Posted by If you own a dog, you’ve probably heard about dog thunder shirts at some point in your time as a dog mom or dad. And if you’re looking for answers to your dog’s anxiety, you might even be a bit skeptical of the Thundershirt dog anxiety treatment.
Do thundershirts really work?
What kind of dog anxiety symptoms can it treat?
How can a piece of fabric calm my dog?
Whether you’re skeptical or just looking for more information, I’m going to give you the full lo down on this seemingly too good to be true dog anxiety shirt.
From there, you can make an educated decision on whether the Thundershirt is the right solution to help solve your dog’s anxious behaviors.
In this post, I’ll go over the very basics of dog anxiety symptoms, what a dog thunder shirt is, what anxious dog behaviors it treats, and how it works.
More importantly…
I will also point you to both positive and negative Thundershirt reviews from verified consumers and address any major concerns.
Lastly, I’ll show you where to buy the Thundershirt for dogs and give you other natural alternative solutions to your pet’s anxiety.
Dog Thunder Shirts
This post contains affiliate links. For more information read my disclosure here.
Let’s start with the basics…
How do you know if your dog has anxiety?
You’re probably already aware of some obvious signs of anxiety in dogs that your pet displays when he or she is feeling distressed.
This can include hiding, shaking, pacing, constant panting, teeth chattering, and excessive yawning or licking.
There are other anxious dog behaviors that may not be so obvious to you though. These are often misconstrued as simply naughty in nature.
They include:
Non-stop barking and howling, aggression, whining, peeing or defecating in the house. Also, destructive behavior such as tearing things up when left alone.
Sound familiar?
If your pet is exhibiting any of these dog anxiety symptoms, this is where a Thunder Coat can help.
What is a Thunder Coat?
The Thundershirt or Thunder Coat is a dog anxiety jacket scientifically proven to calm anxious pets.
Like the name suggests, Thundershirts for dogs are commonly used for pets that become nervous, anxious or fearful of loud noises including those from thunderstorms and fireworks.
The Thundershirt dog anxiety treatment is not just for loud noises and storms though.
Dog thunder shirts can also be used for:
- Car and air travel
- Separation anxiety
- Leash pulling
- Grooming
- Vet visits
- Crate anxiety
- Barking
- Licking
- Reactivity
- Over excitement
If you’re hoping to avoid treating your dog’s anxiety with drugs, dog thunder shirts are a great, natural alternative.
Want to see the Thundershirt in action?
How does a ThunderShirt work for a dog?
The Thundershirt dog anxiety treatment works by creating a gentle, constant pressure on the dog’s torso, which is similar to the calming sensation that an infant feels when swaddled.
In order for dog thunder shirts to have an effect, you MUST be diligent in ordering the correct size for your pet.
This is not a good time to guess your dog’s size.
Because the science behind Thundershirts for dogs is based on pressure, a Thundershirt that is too big isn’t going to give you any results.
Bottom line?
Make sure you measure your dog’s chest girth and follow the size chart provided before you purchase.
Learn how to measure your dog’s chest girth here.
How long can you keep a ThunderShirt on a dog?
Dog thunder shirts are safe to keep on for extended periods of time.
For example, let’s say you have a dog who has separation anxiety. If you’re gone all day at work, it is perfectly fine to keep the dog anxiety shirt on for the duration of that time.
You should, however, remove the shirt when the anxiety causing situation has passed (e.g. you’re not separated anymore, thunder storm is over, house guests are long gone).
This will ensure that your dog does not become habituated to the Thundershirt.
Where to buy Thundershirt for dogs
You can buy the Thundershirt for dogs on Amazon, which more often than not, has the best price.
There are 3 versions of dog thunder shirts including Classic, Polo and Sport, but this is the Thundershirt that most consumers appear to be happiest with and describe as being well worth the cost.
If you can get the Thundershirt dog anxiety shirt for $45 or less, I think it’s worth a try. I don’t think I would pay more though, unless I was getting free shipping.
Check the current price for the Amazon Thundershirt here.
Still, when you think about dog anxiety medication cost as a monthly expense, the Thundershirt is certainly more appealing price-wise than continuous over the counter prescriptions.
Depending upon the level of your dog’s anxiety, you may or may not be able to treat your dog’s anxiety with just the Thundershirt.
Definitely worth a shot in that regard!
Dog Thundershirt Reviews
There are thousands of positive Thundershirt reviews left by verified customers who have purchased it on Amazon.
Reading the reviews is hands-down the best way to answer that pressing question:
“Do thundershirts really work?”
These reviews contain a lot of helpful information on specific types of anxious dog behavior consumers have addressed. You can draw comparisons from this before you decide to buy the Thundershirt for your own dog.
Read all the 5-star dog Thundershirt reviews here.
Negative Thundershirt Reviews
On the other hand, there are some customers who were not satisfied with the Thundershirt and only gave it ONE star.
Reading some of the negative feedback may help you decide whether or not the Thundershirt dog anxiety jacket is the right solution for your pet.
Read all the negative ONE star Thundershirt reviews here.
The biggest problem I’ve come across in all the Thundershirt negative reviews is that it simply “did not work” to calm their dog’s anxiety.
Many of these reviews give no further explanation though.
So we don’t know what specific dog anxiety symptoms the consumer was trying to address nor the severity of it to draw any comparisons.
We do know though that the makers of the Thundershirt have surveyed a real world success rate of over 80%. This is why they are able to offer a Money-Back-Guarantee.
So perhaps some of these one star reviewers were the small percentage of unlucky dogs who are in need of additional training or therapy to calm their anxiety.
However, in this review here, the customer talked about how dog thunder shirts are not a good anxiety solution for pets that chew.
This is certainly something to take into consideration. If your dog chews up the product like the reviewer’s did, not only has it failed to calm your pet’s anxiety, but you won’t be able to return it.
That would make me very unhappy as well.
If chewing isn’t of much concern to you though, the Thundershirt does have a Money-Back-Guarantee. All the more reason to give it a try.
The bottom line?
If your dog turns out to be one of the less than 20% who the Thundershirt dog anxiety treatment doesn’t work for, you can be confident in getting a refund upon return of the merchandise within 30 days.
That’s certainly long enough to try it out. The potential benefit outweighs the risk if you ask me.
Click here to buy the Thundershirt with a 30-day Money-Back-Guarantee.
Thundershirt vs Anxiety Wrap
If price is a consideration, you can always try a cheaper alternative to the Thundershirt, such as The Anxiety Wrap.
Keep in mind though, that sometimes you get what you pay for.
While the Thundershirt brand is the leader in dog anxiety shirts, consumers give the Anxiety Wrap an average of 3 stars, making it a decent 2nd choice.
Here’s a quick comparison when debating between the Thundershirt or Anxiety Wrap:
(You may need to turn your phone sideways to view correctly)
| Sizes | Money Back Guarantee | Free Shipping | Patented Design | Vet Approved | Machine Wash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ThunderShirt | XXS-XXL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Anxiety Wrap | Toy-XL | No | Orders over $25 | No | Yes | Yes |
Is the Thundershirt dog anxiety treatment right for my dog?
It’s impossible to know if the Thundershirt dog anxiety treatment will work for your own dog until you try it.
But, if you’re not convinced from the reviews that a Thundershirt or other dog anxiety shirt will be an effective solution for your pet, there are other affordable, natural dog anxiety treatments you can consider.
These include stress relieving holistic drops, calming bites and even a behavioral aid toy that reduces negative behaviors caused by anxiety.
You may need to try out different solutions before you find something that works for your pet.
If you still have questions, make an appointment for a consultation with your vet. He or she can determine the best dog anxiety treatment options.
- Related: Help! I Think My Dog Has Anxiety
- Related: 4 Big Mistakes You Need To Avoid When Traveling With Dogs In The Car
Let me know in the comments if you have tried the Thundershirt dog anxiety treatment. I’d love to hear about your experience with this product as well as about any other natural dog anxiety treatments you’ve found to be effective. Thanks for reading!
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Photo Credit: Maja Dumat – Creative Commons Licence BY 2.0
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