Hi PEOPLE,
Does anyone have experience using both the Thundershirt and the Anxiety Wrap for anxious dogs? I’m trying to decide which one would be better for my young, anxious Aussie. I need something to help calm him down so we can work on training and counterconditioning. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
My solution is simple: and most likely free! Get an old teeshirt. A normal size shirt is fine for dogs 40+ lb, though you might have to make alterations for a smaller dog. Like this
You put the shirt on the dog, and use two hair ties to snug it up. One around their shoulders and one at the base of their ribcage. Gather up the fabric until it’s reasonably tight and secure with a hair tie. Don’t be surprised if the dog doesn’t move for a moment or two.
This is exactly what the two commercial products do, only using flannel, elastic, and velcro. Make sure to use it on the dog as far in advance of stressful situations as possible!
Thundershirts and Anxiety Wraps both work by applying gentle pressure to help dogs feel calm. They function in a similar manner, but there may be slight differences in their design or how well they fit.
Based on my research, both dog anxiety wraps and Thundershirts can be effective in helping calm anxious dogs, but the Thundershirt may be the better option. The Thundershirt is a professionally designed product that applies gentle, consistent pressure to the dog’s torso, which has been shown to have a calming effect. In contrast, homemade anxiety wraps can be inconsistent in the pressure they apply and may become loose over time, reducing their effectiveness. The Thundershirt is also easier to put on and remove, whereas wrapping a dog in an anxiety wrap can be more challenging, especially for new users. While both products work on the same principle of pressure therapy, the Thundershirt seems to be the more reliable and convenient choice based on the feedback and experiences shared online. I would likely start with the Thundershirt if I needed to help calm my dog’s anxiety.
I did have a thundershirt, I took a video of the before and after wearing thundershirt. Dog had severe anxiety about any knocking noise (went ballistic barking at the front door if you set a drink on the table), but she calmed down with the thundershirt. It was dramatic.
Unfortunately after a few days of wearing it for a couple hours a day it started rubbing under her foreleg in her armpit and looked like it was going to be painful, so I gave up on it. Would probably be helpful for stuff like fireworks.