief to see such an improvement with her...

It can take time for your dog start to show improvement. I can't remember exactly when we got it, but I'd say we've had it for maybe 8-9 months now.

The first night I used it there wasn't really any difference. She still freaked out, panted, paced, did her normal storm routine. But after a few different times using it we noticed some slight changes, but we never got the chance to use it all that often because the second we got it all bad storms seemed to vanish so it really wasn't anything major... And now we seem to be having storms every other day and there have been some major changes in her behavior.

So I wouldn't quite give up on it with your dog just yet. Maybe try implementing a training plan along with it...

I tried it on my boxer and the poor guys reaction to was tooo funny. He completely spazzed and was like WTF is this? and started being such a dork trying to get it off. ahh how I love "torturing" him  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

I'm glad to have feedback about the shirt, I haven't sold one yet, and, well I don't have the money to try it myself.

I do think, it's possible the reason she doesn't need it sometimes, might have to do a bit with the agility? It's a big confidence booster for a lot of dogs. Plus exercise= less anxiety.  

[Animelover955]

Gabrielle_AnimalLuver

I do think, it's possible the reason she doesn't need it sometimes, might have to do a bit with the agility? It's a big confidence booster for a lot of dogs. Plus exercise= less anxiety.

This is actually the same thing I've been thinking. Her confidence these days is pretty amazing so I really wouldn't be to surprised it's a contributing factor