ThunderShirt for Dogs Calming Anxiety Vest, X Small, Platinum Sport

Very helpful for my dog! The size fits her well and thankfully the Velcro strips allow for any shape of dog (my girl has a big chest and narrow waist, so I was worried about getting enough compression). She can easily move around in it if she chooses to, although she normally just lays down. I haven't needed to wash it yet, but it seems durable without being too thick or making her hot.

I do a combination of putting on her Thunder shirt and feeding her CBD treats and, at this point, it seems like she starts calming down immediately (even before the CBD has a chance to take effect). I didn't even need to really do any training for putting it on her, or getting her used to it. The front strap means I don't have to pull something over her head, I can just lay the shirt on her back and then stick the pieces together. After the first time, she actually seeks it out when she hears thunder and will stand patiently for me to put it on her.

Very pleased with this product and glad that my poor sensitive girl has some relief from the Big Bad Thunder lol

I purchased these X-Large ThunderShirts for my two pit bull girls. One is terrified of storms and fireworks, while the other protects her from all the noises. These vests genuinely help.

Realistic Expectations:

I don’t expect these to completely fix the anxiety issue - that’s not realistic. But if you’re looking for something that helps reduce anxiety and provides comfort, these are useful tools.

Our Routine:

These come out before every storm or fireworks holiday. It’s become part of our calming protocol, and the dogs have learned to associate them with comfort.

Ease of Use:

Pretty easy to put on, and my girls don’t mind wearing them - especially if a treat is involved in the process! The platinum sport version fits my large pit bulls well.

Results:

They sleep more soundly and seem more comfortable when wearing the ThunderShirts during stressful events. That’s a win in my book.

Pros:

∙ Does help reduce anxiety

∙ X-Large fits large breeds like pit bulls

∙ Easy to put on

∙ Dogs comfortable wearing them

∙ Works for storms and fireworks

∙ Part of effective calming routine

∙ Dogs sleep more soundly with them on

∙ Realistic aid, not miracle cure

Bottom Line:

Recommended for anxious dogs, but keep expectations realistic. These won’t eliminate all anxiety, but they do help provide comfort and reduce stress during storms and fireworks. For my terrified pit bull girls, that makes them worthwhile. A useful tool in managing canine anxiety.

TLDR: Freaking amazing, 100/5

I would give this 100 stars if I could. My dog Boone was re-homed to me in January 2026. I was originally fostering him until he could find his forever home, but we bonded quickly and I couldn’t give him up.

A few weeks later, I started noticing paint chips on the floor from the front door, so I set up a camera to make sure he was okay while he was home alone. I realized that after I left for the day, he was trying to come after me. He is insanely smart, and if it wasn’t for my deadbolt, he probably would’ve gotten the door open.

His previous mom and I are still in contact, so I reached out to talk to her about it. She had never experienced this with him. He’s had lots of professional training, but he has confinement anxiety, so I knew sticking him in a crate was not the solution to our problem. I was honestly starting to worry my apartment was too small for him.

As moving isn’t an option, on the hunt I went for ways to help him. This is my first dog, and honestly, his anxiety was making mine worse. I tried calming collars, blocking the door, puzzle feeders, longer morning walks, pet diffusers (don’t buy those, they’re trash), anti-scratch tape for the door, calming treats, and two different types of baby-proof door knob covers. (He quickly figured out how to remove the first one, so I had to buy a harder version.) I was trying everything I could think of and had pretty much decided I was going to take him to the vet for anxiety meds if it kept escalating.

He wasn’t destructive, just scratching and trying to open the door in a panic after I would leave for the day. Aside from one severe panic attack in April where my windowsill became a casualty, he would eventually settle. But it got to the point where I would be getting ready for work and putting makeup on, and he would already be trembling because he knew I was about to leave.

After the windowsill incident, I panic-ordered the ThunderShirt. I had been researching it and was on the fence, but I caved, and I’m SO glad I did.

The first day we used it, my dog — who normally took anywhere from 30-50 minutes to settle — only pawed at the door a few times after I left and fully settled within 20 minutes. I kept using it as part of our morning routine, and it continues to be a lifesaver. He was still whining a little after I left, but settling way faster, and the pawing/trying the knob has completely stopped.

Our first day with the ThunderShirt was April 13, and today, May 6, 2026, he didn’t go to the door at all. He walked straight to the couch and happily potatoed there all day.

I genuinely cannot explain the relief I feel knowing he’s less anxious and more comfortable when I’m gone. I am SO thankful this works. If you’ve been on the fence about trying this, just do it.

(He’s a 5-year-old pit-lab mix, in case you were wondering.)

Helps my female border collie face thunder and fireworks, but isn't a cure all.. Maybe cuts her anxiety by 25%, at most..

Truly helped my highly anxious 185lb Newfoundland Saint Bernard mix. He hates storms and even with lots of meds he still struggles when he hears thunder. This shirt in conjunction with meds helps him to relax and be able to sit next to someone during a storm rather than trying to stand on their lap (dangerous with his size). I was worried it wouldn’t be big enough but it fits him well. He likes it to much that he lets me put it on him without issue.

I wanted to love this calming jacket, but honestly, I was only somewhat impressed. It seemed to help a little with my dog’s anxiety, but I didn’t notice a significant enough difference to say it worked really well. Every dog is different, so it may work better for others, but I didn’t see the results I was hoping for. It’s worth trying if you’re looking for something to help calm your dog, but I wouldn’t say it’s a must-have.

I have a male and female boxer that would fight so bad they would draw blood. We have tried meds, changing food, behavior therapy, and anything else we could think of. The vet recommended the calming collar. I went ahead and bought the ThunderShirts also. They have been wearing these along with the collars for two months now. I don’t know what’s in this stuff but they actually work. These two are always on their best behavior with each other now. They don’t pull them off like they do other doggy clothing. They wear them unless I am giving them a bath.

We first ordered one for our Boston Mix who has developed major anxiety to storms/loud noises. He weighs about 40lbs and his chest circumference is 25", so he is right at the top end of the Medium. It fits him perfectly, as he is barrel-chested and not very long, so there is no issue with the rubbing on his male parts. It makes him very cozy and sleepy, which does help him relax during a storm, but he still runs to hide in the closet if the thunder is loud. It hasn't made him immune to the thunder, but I do think it keeps him comfortable. We usually leave it on him longer than necessary because he's so cozy!

We ordered one for our other dog, though, and it is crazy how calm it makes her. To the point of worrying if she's okay! She is a Red Heeler (but she is taller and longer than most with a skinnier body), weighs 45lbs and she is significantly longer than our Boston so we ordered her a large. She is definitely on the small side for Large, it wraps around her quite far, but when we tried the medium some of the rough velcro was exposed against her skin. If she was a male the large might be too long, as it comes nearly to back legs, so depending on your dog you may need to get a smaller size and just cover any exposed velcro. Luckily, Thundershirt has a good return policy.

Our Red Heeler has no problem with storms or noises, but she has constant energy and physically can not sit still. She's 9 and still wears us out! When we put the Thundershirt on her, she is completely calm. We are realizing that energy was more of an anxious/nervous energy, and she seems to get overstimulated. Sometimes she will just sit there barking at us because we aren't doing what she wants, or aren't in the right place (may be a herding dog thing). With her shirt on she will sweetly lay with her head in our laps and take a nap, which has never happened. I would never have thought to get her a shirt for nervous energy since she didn't show anxiety triggers, but now I am recommending it to everyone! It helps calm her down when she is overstimulated and helps us not go crazy. We've had it for a couple of weeks and we are still in shock every single time because the change is unbelievable.

I chose the sport version because I did not want the dogs to overheat, especially since anxiety causes our Boston to be hotter anyway. It has a bit of stretch and breathes, and it is very well made. When you have the proper size it is designed to not have any of the hook side of the Velcro against their skin. I especially love the extra flap on top for tightening. I looked at other anxiety shirts and reviews said how hard they were to get on since you just had one shot to get it correct. With this, I loosely fasten around their neck just so it doesn't fall off, then I align and velcro the shirt together under the chest/stomach. The flap allows me to then adjust and make it more snug after it is already secured, rather than wrestling with pulling the fabric correctly and keeping it in the right place. Finally, I redo the neck, making sure it sits low on the chest and isn't too tight.

I HIGHLY recommend this for any dogs that have that nervous energy or get overstimulated, that is where it has been most effective for us. I do suggest it for more "typical" anxieties as well, it has helped cut out the anxious pacing and shaking, but it's not a miracle cure (at least for us) that makes them immune to those triggers. Definitely worth trying, we are kicking ourselves for not getting one years ago!